B100 marine fuel samples in Rotterdam more than doubled in the first eight months of 2026. Bunker fuel data firm ENGINE recorded 77 quality samples between January and August, up 126% from 34 in the same window last year.

The jump lifted B100's share of all biofuel samples drawn at the Dutch port to 23%, from 12% in the first eight months of 2025. Total biofuel samples in Rotterdam rose to 342 from 275 year-on-year, ENGINE's dataset shows.

What's driving the shift?

Rotterdam remains the largest bunker hub in the world by marine biofuel volumes. Demand is supported by the Netherlands' implementation of the EU's RED III directive, which makes qualifying biofuels considerably cheaper at Dutch ports than elsewhere in Europe.

Under Dutch rules, bunker suppliers can generate maritime emission reduction units, called ZRE A tickets, by selling low-emission marine fuels made from advanced feedstocks listed in the directive, including palm oil mill effluent. Those tickets can then be sold to suppliers of conventional VLSFO or LSMGO who need them to meet their own compliance obligations.

The EU Emissions Trading System and FuelEU Maritime layer on additional pull, rewarding owners who burn biofuel with lower carbon costs and smaller compliance penalties.

How did other grades fare?

Most other biofuel blends lost share. B30-VLSFO, the dominant grade, slipped to 28% of samples from 37%. B30-LSMGO eased from 22% to 20%, and B30-HSFO dropped sharply from 7% to 3%.

B30-ULSFO was the only other grade to gain ground, climbing from 22% to 27%.

How big is the actual market?

The Port of Rotterdam Authority does not break out B100 sales as a separate category, so no official B100 tonnage exists for the port. Suppliers at Rotterdam sold approximately 345,000 metric tons of bio-blended fuel oils and distillates in the first half of 2026, the port authority reports.

ENGINE's sample data covers around 135,000 mt, or 39% of those sales. Because some samples do not carry a recorded quantity, actual coverage runs somewhat higher.

The number of B100 samples in ENGINE's dataset can serve as a directional indicator of B100 demand at Rotterdam, even though it captures only a slice of the physical market.

Who is selling?

ENGINE counted 15 bunker suppliers selling biofuels in Rotterdam between January and August 2026, up from 10 a year earlier. The number selling B100 climbed from three to seven.

Dutch supplier Verde Marine Energy made its first B100 delivery in the ARA region in June 2026, expanding the supplier base beyond the established trio.

What does it mean for shipowners and charterers?

The wider availability of B100 alongside ZRE A ticket economics gives operators on North Europe trades a sharper bunker-cost edge compared with vessels taking conventional VLSFO at Rotterdam. Carriers running fixed itineraries between Rotterdam and other EU ports can lock in lower compliance costs by topping up there, while forwarders with biofuel mandates from cargo clients gain a deeper supplier pool to source from.

The price gap that RED III creates against non-Dutch European ports also tilts Rotterdam-bound refuelling decisions in favour of the ARA range, particularly for container lines and tankers facing tightening FuelEU intensity targets.

What comes next?

With B100 now approaching a quarter of Rotterdam's biofuel samples and seven suppliers active in the segment, the grade is consolidating as a credible compliance option for shipowners operating on North Europe trades. The trajectory points to further share gains as FuelEU Maritime penalties tighten from 2027 onward, though Rotterdam's lead will depend on continued Dutch enforcement of RED III incentives that keep biofuel pricing competitive against Singapore and other competing hubs.