Fuel Assessment Update of the Mediterranean Emission Control Area

By the end of October 2025, six months had passed since the implementation of the Mediterranean Emission Control Area (ECA). This article will set out to review what’s changed in terms of the fuel mix and fuel quality, across the region between November 1, 2024 - October 31, 2025.

The six months leading up to the implementation of the Mediterranean ECA (1st November to30th April 2025), VPS tested marine fuels representing 1,610,852 mt, bunkered in the Top 10Mediterranean ports. This consisted of: 53% VLSFO, 28% HSFO, 16% MGO, 2% ULSFO and 1%Biofuels.These Top 10 Mediterranean ports during the six months leading up to the ECA coming into force, provided approximately 90% of the total fuel tested by VPS from the whole region. The breakdown by port and fuel type in mt was as follows:

Figure 1: Top 10 Mediterranean Ports Bunkered Fuel Tonnage by Type (Nov-24 to Apr-25). © VPS

Table 1: Top 10 Mediterranean Ports Bunkered Fuel Tonnage by Type (Nov-24 to Apr-25). © VPS

Over the six month period Pre-ECA, (Nov-24 to Apr-25), 5.5% by volume, of all fuels bunkered across the Top 10 Mediterranean ports, were off-specification. However, by fuel type, over that time period, the following off-specification rates were observed:

• VLSFO (6%)
• HSFO (6%), MGO (3%)
• ULSFO (2%) 
• Biofuels (0%)

In terms of the off-specification parameters by fuel type pre-ECA, these were mainly the following:

• VLSFO – Viscosity, Cat-fines
• HSFO – Viscosity, Density, Water
• MGO – Flash Point
• ULFSO – Pour Point

From the implementation of the Mediterranean ECA on May 1 until October 31,2025, VPS tested marine fuels representing 1,888,799 mt from the Top Ten Mediterranean ports. This consisted of: 30% VLSFO, 29% HSFO, 30% MGO, 8% ULSFO and 4% Biofuels. Looking at the Top 10 Mediterranean ports since the start of the ECA and up to October 31, these ports have supplied approximately 90% of the total fuel tested by VPS, which is a similar percentage to the six month period pre-ECA.

The breakdown by port and fuel type in mt is as follows:

Figure 2: Top 10 Mediterranean Ports Bunkered Fuel Tonnage by Type (May-25 to Oct-25). © VPS

Table 2: Top 10 Mediterranean Ports Bunkered Fuel Tonnage by Type (May-25 to Oct-25). © VPS

The relative percentage volume of VLSFO bunkered in the ECA has decreased significantly since its implementation, whilst HSFO has increased slightly, with MGO, ULSFO and Biofuel volumes all dramatically increasing in volumes. However, looking at the actual volumes Post-ECA versus Pre-ECA, VLSFO has decreased by-278K mt, whilst HSFO (+89K mt), MGO (+300K mt), ULSFO (+112K mt) and Biofuels (+56K mt) have all increased, indicating an increased mix in the use of compliant fuels (<0.1% Sulphur)and scrubber usage across the Mediterranean ECA.

Figure 3: Mediterranean Bunker Fuel Volumes by Type, Pre & Post-ECA. © VPS

The combined off-specification rate for the Top 10 Mediterranean Ports, across all fuels since the implementation of the ECA is 5.1%, which is only slightly lower to the pre-ECA off specification rate of 5.5%. However, by fuel type over that time period, the following off specification rates were observed:

• VLSFO 5%
• HSFO 3%
• MGO 4%
• ULSFO 20%
• Biofuels 2%

In terms of the off-specification parameters by fuel type post-ECA, these were mainly the following:

• VLSFO – Sulphur, Cat-fines
• HSFO – Density
• MGO – Pour Point, FAME
• ULFSO – Pour Point, Sulphur, TSP, CCAI, Water, Viscosity
• Biofuels - FAME

The high level of ULSFO off-specifications, came from 78 bunker stems (29K mt) out of 341 delivered stems (148K mt

Table 3: ULSFO Off-Specification Parameters (May-Oct 2025). © VPS