EU ETS coverage tracks emissions on intra-EU and certain extra-EU voyages, while EU FuelEU adds carbon intensity credits and penalties that tie fuel choice directly to reported results. By 2025, those mechanics turn carbon performance into measurable costs for operators. The shift is already visible across the fleet, with 33% of global capacity ready for alternative fuels and 92% of surveyed shipping companies using at least one energy efficiency measure.
Key Takeaways
- EU ETS shipping sector includes intra-EU and certain extra-EU voyages covering 100% of reported emissions under the monitoring and reporting regulation scope.
- EU MRV requires reports for each calendar year by 31 March of the following year (timelines in the MRV regulation).
- 33% of global fleet (by capacity) was reported as ‘ready’ for alternative fuels in 2023, while 19% was ‘planning’ and 48% was ‘not started’ (industry benchmarking).
- Fuel switching costs under FuelEU are affected by the carbon intensity premium/credit mechanism; the regulation sets a default pathway with quantified penalty/bonus mechanics from 2025 (legal text includes formula).
- IMO 2020 fuel sulphur compliance increased global marine fuel costs by an estimated single-digit percentage range in 2019–2020 depending on bunker region (IEA analysis of fuel switching economics).
- Scrubber installation CapEx ranges commonly around US$1–3 million per vessel (cost ranges described in IHS Markit / industry cost modeling for open-loop/closed-loop systems).
- US$20.6 billion 2023 global marine fuels market value (bunkering and related services) as reported by IMARC Group for marine fuels market sizing.
- US$3.2 billion global market size for LNG as a marine fuel in 2023 (IMARC Group estimate).
- US$7.8 billion global market for marine battery technology expected by 2030 (MarketsandMarkets forecast).
- 92% of surveyed shipping companies reported using at least one energy-efficiency measure in 2021 (Drewry survey results summarized in trade coverage).
- 3,000+ ships have installed or are installing scrubbers to comply with sulphur regulation (global count reported by industry tracker sources and compiled in trade reporting).
- Nearly 1,500 container vessels were ordered with energy-efficiency features under newbuild standards from 2020–2023 (Alphaliner newbuild sustainability reporting).
- A 10% reduction in ship speed can reduce fuel consumption by roughly 27% due to the cubic relationship between speed and required power (widely used in marine engineering energy-efficiency guidance).
- The Data Collection System (DCS) measures annual fuel consumption and calculates attained energy efficiency values used in CII for each ship (IMO DCS technical requirements).
- 12.1 billion tonnes of seaborne trade in 2023, illustrating the scale of the sector where efficiency and decarbonization measures must be applied.
Shipping fuels and efficiency are being reshaped fast by EU ETS and FuelEU, while alternative fuels and tech scale up.
Related reading
01 · Category
Industry Trends3 stats
01
EU ETS shipping sector includes intra-EU and certain extra-EU voyages covering 100% of reported emissions under the monitoring and reporting regulation scope.
02
EU MRV requires reports for each calendar year by 31 March of the following year (timelines in the MRV regulation).
03
33% of global fleet (by capacity) was reported as ‘ready’ for alternative fuels in 2023, while 19% was ‘planning’ and 48% was ‘not started’ (industry benchmarking).
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
Under industry trends for sustainability in shipping, progress is uneven as 33% of the global fleet was ready for alternative fuels in 2023, only 19% was planning them, and 48% had not started yet, while EU ETS coverage and EU MRV deadlines keep emissions tracking tightly standardized across intra EU and certain extra EU voyages.
02 · Category
Cost Analysis6 stats
01
Fuel switching costs under FuelEU are affected by the carbon intensity premium/credit mechanism; the regulation sets a default pathway with quantified penalty/bonus mechanics from 2025 (legal text includes formula).
02
IMO 2020 fuel sulphur compliance increased global marine fuel costs by an estimated single-digit percentage range in 2019–2020 depending on bunker region (IEA analysis of fuel switching economics).
03
Scrubber installation CapEx ranges commonly around US$1–3 million per vessel (cost ranges described in IHS Markit / industry cost modeling for open-loop/closed-loop systems).
04
Under the EU ETS, shipping operators must surrender allowances equal to verified emissions; the regulation ties surrender obligation 1:1 to tonnes of CO2 reported.
05
IEA reported that carbon capture and storage costs vary widely by region; for shipping decarbonization, cost modeling uses quantified ranges for CO2 capture €/tCO2 that affect feasibility of e-fuel/capture pathways.
06
Payback periods for scrubbers depend on fuel price differentials; ClassNK and trade publications quantify payback under typical 2020/2021 fuel spread assumptions in case studies (quantified payback ranges).
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
For cost analysis, shipping decarbonization is being driven by clear price signals and measurable capital burdens, with fuel sulphur compliance raising costs by a single-digit percentage in 2019 to 2020 and scrubber installations typically costing about US$1 to 3 million per vessel, while mechanisms like FuelEU carbon credits and EU ETS allowance surrender translate emissions into direct financial impacts from 2025 onward.
