What will EU ETS cost your fleet in 2026?
From 2026 the EU Emissions Trading System covers 100% of your vessels' in-scope emissions. Plug in a ship below to see the yearly carbon bill — and how much of it is avoidable.
Directional estimate. Models fuel burn on the cubic speed law from typical slow-steaming consumption for the vessel size, against the referenceEUA settlement price and standard emission factors (HFO 3.206, MGO 3.151, LNG 3.030 tCO₂/t) at the selected EU-scope factor. Your real figures depend on the vessel's actual burn curve, voyage mix, and the ETS phase-in — connect a vessel to NaviCast for measured, live numbers.
EU ETS shipping costs — frequently asked questions
Why does EU ETS cover 100% of shipping emissions from 2026?
The EU ETS Maritime phase-in ramped up in stages: 40% of verified emissions in 2024, 70% in 2025, and 100% from 2026 onward. Every tonne of CO₂ a covered vessel emits on an intra-EU voyage (and half of it on an EU↔non-EU voyage) now needs an allowance surrendered for it — there's no more partial-coverage cushion.
Why does fuel cost scale with the cube of speed, not linearly?
A vessel's resistance through water rises roughly with the square of speed, and power needed to overcome that resistance rises with speed again — so fuel burn scales close to speed³. Practically: cut speed 10% and burn roughly 27% less fuel per hour, which is why a small speed reduction has an outsized effect on both bunker cost and ETS liability.
What is "eco-speed" and how is it different from a fixed slow-steaming target?
Eco-speed is the speed at which total operating cost — fuel plus the ETS carbon allowances that fuel triggers — is minimized. Because carbon and fuel prices move independently and daily, the true optimum isn't a single number you set once; it shifts with the market. This calculator uses a reference EUA price for a quick estimate — NaviCast Eco's live dashboard recomputes it continuously against the current EUA settlement price.
How accurate is this free calculator?
It's a directional estimate, not a compliance-grade figure. It uses standard IMO/EU emission factors and typical slow-steaming fuel consumption for the vessel's size class, not your vessel's measured burn curve or actual voyage mix. For numbers you can act on, NaviCast Eco tracks live AIS position and computes the real per-hour ETS cost as it happens.