FuelEU Maritime permits certain exemptions, which are valid until no later than 31 December 2029. Article 2 (points 3 to 6) of the regulation outlines these exemptions regarding specific routes and ports, as well as stays within ports of call, in respect of the energy used.
The key exemptions are in respect of energy used by:
- Article 2(3)
Passenger ships (other than cruise passenger ships) travelling between ports of call located on an island with fewer than 200,000 permanent residents within a Member State, as well as energy used during their stay at that port of call. - Article 2(4)
Ships travelling between a port of call located in an outermost region and another port of call in an outermost region, as well as energy used during stays at those ports. - Article 2(5)
Passenger ships performing transnational voyages under public service obligations or public service contracts to the ports of call of other Member States that do not share a land border with any other Member State. - Article 2(6)
Passenger ships providing maritime transport services under certain public service obligations or public service contracts on specific routes between mainland and island ports (also including the Spanish cities of Ceuta and Melilla) may also be exempted.
Current published exemptions:
Note this list of Member States port, route and island exemptions is subject to update. Updates will be published ad-hoc in the official EU journal.