22 July (Lloyd's List) - FUELS using a carbon accounting method called mass-balancing will be compliant with the FuelEU Maritime legislation, while a similar method called book-and-claim will not be allowed, according to a FAQ published by the EU for FuelEU.

This will allow mass-balanced fuels such as bio-LNG and bio-methanol, although the EU requires complete traceability under its Renewable Energy Directive.

The EU’s strict mass-balancing rules require companies to inject bio-mass or bio-methane to the EU grid to produce RED-compliant fuels.

The EU clarification could boost deliveries of bio-LNG and bio-methanol in 2025, as owners of LNG and methanol vessels will look to financially benefit by using FuelEU’s pooling compliance method.

Mass-balanced bio-LNG has become one of the most viable alternative fuels in the EU, as the product can be produced with existing infrastructure unlike greener fuels such as e-methanol and e-ammonia that require expensive infrastructure to produce.