Carbon counted. Decarbonisation as strategy.
Navigate maritime decarbonisation with a partner who understands both the regulations and the commercial reality. Compliance is the floor. Competitive advantage is the goal.
Optima · ESG desk The new fleet
What we do.
Maritime Decarbonisation Is Not Optional. It Is Operational.
The maritime industry is undergoing its most significant regulatory transformation in decades. The International Maritime Organization's revised greenhouse gas strategy targets net-zero emissions by or around 2050. The European Union has brought shipping into its Emissions Trading System. The Carbon Intensity Indicator is already affecting vessel ratings, charter negotiations, and asset values.
For shipowners and operators, this is not a future problem. It is a present-day operational challenge that affects chartering, financing, insurance, and vessel value, today.
Optima operates one of the few shipbroker-embedded ESG and carbon desks in the market, combining regulatory expertise with live S&P, newbuilding, and chartering deal flow. We do not treat sustainability as a marketing exercise or a compliance checkbox. We treat it as what it is: a commercial imperative that requires specialist expertise integrated with commercial decision-making.
Our team combines regulatory knowledge, market intelligence, and practical shipbroking experience to help you navigate decarbonisation without sacrificing commercial performance.
Why This Matters Now
Maritime decarbonisation is not a 2050 problem. It is reshaping the industry today. Here is what is already happening:
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CHARTER MARKETS
Major charterers now require CII reporting and include carbon clauses in charter parties. Vessels with poor environmental performance face restricted employment opportunities and lower rates.
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ASSET VALUES
Environmental compliance is now a material factor in vessel valuation. Eco-efficient vessels command price premiums. Older, less efficient tonnage faces accelerated depreciation as the regulatory trajectory tightens.
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FINANCING
Major maritime banks now align their lending portfolios with the IMO's decarbonisation trajectory and report against it. Non-compliant vessels face more expensive or restricted access to capital, and green or sustainability-linked structures are increasingly the route to the better terms.
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INSURANCE
Underwriters are beginning to factor environmental risk into premium calculations. Vessels with better environmental profiles are emerging as preferred risks.
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STAKEHOLDER EXPECTATIONS
Cargo owners, investors, regulators, and the public increasingly expect shipping companies to demonstrate measurable environmental progress. ESG is not optional for companies that want to attract capital, cargo, and talent.
Four Pillars, One Desk
Compliance is the floor. Capital decisions under regulatory uncertainty are where the desk earns its place. Reporting that holds up under audit, and carbon methodology development for nature-based and marine pathways alongside.
Compliance.
CII, EEXI, EU ETS, FuelEU, IMO Net-Zero. CII trajectory modelling, EEXI Engine Power Limitation pathways, EUA procurement, FuelEU pooling, banking, and borrowing, IMO GFI scenarios. Each compliance question evaluated against asset value, charter income, and financing terms. Not in isolation.
Decisions under uncertainty.
Regulation is not settled, but capital cannot wait. Newbuildings, retrofits, fuel pathway, fleet renewal. All require commitments today against rules that will keep evolving. We frame these as investments under uncertainty, where optionality has a value and premature bets have a cost. Real options methodology, scenario modelling, fleet-level NPV.
Reporting & advisory.
GRI and SASB Marine Transportation, SBTi-aligned target setting, and the strategic conversations behind them. Reporting that holds up under audit, tailored to the stakeholder set each client faces. Materiality assessments, baseline restatements, and the work that turns disclosure obligations into stakeholder advantages.
Carbon methodologies.
Gold Standard, Verra, ACR, CRCF. High-integrity methodology design, project structuring, and stakeholder coordination across forest estates and emerging marine NbS pathways. Integrity-grade projects only: where the science, the baseline, and the permanence hold up under scrutiny.
How We Work
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PRACTICAL, NOT THEORETICAL
Our ESG advice is grounded in commercial reality. We understand that a CII improvement strategy must work within existing charter commitments and operational constraints, and that compliance investments must be evaluated against asset value, charter income, and financing terms. We bring analytical rigour to commercial questions, not the other way around.
