A European Union regulation mandating that ship owners report CO₂ emissions of vessels sailing to and from European ports came into force on July 1.

The regulation, commonly known as the European MRV, for monitoring, reporting and verification, also requires that all ships sailing to and from European ports, regardless of flag or ownership, have a verified monitoring plan. The plan must be prepared and approved by August 2017. A separate plan will be required for each vessel. The regulation also specifies that reporting must differentiate between port emissions and voyage emissions.

The regulation does not specify who is responsible for ensuring a vessel’s compliance. Regulators will verify monitoring plans, and, beginning in 2018, will issue certificates of compliance. Non-complying vessels may be fined and detained, but these sanctions will be left to each EU member state.

Industry experts note say that compliance will require detailed record keeping. They also say that the reporting regulation may be a first step toward drawing the maritime industry into a commitment to reduce CO₂ emissions, which could involve a cap and trade or some other scheme. Momentum for CO₂ reduction measures could build following the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change meeting in Paris in December.