“The Italian maritime bunkering sector is at a critical crossroads today, marked by high operating costs, complex bureaucratic procedures, and European environmental legislation that is often confused and applied unevenly. This situation, in view of the adoption of RED III, jeopardizes the competitiveness of national ports and risks shifting traffic and economic activities to foreign ports”. This is the message launched during the conference ‘The maritime bunkering sector between ETS obligations, FuelEU Maritime and biofuels’ according to the report provided by Assocostieri, the promoter of a conference on the topic within the context of Oil&nonOil.
Moderated by Dario Soria, general director of Assocostieri, the event saw the participation of important figures from the sector, including Davide Tabarelli (Nomisma Energia), Michele Francioni (Msc Crociere), Pasquale Bellusci (Getoil), Emanuele Jacorossi (Jenergy and council member of Assocostieri), Giampaolo Zucchi (San Marco Petroli and council member of Assocostieri) and Admiral Vincenzo Vitale (Maritime Director of the Marche region).
Soria opened the proceedings with this message: to protect Italian ports, it is urgent to eliminate the obligation for biofuels in marine bunkering. A request already formalized to Minister Pichetto Fratin (Mase), deemed essential to preserve national competitiveness and guarantee fair operating conditions compared to foreign ports.
Following this, Davide Tabarelli presented, as a preview, a summary of the joint Assocostieri–Nomisma Energia study, confirming that the sector has suffered for years from higher costs compared to international competitors. The excess of bureaucratic burdens and complex procedures have in fact created a disincentive for shipowners and have contributed to weakening the role of Italian ports in the Mediterranean.
Pasquale Bellusci (Getoil) highlighted the more stringent operational restrictions, such as the obligation for foreign shipowners to have a fiscal representative in Italy, a measure that effectively penalizes national ports. Despite Italian operators having tried to respond with greater flexibility, guaranteeing 24/7 operations and on weekends, and expanding the offer of alternative fuels like Hvo (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil), the situation remains critical. Bellusci also highlighted a paradox: the increase in costs imposed by the regulations risks shifting transport from ship to road, effectively increasing overall emissions instead of reducing them.
Regulatory difficulties and market uncertainty were then central topics during the conference. A central point of the discussion was the regulatory confusion, generated by an uneven adoption of the ETS (Emission Trading System) and FuelEU Maritime measures in Italy and the rest of Europe. Giampaolo Zucchi (San Marco Petroli) spoke of a market “almost without tools,” emphasizing the disorientation caused by rules issued without an overall vision: “We are navigating completely in the fog,” he stated. The impact on companies is significant: the need to continuously adapt operational strategies compromises competitiveness and investment capacity.
Emanuele Jacorossi (jEnergy) reiterated how the late and uncertain application of the rules does not produce environmental benefits, since many shipowners still turn to foreign ports, but serious penalties fall on Italian operators.
The example of the biofuel obligation (RED III) is emblematic: Italian penalties could reach 300 euros per ton, compared to the approximately 50 euros applied in other European countries, creating a clear competitive disadvantage. Jacorossi has therefore formalized the request to suspend RED III in bunkering, pending a realistic and sustainable regulatory framework.
Michele Francioni (Msc Crociere) offered the perspective of shipowners, highlighting how the choice of bunkering port depends on economic convenience, operational simplicity, and regulatory stability. Msc’s energy strategy has so far been based on LNG (liquefied natural gas), but the lack of a clear regulatory framework in Italy had initially favored French ports. Despite the difficulties, Francioni sent a positive signal: the guidelines on LNG bunkering in Italian ports represent an important step. Then the announced start of LNG bunkering for a Gnv ferry in Genoa starting in the autumn demonstrates that Italy is closing the gap and can become a benchmark in the Mediterranean.
Admiral Vincenzo Vitale, Maritime Director of the Marche region, also supported the Association’s positions, emphasizing the need to suspend the ETS and FuelEU Maritime obligations until the entire monitoring system is fully operational in all Member States.
The conference concluded with a shared appeal and a summary of the actions deemed indispensable to preserve and revive the competitiveness of national bunkering. The first request, strongly put forward by the speakers, concerns the suspension or zeroing of the obligation to use biofuels provided for by the RED III directive for the maritime sector. A measure that, according to Assocostieri, should be temporarily suspended pending the definition of a clearer, more realistic, and sustainable regulatory framework, capable of guaranteeing equal conditions of competition between Italian and foreign operators.
Equally urgent is the need to intervene on the bureaucratic complexity burdening sector operators, particularly regarding procedures related to the VAT declaration. An administrative simplification — it was emphasized — would represent a decisive step to reduce times and operational costs, allowing companies to focus on innovation and service quality, rather than on often redundant compliance.
Finally, the speakers emphasized the importance of a stable regulatory framework, offering clarity and certainty of the rules. The continuous modification of provisions and the lack of coordination between European and national regulations are forcing companies to frequently revise their strategies and operate in a climate of constant uncertainty, which discourages investment and limits the growth of the sector.
The final message from Assocostieri is unequivocal: without rapid and concrete interventions, the competitiveness of Italian ports risks weakening further, with repercussions that are not only economic but also environmental. The association calls for “timely, pragmatic decisions, and coherent with the objectives of the energy transition, to guarantee a future where Italian bunkering can once again become a benchmark in the Mediterranean, combining sustainability, efficiency, and industrial development.”