03 · Category
Market Size7 stats
01
US$20.6 billion 2023 global marine fuels market value (bunkering and related services) as reported by IMARC Group for marine fuels market sizing.
02
US$3.2 billion global market size for LNG as a marine fuel in 2023 (IMARC Group estimate).
03
US$7.8 billion global market for marine battery technology expected by 2030 (MarketsandMarkets forecast).
04
US$4.1 billion global market size for ship energy efficiency management systems (SEEMS) in 2022 (estimated by Allied Market Research).
05
US$2.3 billion global market size for ship management software in 2022 (estimate by Fortune Business Insights).
06
US$14.2 billion global market size for ballast water treatment systems in 2022 (estimated by Fortune Business Insights).
07
US$9.3 billion global shipping decarbonization technology investment market forecast for 2030 (estimated) (TechSci Research).
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
For the market size angle, the data shows sustainability-related shipping segments are already scaling fast, with the global marine fuels market reaching US$20.6 billion in 2023 and additional large spend and growth projected such as US$9.3 billion in decarbonization technology investment by 2030 and a US$7.8 billion marine battery technology market by 2030.
04 · Category
User Adoption4 stats
01
92% of surveyed shipping companies reported using at least one energy-efficiency measure in 2021 (Drewry survey results summarized in trade coverage).
02
3,000+ ships have installed or are installing scrubbers to comply with sulphur regulation (global count reported by industry tracker sources and compiled in trade reporting).
03
Nearly 1,500 container vessels were ordered with energy-efficiency features under newbuild standards from 2020–2023 (Alphaliner newbuild sustainability reporting).
04
In 2022, 74% of the world’s fleet (by deadweight) met the required EEXI baseline reduction levels in initial compliance assessments described by ClassNK/cross-industry summaries.
Interpretation
User Adoption Interpretation
For the user adoption angle, the clearest trend is widespread uptake with 92% of surveyed shipping companies using at least one energy efficiency measure in 2021 and nearly three quarters of the world’s fleet meeting EEXI reduction baselines in 2022.
More related reading
05 · Category
Performance Metrics2 stats
01
A 10% reduction in ship speed can reduce fuel consumption by roughly 27% due to the cubic relationship between speed and required power (widely used in marine engineering energy-efficiency guidance).
02
The Data Collection System (DCS) measures annual fuel consumption and calculates attained energy efficiency values used in CII for each ship (IMO DCS technical requirements).
Interpretation
Performance Metrics Interpretation
Under the performance metrics lens, even a 10% drop in ship speed can cut fuel consumption by about 27%, making DCS tracked fuel use and CII attained energy efficiency especially critical for measurable sustainability gains.
06 · Category
Compliance Metrics2 stats
01
12.1 billion tonnes of seaborne trade in 2023, illustrating the scale of the sector where efficiency and decarbonization measures must be applied.
02
EEXI and CII apply to the bulk of the world merchant fleet; under the IMO DCS, ships report annual fuel consumption leading to their attained energy efficiency metrics used for CII.
Interpretation
Compliance Metrics Interpretation
With 12.1 billion tonnes of seaborne trade in 2023, compliance metrics like EEXI and CII are effectively applied across most of the world merchant fleet through IMO DCS annual fuel reporting, turning widespread activity into measurable energy efficiency accountability.
07 · Category
Emissions & Efficiency2 stats
01
The IMO’s DCS has been implemented so that ships submit annual fuel consumption data used to calculate attained energy efficiency for each vessel.
02
Alternative fuels in shipping require infrastructure scaling; a 2024 review by the Global Maritime Forum estimates that ports need to scale alternative fuel bunkering capacity substantially to enable uptake, with the near-term gap described for several fuel pathways.
Interpretation
Emissions & Efficiency Interpretation
Under the Emissions & Efficiency category, the IMO’s DCS now forces ships to submit annual fuel consumption data for attained energy efficiency calculations, while a 2024 Global Maritime Forum review warns that ports must substantially scale alternative fuel bunkering capacity because near term infrastructure gaps could slow the uptake needed to improve emissions performance.
08 · Category
Investment & Financing1 stats
01
The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) reported that investments in shipping-related renewable fuels (e-fuels and sustainable biofuels) increased through 2023, supporting alternative fuel projects for maritime use.
Interpretation
Investment & Financing Interpretation
IRENA reported that investments in shipping-related renewable fuels including e-fuels and sustainable biofuels continued rising through 2023, signaling growing Investment and Financing momentum behind maritime alternative fuel projects.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Priya Chandrasekaran. (2026, February 13). Sustainability In The Shipping Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/sustainability-in-the-shipping-industry-statistics
MLA
Priya Chandrasekaran. "Sustainability In The Shipping Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/sustainability-in-the-shipping-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Priya Chandrasekaran. 2026. "Sustainability In The Shipping Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/sustainability-in-the-shipping-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
27 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+8 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)