#52026DC01732025 EU report on greenhouse gas emissions from maritime transport
AI-generated summary for informational purposes only. Not legal advice. See the original source for the authoritative text.
This report reviews greenhouse gas emissions from ships calling at EEA ports and shows that maritime emissions rose sharply in 2024, mainly because the Red Sea crisis forced longer routes and more sailing time. It also confirms that EU shipping carbon rules are now fully in play, including the emissions trading system for large ships and the newer fuel-intensity rule starting in 2025. For shipping lines, port operators, and cargo owners, the message is that compliance pressure is rising while EU monitoring is working well. The sector must keep reporting emissions accurately, prepare for ETS costs, and plan for cleaner fuels and efficiency upgrades as the EU and IMO push toward lower shipping emissions.
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Key Changes
- Records 2024 shipping emissions as the highest since EU monitoring started, driven by longer routes and more sea time from the Red Sea crisis.
- Confirms that the EU emissions trading system now covers large ships calling at EU ports, with maritime compliance starting in 2024.
- Notes that the FuelEU Maritime rule begins in 2025 and will push ships to steadily lower the greenhouse gas intensity of onboard energy.
Obligations
What this law requires
Shipping companies operating large ships entering EU ports must account for their CO2 emissions under the EU ETS from 1 January 2024, regardless of the ship’s flag, and prepare to surrender allowances for those emissions.
Shipping companies must monitor, report and verify greenhouse gas emissions from maritime transport in accordance with the EU MRV Maritime Regulation, including the revised scope covering methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions.
Shipping companies must submit annual MRV reports by the revised earlier deadline of 31 March starting with the 2024 reporting period.
Shipping companies must surrender EU ETS allowances for maritime emissions by the legal deadline, using the Union Registry process, for at least 99% of surrendering requirements as reflected in 2025 compliance practice.
From 2025, ships must comply with FuelEU Maritime requirements by ensuring that the greenhouse gas intensity of the energy used onboard gradually decreases over time.