123Carbon and ZERO44 ally to support voluntary and mandatory low-carbon shipping markets

October 6, 2025, by Aida Čučuk

123Carbon, the Netherlands-based platform for carbon insetting, and ZERO44, a Germany-based SaaS startup for CO2 management of merchant ships, have entered a strategic partnership aimed at providing shipowners, operators, and charterers with a new level of control in allocating the impact of their low-carbon strategies to either the voluntary or mandatory market.

As explained, operators using low-carbon fuels can either retire, bank, or pool their low-carbon emissions under FuelEU Maritime, but can also allocate these emissions as part of a carbon insetting strategy to specific customers who are willing to pay the premium for the biofuels and hence reduce their scope 3 emissions.

By integrating their platforms, 123Carbon and ZERO44 seek to provide the industry with a solution that simplifies carbon accounting processes and allows customers to monitor their vessel’s compliance status in real time. Furthermore, customers are expected to be able to allocate specific fuel volumes for either compliance or voluntary purposes.

ZERO44 is said to enable shipping companies to forecast future emissions and regulatory exposure. Combined with 123Carbon’s registry platform, the partnership will reportedly facilitate the issuance, management, and allocation of Environmental Attribute Certificates (EAC) across all transport modalities – including air, sea, road, rail, and barge – following Book and Claim methodologies.

Jeroen Van Heiningen, Founder, 123Carbon, commented: “This partnership comes at a critical moment for the maritime industry. Shipowners and charterers are under pressure not only to comply with evolving regulations but also to offer low-carbon services to their customers seeking to lower the emissions from their sea freight-related activities. By joining forces with ZERO44, we are ensuring that our customers can take a holistic approach to carbon management, simplifying compliance, improving transparency, and unlocking value across both the voluntary and mandatory markets.”

Frederike Hesse, Managing Director at ZERO44, stated: “The partnership between ZERO44 and 123Carbon delivers exactly what the industry needs today. For the first time, voluntary carbon trading opportunities are seamlessly combined with regulatory obligations under FuelEU, EU ETS, and CII, within a single platform. This integration provides our customers with full transparency, empowering them to make optimal decisions and secure a clear competitive advantage on their journey to net zero.”

To note, this partnership is expected to support multiple user groups across the shipping value chain, from ESG managers and finance teams to chartering and fuel procurement departments.