EU ETS Voyage Cost Lab: What Each Route Really Costs You in 2026
When shipowners talk about EU ETS costs, the conversation often stops at “X tonnes times carbon price.” In reality, the bill changes sharply by route, charterparty, and how much of a voyage is inside or outside the EU. From 2026, every tonne of CO₂ that touches an EU or EEA port is fully priced, and many fleets are still treating it as a flat surcharge instead of a voyage design problem. This “Voyage Cost Lab” is meant to bridge that gap so you can see how EU ETS hits different routes before you quote or sign.
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What EU ETS really adds to a single voyage in 2026
From 2026, shipping companies must surrender allowances for the full share of CO₂ emissions that fall under the EU ETS. That covers all emissions on voyages between EU or EEA ports and half of the emissions on voyages that start or end outside the EU, plus time in port. The result is that some routes carry a much heavier carbon bill than others, even for the same ship and speed.
This section sets the frame for the calculator by breaking EU ETS voyage cost into simple, repeatable building blocks you can apply route by route.
The basic logic is simple: you estimate tonnes of CO₂ for the voyage, apply the share that falls under EU ETS, then multiply by the allowance price. The hard part is getting each step right by trade, ship and charterparty instead of using one fleet average.
Two voyages that look similar on a distance chart can carry very different ETS exposure. What matters is how much time the ship spends in EU waters and ports, not just how long it sails.
| Illustrative route | Type | Share of emissions in EU ETS scope | Key point for budget owners |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rotterdam – Hamburg | Intra-EU | 100% of voyage emissions plus time in port | Small legs can still have a high ETS cost per tonne if berth time and port fuel use are significant. |
| Rotterdam – New York | EU to non EU | 50% of voyage emissions plus time in EU port | ETS cost changes with load factor, speed and how often the ship calls at EU ports in a rotation. |
| Shanghai – Singapore – Rotterdam | Mixed rotation | 50% of emissions on the leg that starts or ends in the EU, 0% on non EU legs, plus time in Rotterdam | Only part of a multi-leg rotation is priced, so ETS exposure per voyage depends on how the schedule is built. |
The calculator below is designed to let you plug in one ship, one route and one carbon price, then compare scenarios without touching a spreadsheet.
- Change speed and see how much the ETS bill drops or rises alongside fuel consumption.
- Compare two routes for the same fixture, for example Suez versus Cape, with EU ETS exposure shown separately.
- Split the ETS cost between owner and charterer based on a simple charterparty rule and see the impact on each side.
- Scale the result up from a single voyage to a simple “per ship” or “mini fleet” annual ETS budget.
The goal is not to give a perfect compliance model. It is to put a clear, per-voyage price tag on EU ETS so that routing, speed and contract choices are made with the carbon bill in plain sight.
EU ETS Voyage Cost Lab
Plug in one ship, one route and one carbon price, then see how EU ETS cost splits between owner and charterer and how it scales from a single voyage to a mini fleet.
