Rotterdam bunker fuel volumes slump 25% as EU renewable rules raise costs

Bunker fuel sales at the Port of Rotterdam fell 25.1% in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period a year earlier. The sharpest declines were in fossil marine fuels, with Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil down 46%, High Sulphur Fuel Oil down 24% and Ultra Low Sulphur Fuel Oil down 31%. At the same time, sales of alternative fuels rose 28%, driven by strong demand for bio‑LNG and the port’s first bio‑ethanol bunkering operation.

Dutch maritime organisations, including Deltalinqs, the Royal Association of Netherlands Shipowners, VOTOB and NOVE, warned that the Netherlands’ implementation of the EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED III) has increased marine fuel costs and limited the use of used cooking oil as feedstock. They argue the regulatory gap with neighbouring Belgium and Germany is pushing vessels to bunker elsewhere, noting that the Port of Antwerp‑Bruges recorded a 5.5% year‑on‑year increase in fuel sales. The groups called on the Dutch government to work with neighbouring ports to create a level playing field and prevent further loss of bunker business while safeguarding future marine‑fuel infrastructure.