OceanScore has launched a new FuelEU Pooling Marketplace designed to simplify one of the newest and untrialled compliance mechanisms in maritime regulations: pooling of FuelEU compliance balances.
Integrated directly into the OceanScore Compliance Manager, the Marketplace gives shipowners, managers, and operators a seamless way to manage their FuelEU obligations while connecting with reliable pooling partners — all in one place.
Feedback received by OceanScore from early adopters suggest that ‘this just makes sense’. The sentiment is considered to capture what many in the industry have been hoping for: a compliance platform that makes regulatory compliance easier, less costly, and more transparent.
OceanScore MD Albrecht Grell said: “We built the Marketplace to reflect what our customers have been asking for: a clear, practical way to manage FuelEU compliance without incurring unnecessary complexity and costs.”
The OceanScore Marketplace is available either as a standalone solution or as part of the Compliance Manager suite, giving clients the flexibility to tailor the platform to their needs.
Pooling under FuelEU remains one of the most cost-effective ways for managing compliance costs. But according to OceaScore, it is at risk of being administratively difficult, opaque in pricing, and inconsistent in contract terms. OceanScore says its Marketplace addresses these issues by making the process intuitive: users can review possible counterparties and their offers, select the most suited ones and then reach out directly to agree on terms and complete the transaction. No expensive middlemen, no additional counterparty risk, no unnecessary onboarding and settlement processes.
To reduce friction in contract negotiation, OceanScore has collaborated with maritime law firm Clyde & Co to offer a streamlined template for pooling agreements. Clients can use this standard agreement as a basis of own contracts or continue with their own terms. The goal is simplicity without compromising professionalism or protection.
In line with OceanScore’s approach to simplifying compliance, the Marketplace is priced to support OceanScore’s growing customer base, rather than set up as a stand-alone business. While other solutions in the market often come with onboarding fees, volume-based commissions, or hidden charges, OceanScore says it offers a single, nominal annual fee for the entire fleet.
Grell said: “We designed the business model to align with our customers, not monetise complexity. Especially in today’s tight-margin environment, we believe clarity and fairness matter more than ever.”
The Marketplace operates without exclusivity requirements. Clients are free to explore other options, and OceanScore welcomes that.
Grell added: “We want people to choose us because the service works, not because they’re locked in.”
OceanScore believes that the Marketplace is already gaining traction, with initial liquidity provided by several surplus providers such as STX, Carbon Leap, and TT Lines, offering participants a live, operational environment from day one.
Grell concluded: “We believe the future of maritime compliance lies in making complexity manageable, and in building the tools to do that transparently. This is just the next step.”
Image: OceanScore aims to simplify FuelEU compliance (source: OceanScore/Blue-C)
