Lisbon, Portugal – August 8, 2025 – In a move set to revolutionize the nascent FuelEU surplus trading market, BetterSea, a pioneering digital maritime compliance platform, has announced the launch of the world’s first FuelEU Index. This groundbreaking benchmark promises to inject unprecedented transparency, crucial insights, and much-needed structure into an evolving market grappling with price discovery and compliance complexities.
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Key Market Shifts Revealed by the Inaugural Index
The inaugural FuelEU Index provides a real-time snapshot of a rapidly evolving marketplace. Key movements include:
- 24% drop in average ask prices for FuelEU surplus since June
- 9% increase in trade prices during the same period
- 64% narrowing of the bid-ask spread
The unveiling of the inaugural FuelEU Index provides a real-time snapshot of market dynamics, revealing significant shifts as the FuelEU surplus market accelerates into a decisive phase of price identification. According to BetterSea’s data, the average ask price for FuelEU surplus has seen a notable 24% drop, while conversely, trade prices have climbed by 9% since June. Perhaps most indicative of a maturing market, the bid-ask spread has impressively narrowed by a substantial 64% over the same period. These concurrent movements underscore a strengthening marketplace characterized by heightened buyer conviction, enhanced transparency, and a critical alignment of price expectations between buyers and sellers.
Anchored in Real Transactions for Firm Confidence
“We built the FuelEU Index to cut through the noise,” stated Maximilian Schroer, co-CEO of BetterSea. “There’s a lot of guesswork in the market right now. Our index is anchored in executed transactions — real deals, not opinions — giving the industry the clarity it needs to move forward with confidence.” This emphasis on actual, verified transactions sets the FuelEU Index apart, providing a robust and reliable indicator of market sentiment and value, rather than speculative projections.
Robust Participation and Emerging Secondary Market
The data underpinning the index highlights robust participation on the BetterSea platform, with over 41,700 t CO₂e of surplus already listed. This substantial volume underscores the industry’s proactive engagement with the FuelEU Maritime Regulation. Notably, participation is particularly strong from liner shipping and “early-mover” segments that have already begun leveraging less prevalent, more sustainable fuels, demonstrating their commitment to decarbonization and readiness to monetize their compliance efforts.
Furthermore, BetterSea’s data indicates a burgeoning secondary market. Growing interest from non-shipping entities, including traders and financial intermediaries, points to a sophisticated landscape driven by arbitrage opportunities and strategic positioning in anticipation of future market developments. This influx of diverse participants is expected to further enhance market liquidity and efficiency.
Guiding the Industry Through FuelEU Compliance
As the FuelEU Maritime Regulation transitions into its next critical phase, BetterSea’s platform solidifies its position as a leading hub for structured, trusted, and compliant surplus trading. The FuelEU Index will be updated monthly, disseminated through BetterSea’s regular newsletters, serving as an indispensable guide for the industry to navigate and trade with confidence, backed by data that accurately reflects actual market activity. This ongoing provision of verified market intelligence is poised to empower stakeholders to make informed decisions, optimize their compliance strategies, and unlock the full potential of the FuelEU surplus market.
About BetterSea
BetterSea stands as the maritime industry’s premier FuelEU compliance trading platform, earning the trust of over 5,000 ships. It redefines the industry’s approach to FuelEU compliance by offering an end-to-end solution. This comprehensive platform integrates a pooling marketplace with a robust legal and financial framework, bolstered by strategic partnerships with the industry’s most trusted verifiers, data providers, and the esteemed P&I club, NorthStandard.
Source BetterSea