EU Emissions Trading System Directive (EU ETS)

Incentivizing greenhouse gas reductions in the shipping industry

The EU’s Fit for 55 package is the framework for transforming its Green Deal into reality. These measures are the most ambitious legislation the EU has ever set forth to establish a more sustainable low carbon economy. Under Fit for 55, new measures and revisions have been introduced that will impact the maritime industry.

What is EU ETS?

The EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) Directive will incentivize the shipping industry to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in line with the EU’s targets. EU ETS uses CO₂ pricing and revenue redistribution to achieve these aims. It is a “cap and trade” mechanism, in which CO₂ allowances are allocated and traded within a certain restricted level.

What will be impacted by EU ETS?

• GHG emissions made on voyages between, from and to ports in the EU by ships of any flag above 5,000 GT
• Vessels covered by monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) regulation, transporting passengers or cargo for commercial purposes
• GHG emissions including CO₂

Key date:

2026: EU ETS entry into force after a three-year phase in period

How could EU ETS work?

ETS is an existing cap and trade system that would be extended to include the shipping industry under Fit for 55. The current system covers around 40% of the EU’s total GHG emissions and aims to reduce emissions by 40% by 2030.

The revised ETS proposes that emissions from current ETS sectors be reduced by 61% by 2030, compared to 2005 levels. This would represent a 4.2% annual emissions reduction target, as opposed to 2.2% under the current system.

The shipping industry will be subject to the same rules concerning the auctioning, transfer, surrender and cancellation of allowances as other sectors. Furthermore, the MRV Regulation will be adjusted and incorporated into the ETS system.

We expect a three-year transitional period, during which shipping companies will only have to surrender allowances for part of their emissions, gradually rising to 100%.

The phasing-in schedule for surrendering allowances for verified emissions will be:

• 20% for 2023
• 45% for 2024
• 70% for 2025
• 100% for 2026 and each following year

Allowances will eventually be needed for:

• 50% of emissions from ships departing from an EU port to a port outside of its jurisdiction
• 50% of emissions from ships departing outside the EU and arriving at a port within its jurisdiction
• 100% of emissions from ships travelling between EU ports
• 100% of emissions from ships at berth in an EU port

Who will enforce EU ETS? Who will pay for it?

EU Member states will be assigned as administrative authorities for EU ETS. The EU Commission will establish a list of shipping companies and their respective authorities.

Once ETS comes into force, companies will need to submit a standardized emissions monitoring plan to their authority for each of their ships in its scope within three months. Authorities will then have two years to approve these plans. From 2024, shipping companies will have to submit their aggregated emissions data to their respective authority at the end of March each year.

Operators found to be in breach of the requirements will be subject to an excess emissions penalty of €100 per metric ton of emitted CO₂. They will also have to surrender the required number of allowances for that excess the following calendar year. Ships that continually fail to comply with MRV or ETS regulations may be denied entry to EU ports.

Is the plan for EU ETS finalized?

EU ETS is currently under discussion within the EU institutions trialogues.

Based on the initial European Commission proposal, the European Council and the European Parliament reached a deal to include international shipping emissions in the EU ETS.

It includes the following points:

• The emissions covered will be:
  • 100 % of the emissions from voyages intra-EU ports;
  • 100 % of the emissions at berth in EU ports;
  • 50% of the emissions for extra-EU voyages to/from an EU port.
• A phase-in:
  • In 2025, ships will have to pay 40% of their CO2 emissions from 2024;
  • In 2026, ships will have to pay 70% of their CO2 emmissions from 2025;
  • In 2027, ships will have to pay 100% of their total emissions from 2026 (including CH4, soot and N2O).
• CH4, soot and N2O will first be included in the MRV from 2024, before the inclusion in the EU ETS.
• The scope:
  • Ships above 5,000 GT, and a monitoring of the emissions for ships above 400 GT with commitment to review the EU ETS for their inclusion in 2026;
  • Large offshore sevice ships (over 5,000 GT) are to be included in the observation mechanism from 2025 and then into the EU ETS from 2027.
• The revenues from the sales of 20 million CO2 certificates (1,6 billions euro) is to be included in the Innovation Fund and redirected to the renewal of ship fleets.
• The review of the EU ETS in case of the adoption by the IMO of a global market-based-measure.

The next step will be the adoption of a global EU ETS revision, including this deal on the inclusion of the international shipping emissions in the EU ETS.

How can I keep up to date with Fit for 55 news?

By gradually restricting the number of allowances, EU ETS will incentivize the transition to cleaner fuels. However, it remains to be seen if fuel supply and availability can be developed at sufficient scale and cost to enable operators to adopt cleaner fuels to schedule. Like all of Fit for 55, the final form of the EU ETS update has yet to be decided, though it will become clearer in the months ahead.   

Bureau Veritas is dedicated to guiding the shipping industry through new regulations in the EU and globally. We will closely monitor the evolution of the Fit for 55 package and stand by our clients’ side to help them prepare.

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