Gasum powers bunker ship with bio-LNG to generate FuelEU Maritime pooling compliance

May 9, 2025, by Ajsa Habibic

Kairos, an LNG bunker vessel chartered by Nordic energy company Gasum, will run on waste-based bio-LNG and join Gasum’s FuelEU Maritime pool as a compliance generator.

Kairos bunkering a vessel in Le Havre, France. Courtesy of Gasum

Gasum agreed with the ship owner, Bernard Schulte, to power the 7,500 cubic meter vessel with renewable bio-LNG as a way of reducing the carbon footprint and generating compliance as a service for Gasum’s FuelEU Maritime pooling customers.

Pooling is said to be the easiest and most reliable way for shipping companies to save on compliance costs and promote the production of low-emission fuels at the same time.

As the vessel’s charterer and bio-LNG producer and distributor, Gasum is able to guarantee significant emission reductions to the pool, the Nordic company explained, noting that it manages the pool, supplies the ultra-low emission bio-LNG, and offers over-compliance to shipping companies with under-compliant vessels.

“This step makes it even simpler for us to ensure the needed emission reductions to our pool at all times. According to expert estimates there will be much more compliance deficit than there is surplus on offer at the end of 2025, which makes this all the more important,” said Jacob Granqvist, Vice President, Maritime, Gasum.

“We are very pleased that Gasum, as charterer, has made the decision to use bio-LNG and that the ‘Kairos’ will thus reduce its carbon footprint even further. We need joint efforts and solutions to decarbonise shipping,” added Christian Breuel, Managing Director Tankers, Bernhard Schulte.

Since January 1, 2025, FuelEU Maritime mandates vessel owners to reduce the carbon intensity of purchased fuel initially by two percent, with the required reduction growing incrementally to as much as 80% by 2050.

To make compliance easier for shipping companies, FuelEU Maritime permits the voluntary pooling of emission reductions between vessels. This means that vessels that are over-compliant can compensate emissions on behalf of under-compliant vessels, in other words, provide compliance as a service.