This calculator estimates the FuelEU Maritime penalty for a ship that misses its greenhouse gas intensity limit. It uses the formula in Annex IV of Regulation (EU) 2023/1805, it runs entirely in your browser, and it asks for nothing: no email, no signup, no account.
Estimate your FuelEU compliance penalty
Well to wake, from your verified compliance balance
For fuels not listed, use the LCV in Annex II
From the second onwards the penalty rises by 10% each period
Nothing you type is sent anywhere. The calculation happens on your own device.
How the penalty is actually calculated
Most explanations of this put the formula in an image. Here it is in text, so you can check it, copy it and argue with it.
compliance balance = (GHG target - GHG attained) x energy in scope
[gCO2eq] [MJ]
penalty (EUR) = |compliance balance|
--------------------------------- x 2400
GHG attained x 41000- 41000 is the energy content of one tonne of VLSFO, in megajoules. Dividing by it converts the deficit into tonnes of VLSFO equivalent
- 2400 is the penalty in euros per tonne of VLSFO equivalent
- A negative balance is a deficit and triggers the penalty. A positive balance is a surplus and does not
- Repeat offences cost more. From the second consecutive period in deficit, the penalty is multiplied by 1 + (n-1)/10, where n is the number of consecutive periods
The limit tightens five times between now and 2050
The baseline is the 2020 fleet average of 91.16 gCO₂eq/MJ. Each target is a reduction against it (European Commission).
| Period | Reduction | Limit in gCO₂eq/MJ |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 to 2029 | 2% | 89.3368 |
| 2030 to 2034 | 6% | 85.6904 |
| 2035 to 2039 | 14.5% | 77.9418 |
| 2040 to 2044 | 31% | 62.9004 |
| 2045 to 2049 | 62% | 34.6408 |
| 2050 onwards | 80% | 18.2320 |
Note the 2035 figure. It is 14.5%, not 14%. Several summaries round it down, including one published by the Commission itself, and on a large ship that rounding is worth tens of thousands of euros.
A worked example
A ship burning 13,700 tonnes of HFO and 1,600 tonnes of MDO on voyages between EU ports, attaining 91.49 gCO₂eq/MJ in 2025:
energy = 13,700 t x 40,500 MJ/t + 1,600 t x 42,700 MJ/t
= 623,170,000 MJ
balance = (89.3368 - 91.49) x 623,170,000
= -1,341,809,644 gCO2eq (deficit)
penalty = 1,341,809,644 / (91.49 x 41,000) x 2400
= 357.71 t VLSFO eq x 2400
= EUR 858,509The same ship, unchanged, would face roughly 5.4 million euros against the 2035 limit. The fuel bill is identical. Only the limit moved.
What this calculator does not do
Being clear about the limits matters more than the number looking authoritative.
- It does not apply pooling, banking or borrowing. FuelEU lets you bank a surplus, borrow against the next period within limits, and pool ships together. All three change the real liability, and none of them is modelled here
- It does not calculate your GHG intensity. You enter the attained figure. Deriving it well to wake from fuel consumption is the job of your verified monitoring, not of a web form
- It does not cover the at berth requirement. Failing to use onshore power where required is penalised separately, at 1.5 euros per kWh of unmet demand
- It uses standard lower calorific values of 40,500 MJ per tonne for HFO and VLSFO and 42,700 for MDO and MGO. Your actual figures come from Annex II and from the delivery documentation
Treat the output as an order of magnitude for planning, not as a filing. The full mechanics of FuelEU Maritime, including pooling and banking, are set out here, and what compliance software does with these numbers is here.
The number is only as good as the fuel data behind it
Every figure in this calculator ultimately rests on one input: what fuel actually went on board, and whether you can prove it. That comes from the Bunker Delivery Note signed at each bunkering, and it has to survive verification by an accredited third party.
A penalty estimate built on fuel data you cannot evidence is a guess with a euro sign in front of it.
VesselChain records each delivery once, at the point of delivery, signed by the accredited verifier the regulation already requires. What that means if you own or operate the vessel is here, and if you want to talk it through, tell us the route and we will scope it in one call.
Frequently asked questions
How is the FuelEU penalty calculated?
The compliance balance is the difference between the GHG intensity limit and the attained intensity, multiplied by the energy used in scope. If it is negative, the penalty is the absolute deficit divided by the attained intensity times 41000, multiplied by 2400 euros.
What is the FuelEU penalty per tonne?
2,400 euros per tonne of VLSFO equivalent of the compliance deficit. The 41000 in the formula converts grams of CO2 equivalent into tonnes of VLSFO equivalent, 41000 MJ being the energy content of one tonne.
What is the FuelEU limit for 2025?
89.3368 gCO2eq/MJ, which is 2% below the 2020 baseline of 91.16 gCO2eq/MJ. The limit applies from 1 January 2025.
Does the penalty increase if I miss the target again?
Yes. From the second consecutive reporting period in deficit the penalty is multiplied by 1 + (n-1)/10, where n is the number of consecutive periods. A third consecutive year carries a 20% uplift.
How much energy counts for a voyage into the EU?
50% of the energy used on voyages arriving in or departing from an EU port from outside the EU. Voyages between two EU ports count 100%, as does energy used at berth in an EU port.
Which ships does FuelEU Maritime apply to?
Commercial ships above 5,000 gross tonnage carrying cargo or passengers and calling at EU ports, regardless of flag.
Is this calculator free?
Yes. It runs in your browser, requires no signup or email, and nothing you enter is sent anywhere.
