On-shore power at berth: when and for whom mandatory?

Short answer: Ships above 5,000 GT calling at EU ports must use on-shore power (OPS, on-shore power supply) or deploy a zero-emission technology while at berth. This obligation stems from FuelEU Maritime (Regulation (EU) 2023/1805) and applies regardless of the flag the ship sails under.

Who is covered?

The on-shore power obligation is part of FuelEU Maritime, which has applied since 1 January 2025 (the monitoring plan had to be in place from 31 August 2024). The regulation targets ships with a gross tonnage above 5,000 GT that call at EU ports. The ship's flag is not decisive: vessels under non-EU flags are equally covered once they call at an EU port.

Alongside the on-shore power requirement, FuelEU Maritime sets a second, continuous track: a declining greenhouse gas intensity of the fuel used, measured well-to-wake (from source to combustion). That reduction starts at 2% in 2025 and rises to 80% by 2050.

On-shore power or zero-emission technology at berth

The core of the berth obligation is that a moored ship may no longer run its auxiliary engines to cover its energy needs. Instead, it must connect to on-shore power (OPS) from the quayside, or use an alternative zero-emission technology that achieves the same emission reduction at berth. In this way, emissions during the stay shift from the ship to the (partly green) electricity grid.

FuelEU alongside EU ETS

It is important to distinguish FuelEU Maritime from the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) for shipping. The EU ETS is a separate instrument, phased in between 2024 and 2026, that prices CO2 emissions tank-to-wake through emission allowances. In short: FuelEU steers the fuel (intensity and on-shore power), while the EU ETS prices the emissions. Both apply in parallel to owners and charterers operating to EU ports.

Read the main file: FuelEU Maritime and ETS for shipping. Or take the Transport & Logistics scan.