Starting January 1, 2025, offshore and general cargo vessels exceeding 400 gross tonnage (GT) will be required to comply with the European Union’s Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (EU MRV) regulation. This framework mandates that vessels monitor, report, and verify their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
The EU MRV regulation encompasses emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O). Vessels must report data on emissions, cargo carried, distance traveled, and time spent at sea to a central database. This information will be publicly disclosed annually at the individual ship level.
With the implementation of Regulation (EU) 2023/957 on January 1, 2025, the scope of the EU MRV will expand to include:
- Offshore vessels over 5,000 GT
- Offshore vessels and general cargo vessels between 400 and 5,000 GT
Certain categories of vessels are exempt from these regulations, including:
- Warships and naval auxiliaries
- Fish-catching or fish-processing ships
- Vessels not propelled by mechanical means
- Government ships used for non-commercial purposes
Additionally, starting January 1, 2027, offshore vessels over 5,000 GT will be incorporated into the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), further aiming to reduce GHG emissions across the maritime sector. Under the EU MRV regulation, a port of call is defined as any stop where a vessel loads or unloads cargo, embarks or disembarks passengers, or where offshore vessels stop to relieve crew members.
The European Commission is expected to issue further guidance to clarify the obligations for offshore vessels under the EU MRV and EU ETS regulations. Please find below our earlier publications regarding EU ETS and FUEL EU:
