The European Commission adopted on 16 October 2024 a Delegated Regulation to specify the rules for the monitoring of greenhouse gas emissions from offshore ships and the zero-rating of sustainable fuels. If the Council and the Parlament do not object to the Commission proposal by 17 December 2024, the new Regulation will become applicable on 1 January 2025. The new Delegated Regulation further specifies the provisions of the MRV Regulation (EU) 2015/757 on the monitoring, reporting and verification of greenhouse gas emissions from maritime transport.
The MRV Regulation (EU) 2015/757 was amended by Regulation (EU) 2023/957 to include offshore ships within the scope of the MRV Regulation as from 1 January 2025. The Commission Delegated Regulation of 16 October 2024 aims to clarify the definition of the term “offshore ships”.
The Delegated Regulation defines offshore ships as a wide range of ships designed or certified to perform service activities offshore or at offshore installations. These include, for example, dredgers, wind turbine installation vessels, research survey vessels, offshore supply and support vessels, crew and accommodation ships, cable layers, drilling ships, floating production storage and offloading units (FPSOs and FSOs), diving support vessels and standby safety vessels. Icebreakers have been excluded from the scope of the Regulation.
The specification concerning zero-rated sustainable fuels is related to the calculation of greenhouse gas emissions included in the EU Emissions Trading System. According to the new provision, the CO2 emission factors of synthetic low-carbon fuels will be determined in accordance with Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2066, i.e., in the same manner as those of the Renewable Fuels of Non-Biological Origin (RFNBO) and Recycled Carbon Fuel (RCF) referred to in the earlier Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2776. This provision is intended to apply from 1 January 2024.
Enquiries:
Satu Kuurma, Chief Adviser, satu.kuurma@traficom.fi, +358 29 534 6484
Cea Mittler, Special Adviser, cea.mittler@traficom.fi, +358 29 534 7325