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COMMERCIAL CONTEXT
Every ESG recommendation is evaluated through a commercial lens. We do not recommend measures that do not make business sense. Compliance at any cost is not a strategy. Cost-effective compliance is.
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INTEGRATED ADVISORY
Our ESG desk works alongside Optima's sale & purchase, newbuilding, valuation, and finance desks. Decarbonisation is not a standalone exercise. It is integrated into every maritime decision.
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Step 01 · BASELINE ASSESSMENT
We audit your fleet's current environmental performance: CII ratings, EEXI status, EU ETS exposure, fuel consumption profiles, and emissions data.
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Step 02 · GAP ANALYSIS
We identify where you stand relative to current and upcoming regulatory requirements, and quantify the commercial impact of any compliance gaps.
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Step 03 · STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT
We develop a prioritised action plan, spanning short-term operational optimisations, medium-term retrofits, and long-term fleet renewal strategy, aligned with your budget and business objectives.
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Step 04 · IMPLEMENTATION SUPPORT
We support execution: coordinating with technical managers, advising on retrofit specifications, structuring carbon offset programmes, and providing ongoing monitoring and reporting.
The Regulatory Landscape: What Every Shipowner Needs to Know
Maritime decarbonisation regulation is moving fast. New rules from the IMO, the EU, and national governments are creating a multi-layered compliance framework that affects every commercial vessel. Here is what you need to understand.
- CII · CARBON INTENSITY INDICATOR The CII measures a vessel's carbon intensity: how many grams of CO2 it emits per cargo-carrying capacity per nautical mile (gCO2/dwt-nm). Every year, the required CII threshold tightens, meaning the same vessel must become progressively more efficient to maintain its rating. Applies to: All cargo and cruise ships over 5,000 GT engaged in international trade Commercial impact: Charter parties increasingly include CII clauses. A vessel with a poor CII rating faces narrower employment options, lower charter rates, and reduced asset value. Conversely, a vessel with an A or B rating commands a premium. CII is no longer just a regulatory metric. It is a commercial differentiator. Our role: We model your fleet's CII trajectory, identify vessels at risk of rating deterioration, and develop optimisation strategies that balance operational efficiency with commercial requirements.
- EEXI · ENERGY EFFICIENCY EXISTING SHIP INDEX The EEXI is a one-time technical efficiency measure for existing ships. It establishes a minimum energy efficiency standard based on the vessel's design parameters. Unlike CII (which is operational and annual), EEXI is a technical baseline that must be met once. Applies to: All cargo and cruise ships over 400 GT engaged in international trade Commercial impact: EPL reduces a vessel's maximum speed, which can affect trading patterns and voyage economics. Understanding the EEXI implications for your fleet is essential for operational planning and asset valuation. Our role: We assess your fleet's EEXI status, advise on the most cost-effective compliance pathways, and model the operational impact of any required modifications.
- EU ETS · EUROPEAN EMISSIONS TRADING SYSTEM FOR SHIPPING The EU ETS requires shipping companies to monitor, report, and verify their CO2 emissions (under the existing EU MRV regulation), and then purchase EU Allowances to cover the applicable share. One EUA equals one tonne of CO2. EUA prices fluctuate on the open market and have traded between EUR 50 and EUR 100+ per tonne in recent years. Applies to: All vessels over 5,000 GT calling at EU and EEA ports Commercial impact: EU ETS introduces a direct, variable cost linked to carbon emissions. For vessels trading frequently to EU ports, this cost can be substantial, reaching hundreds of thousands of euros per vessel per year. Voyage planning, fuel selection, and trading patterns all have direct financial implications under EU ETS. Our role: We help you understand your EU ETS exposure, model compliance costs across different trading scenarios, develop EUA procurement strategies, and evaluate operational changes that reduce your carbon tax burden.
