FW Desk News
FreightWatch.News
Monday, September 21, 2026
European importers faced steep bills from the EU's Emissions Trading System in the second quarter. Ocean carriers passed through more than half a billion euros in carbon levies.
Analysis of over 20,000 container vessel voyages showed total ETS exposure of €572m across 42.8m twenty-foot equivalent units. The figure reflects a mix of intra-EU routes charged at 100% carbon allowance rates and non-EU routes at 50%, with EU Allowances trading near €80 per tonne.
Shippers routing cargo through non-EU European ports such as Felixstowe before entering EU waters face materially lower exposure to the carbon scheme. On Asia-North Europe services, per-teu ETS costs reached approximately €28, though carriers' published energy transition surcharges often exceed these figures substantially.
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