2nd August 2025 – 8th August 2025
LOCAL NEWS
No news reported.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
1. FuelEU Maritime Clause for Time Charter Parties – Explained in 60 seconds
On 7 August 2025, BIMCO released a brief video outlining the main features of its newly introduced Fuel EU Maritime Clause, followed by the implementation of the EU Fuel Maritime Regulation. This clause is designed to assist both shipowners and charterers in aligning with the regulatory requirements.
The primary objective of the clause is to clarify the allocation of responsibilities between owners and charterers concerning emissions compliance. Notably, charterers do not have an automatic right to supply biofuels, instead such arrangement must be expressly agreed upon the contract.
The video further explains that the oversupply of biofuels, resulting in a compliance surplus, does not entitle the charterer to compensation, unless this has been explicitly agreed in advance. Additionally, the clause allows for combined compliance, although this option is limited to full-year time charters.
Finally, BIMCO emphasizes the importance of maintaining regulatory compliance, noting that non-compliance may lead to significant penalties. Consequently, companies are strongly encouraged to comply with all regulatory requirements and to monitor compliance throughout the charter period.
Related Articles:
BIMCO 07/08 - FuelEU Maritime Clause for Time Charter Parties – Explained in 60 seconds
BIMCO - FuelEU Maritime Clause for Time Charter Parties 2024
2. EU Commission calls on Member states to transpose Directive setting minimum criminalisation standards for sanctions violations
The European Union continues to expand its sanctions regime against Russia and Belarus. The latest, the 18th EU Russia/Belarus sanctions package was published on 19 July 2025, and included a range of additional sanctions, mainly targeting the Russian energy, banking and military industries, but also individuals and the Russian shadow fleet.
The EU has identified divergent EU sanctions enforcement practices and penalties for EU sanctions violations as a concern. It adopted Directive (EU) 2024/1226 (the “EU Sanctions Directive”), setting out common definitions of criminal offences and penalties for violations of EU sanctions, aiming to increase the efficiency of EU sanctions and prevent circumvention at the enforcement level. EU Member States were required to transpose the EU Sanctions Directive and its minimum standards for penalties for EU sanctions violations into national law by 20 May 2025.
The basic requirements under the EU Sanctions Directive include:
- The obligation for member states to treat intentional violations of EU sanctions as criminal offences. This covers breaches involving asset freezes, trade restrictions, and also attempts or aiding and abetting such violations. The EU Sanctions Directive extends liability to serious negligence in cases involving items on the EU’s Common Military List or dual-use items.
- The obligation to ensure that legal persons (i.e. companies) can be held liable for criminal offences related to sanctions violations, with penalties including fines.
- The obligation to adhere to minimum requirements concerning maximum penalties for both natural and legal persons. The obligation to take measures to ensure that certain aggravating factors – such as involvement of organized crime or repeat offenses – are considered under national law to appropriately increase penalties.
- The obligation to provide minimum limitation periods for criminal offenses, allowing sufficient time for investigation, prosecution, trial, and adjudication. These periods generally include at least five years for serious sanctions violations.
However, several Member States failed to communicate full transposition of the Directive to the Commission. Therefore, on the 24th July 2025, the EU Commission has decided to open infringement procedures by sending a letter of formal notice to 18 EU Member States that have failed to communicate full transposition of the Directive to the Commission. These EU Member States now have two months to respond, complete their transposition, and notify the EU Commission of their measures. Failing this, or if the EU Commission deems the response unsatisfactory, it can move to the next stage of the infringement procedure: the reasoned opinion. If necessary, the EU Commission may then refer the case to the Court of Justice.
However, according to legal experts, although 18 EU Member States have not yet fully transposed the EU Sanctions Directive into national law, examining the existing national regimes and drafts for the transposition reveal that differences among EU Member States are likely to persist. Spain, Germany, the Netherlands and France are good examples of the different stages of member state transposition.
Related Articles:
Willkie 01/08 - Commission calls on EU Member States to fully
3. Greek shipowners call on the EU to drop CO2 rules for shipping
In its Annual Report, which was released on the 1st August 2025, the Union of Greek Shipowners (UGS) has called on the European Union to scrap its Emissions Trading System and its FuelEU directive as soon as the global carbon tax takes effect.
Since the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is expected to adopt the global carbon tax, the Greek shipowners argue that there is no more need for the EU regulations.
Therefore, UGS urges EU to fully transpose the IMO Net-Zero Framework (NZF) in the European regulatory framework if IMO adopts the IMO NZF in October 2025.
At the same time, Europe’s unilateral regulations on shipping’s carbon emissions create pressures on transport costs, at a time when most countries in the world are indifferent to the challenge of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
So, the report concludes, the challenge of decarbonizing European shipping cannot be met with a European regulatory framework that undermines its competitiveness, as Europe is already under great competitive pressure and the global trade map is being redrawn.
“Measures at regional levels undermine shipping’s competitiveness and disrupt global trade. Their alignment with global measures is necessary,” the report notes.
Related Articles
Attachment 1: Tradewinds 01/08 - Greek owners urge EU to scrap ship emission rules once global carbon tax is in place
eKathimerini 05/08 - Greek shipowners lobby the EU
4. Houthis impose sanctions on 64 companies for violating naval blockade on Israel
On the 6th August 2025, the Humanitarian Operations Coordination Centre (HOCC), affiliated with Yemen’s Ansar Allah movement (Houthis), announced that it has imposed sanctions on 64 companies that breached the naval blockade imposed on Israel.
In a statement, the centre said it had contacted the companies that own the vessels violating the blockade, informing them that due to their non-compliance – despite prior warning notices issued before their ships entered Israeli ports. The group referred to these ports as belonging to the “occupying entity”.
The HOCC warned that for companies which had received the letters, “These vessels are hereby prohibited from transiting the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab Strait, the Gulf of Aden, and the Arabian Sea, and will be subject to targeting wherever they fall within the reach of the Yemeni Armed Forces”.
The group added that it could expand the targeting of the shipowners it had warned to include entities that engaged in business with them.
The international naval Combined Maritime Taskforce (CMT) in the Middle East describe threat level to shipping with links to Israel as “critical” and the overall threat of Houthi attacks as “severe”. Following the statements on 27 and 28 July by the Houthi on their targeting criteria it was assessed as likely that the Yemen-based group would seek to launch an attack on intended vessels in the coming weeks.
Related Articles:
SeaTrade 07/08 - Houthi threaten vessels from 64 shipowners in Red Sea
Safety4Sea 07/08 - Houthis sanction 64 shipowners for trading with Israel
Attachment 2: Tradewinds 07/08 - Houthis tell 64 shipowners they face consequences for failing to avoid Israel
5. US TREASURY REPORT
The US Treasury Report for all actions reported is hereby attached.
Related Article:
Attachment 3: US Treasury Report for week 02/08/2025 – 08/08/2025
6. PIRACY REPORT
The Piracy Report for all actions reported is hereby attached.
Related Article:
Attachment 4: Worldwide Threat to Shipping (WTS) Report, for the period between 09/07/2025 – 06/08/2025
Nothing important to report from Local News, ILO, IMO and the House of Representatives.