- IMO GHG STRATEGY AND THE NET-ZERO FRAMEWORK The IMO's revised greenhouse gas strategy targets net-zero emissions from international shipping by or around 2050, with indicative checkpoints along the way. To deliver it, the IMO is introducing mid-term measures: a goal-based marine fuel intensity standard (GHG Fuel Intensity) and an associated economic mechanism that puts a price on emissions above the standard. Together these will shape fuel choice, newbuilding specification, and the pace of fleet renewal. Applies to: International shipping under IMO jurisdiction Commercial impact: Vessels ordered today must be specified with future fuel flexibility in mind, and existing tonnage faces an accelerating obsolescence curve as the standard tightens. Fleet renewal strategy, newbuilding specification, and asset valuation all need to account for the trajectory rather than the snapshot. Our role: We help you align fleet strategy with the IMO trajectory and the mid-term measures, covering newbuilding specification, fleet renewal planning, alternative fuel assessment, and long-term decarbonisation roadmaps.
Adjacent desks at Optima.
- RESEARCH & INTELLIGENCE For market intelligence, freight market analysis, and investment research, see our Research & Intelligence desk.
- MARITIME ASSET VALUATIONS Environmental compliance directly affects vessel values. Our valuation desk integrates CII and EEXI factors into every assessment.
- SHIPPING FINANCE Green financing and sustainability-linked loans require ESG data. Our finance and ESG desks work together to support your green financing applications.
- NEWBUILDINGS Every newbuilding contract now requires environmental specification decisions. Fuel type, engine selection, and energy efficiency targets all start here.
Questions we answer, on every ESG consultation.
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01 What is the CII and how does it affect my vessels?
The Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) is an annual operational measure that rates vessels from A (best) to E (worst) based on their carbon emissions relative to cargo capacity and distance travelled. CII requirements tighten every year, meaning vessels must become progressively more efficient. A vessel rated D for three consecutive years or E in any single year must submit a corrective action plan. Commercially, poor CII ratings restrict charter opportunities, reduce asset values, and can affect financing terms.
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02 How do I make newbuilding, retrofit, or fleet renewal decisions when the regulatory framework is still evolving?
Carefully, and with explicit recognition that you are deciding under uncertainty. The mistake we see most often is owners locking themselves into commitments (a particular fuel pathway, a specific newbuilding spec, an aggressive retrofit timeline) before the regulation has settled enough to support those commitments. Our advisory work is built around the opposite logic: identifying which decisions can be deferred, which optionality is worth paying for, and which commitments protect both compliance position and asset value across multiple regulatory scenarios. We use real options analysis and scenario modelling to support these conversations rather than to substitute for them.
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03 Does the EU ETS apply to my vessels?
If any of your vessels over 5,000 GT call at EU or EEA ports, yes. The EU ETS requires you to purchase EU Allowances (EUAs) to cover a portion of your CO2 emissions. The scheme phased in at 40% coverage in 2024, increased to 70% in 2025, and reaches 100% in 2026. This applies to all emissions on intra-EU voyages and 50% of emissions on voyages between EU and non-EU ports. The cost depends on EUA market prices and your fleet's trading patterns.
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04 What is the difference between CII and EEXI?
EEXI (Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index) is a one-time technical baseline. It measures a vessel's design efficiency and must be met once, typically through Engine Power Limitation. CII (Carbon Intensity Indicator) is an annual operational measure that rates actual performance and tightens every year. Think of EEXI as the entry requirement and CII as the ongoing performance test.
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05 Can you help us achieve carbon-neutral shipping?
We help you reduce emissions as far as is operationally and technically feasible, then assess whether high-integrity credits have a credible role for genuinely residual emissions. We are deliberately cautious with the term carbon-neutral: it carries growing regulatory and reputational scrutiny, and we would rather give you a defensible position than a marketing label. The priority order is always reduction first, credible accounting second.
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06 How much does EU ETS compliance cost?
The cost depends on three factors: the number and frequency of your EU port calls, the emissions profile of your vessels, and the market price of EU Allowances (EUAs). EUA prices have fluctuated between EUR 50 and EUR 100+ per tonne. For a vessel making regular EU calls, the annual cost can range from tens of thousands to several hundred thousand euros. We model these costs precisely for your fleet and develop strategies to minimise exposure.
Let's model the fleet.
Ready to Build Your Decarbonisation Strategy?
The regulatory timeline is fixed. Your response to it is not. Talk to our ESG desk about where your fleet stands and what comes next.