The Biofuel Compliance Deadline Most Chief Engineers Haven't Clocked Yet

Two Deadlines, One Calendar Year Apart

ABS has published fresh guidance on using biofuels as marine fuel, covering how they interact with Class requirements, IMO rules, and the EU's regulatory framework. The immediate driver is a revision to IMO's interim guidance on biofuels under the Data Collection System (DCS) and Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) framework, which takes effect 1 January 2027. But the deadline that actually lands first is earlier: revised SEEMP Part II documentation should be submitted for review as soon as possible, to ensure a new Confirmation of Compliance can be issued by 31 December 2026.

What's Actually Changing

On the EU side, Regulation (EU) 2023/957 and its delegated regulation extend the EU Emissions Trading System to shipping, with new EU MRV reporting requirements covering total greenhouse gas emissions — including specific provisions for sustainable biofuels. ABS has also introduced a Biofuel-2 classification notation, available to vessels using a blend of more than 30% biofuel that meets the relevant IMO requirements.

What This Means for Engine Officers and Masters

• Check your vessel's SEEMP Part II submission status now — the 31 December 2026 Confirmation of Compliance deadline is closer than the headline 2027 IMO rule change
• If your vessel uses or is planning to use biofuel blends above 30%, understand whether the Biofuel-2 notation applies and what it requires
• EU MRV reporting on biofuel use has specific provisions distinct from conventional fuel reporting — confirm your reporting process accounts for this
• Treat this as a documentation and compliance timeline issue now, not a technical fuel-handling issue to address later

Related Reading

• The UK ETS Is Live — the parallel carbon compliance framework reshaping fuel decisions
• HNS Convention 2027 — another major compliance deadline landing the same year as CII/DCS revisions