ABS Earns First EU Emissions Monitoring Accreditation

A container ship arrives at a loading terminal at the port of Hamburg, February 15, 2017. REUTERS/Fabian Bimmer

International classification society ABS has been awarded accreditation by Greece’s National Accreditation Body to perform assessments for European Union (EU) Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) compliance concerning ships’ emissions monitoring plan.

The accreditation was awarded to ABS by the Hellenic Accreditation System (ESYD), making it the first class society to earn the accreditation in the EU.

“We are proud to be the first Class Society accredited to perform EU MRV assessments,” says ABS Chairman, President and CEO Christopher J. Wiernicki. “Endorsement by Greece’s National Accreditation Body acknowledges our leadership role in helping industry navigate complex operational and environmental regulatory challenges.”

In recent years, greenhouse gas emissions from shipping have come under increased scrutiny at the International Maritime Organization and on regional levels, leading to new emissions requirements. Among these is the EU MRV regulation, EU Regulation 2015/757, for ships traveling to, from and between EU ports. Central to the EU MRV requirements are key deadlines for ship owners and operators to develop an emissions monitoring plan, implement the plan and submit a report that is verified by an independent third party.

“With multiple ways to meet EU MRV requirements, owners look for a trusted advisor like ABS to evaluate the options,” says ABS Executive Vice President for Global Marine Kirsi Tikka. “As the first accredited class society, ABS is already working with owners and operators to help them verify that their monitoring plans are in compliance with the requirements. This recognition by the ESYD further demonstrates our leading role in providing EU MRV compliance solutions.”

As an independent third party, ABS will help with EU MRV compliance by assessing that plans are aligned with the applicable requirements and verifying that emissions reporting is prepared in conformance with the accepted monitoring plan.

ABS says it will also leverage its industry-recognized Nautical Systems (NS) fleet management software to facilitate MRV compliance through the NS Voyage Performance Manager module. Data is captured automatically through the NS Autologger or from noon reports. The MRV requirement is built seamlessly into the application for easy and accurate reporting, providing an integrated solution that is unique to the industry.

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