World Maritime News
WMNF 28/05/2025
EU rules a game changer for fully electric ferries, says Kongsberg
According to marine technology firm Kongsberg Maritime, EU green regulations are making fully electric shortsea shipping a real possibility. Strategy and business development vice-president Oskar Levander said rewards from selling overcompliance with the FuelEU Maritime standard had changed the game, alongside the new EU Emissions Trading Scheme costs and cheaper batteries. Levander estimated the annual cost of a 2,000 lm ro-pax working a 50 nautical mile route at 20 knots would be 23% cheaper using conventional fuel just two years ago. But batteries are now 14% cheaper, Levander said. For some ro-pax routes, battery power could mean €5m ($5.6m) or more per year in extra revenue by selling overcompliance with FuelEU. The challenge was power availability from ports. FuelEU requires the bigger European ports to provide shore power for passengers and containerships but doesn’t require the ports to provide the significantly greater power needed to propel a voyage.
Read more: Lloyd’s List
Carriers rush to reposition ships as trade truce fuels transpacific boom
Carriers are scrambling to redeploy ships from other trades to the China-US route, with the tariff truce between Washington and Beijing spurring what analysts call a “perfect storm” for the container shipping market. New strings linking the two countries have been announced along with the influx of capacity, while previously suspended services are being restored. Some smaller lines have also returned to the core trade. Spot FAK rates from China to the US west coast have risen above $3,000 per feu for the second half of May. Rates to the east coast are another $1,000 per feu higher. Prices have breached $6,000 and $7,000 for the first half of June, with some carriers quoting even above $10,000 per feu for departures in the second half. “Carriers are scrambling to redeploy their ships to the US to take advantage of the rate bonus,” said Linerlytica.
Read more: Lloyd’s List
US port fees don’t hit until October but shipping response already underway
For shipping to avoid US port fees beginning in mid-October, plans need to be put in motion now, and they can not wait for clarity on the specifics of fee implementation, which may be a long time coming. The industry is already making moves. USTR hearing on 19 May did not address any of the questions raised by shipping and focused entirely on Chinese-built port cranes. Almost half of Zim’s operating capacity is Chinese-built; it plans to redeploy its fleet to ‘minimize if not neutralize’ fee costs. Concerns over Chinese leasing are already having an effect: Okeanis Eco Tankers just bought back three VLCCs from a Chinese leasing house, switching to Greek bank debt.
Read more: Lloyd’s List