MRV mechanism in the European Union

REGULATION (EU) 2015/757 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 29 April 2015 on the monitoring, reporting and verification of carbon dioxide emissions from maritime transport, and amending Directive 2009/16/EC entered into force on July 1, 2015.

The key goal of introducing the Resolution is to establish a European system for monitoring, reporting and verifying CO2 emissions from ships under the first multistage effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The Regulation applies to ships of 5000 gross tonnage and above, in terms of CO2 emissions from ships on course from the last port of departure to the port of arrival at a port under the jurisdiction of an EU Member State and voyages from the port of call under the jurisdiction of an EU Member State to the next port of call, as well as well as within ports of call under the jurisdiction of a Member State.

The Regulation requirements do not cover navy ships naval auxiliaries, fish-catching or fish-processing ships, wooden ships of a primitive build, ships not propelled by mechanical means, or government ships used for non-commercial purposes.

Pursuant to the provisions of the Regulation:

By 31 August 2017 shipowners, other organizations or persons which has assumed the responsibility for the operation of the ship from the shipowner, shall submit to the verifiers a CO2 emission Monitoring Plan for their every ship, indicating which of the four monitoring methodologies:

1. bunker fuel delivery notes,
2. bunker fuel tank monitoring on board,
3. flow meters for applicable combustion processes, or
4. direct CO2 emissions measurement,       

are selected for monitoring and reporting CO2 emission and providing other essential information relating to reduction of ship emissions.

From January 1, 2018 shipowners, or other organizations responsible for ship operation, shall monitor CO2 emission from every ship, in every journey and in annual intervals using the Monitoring Plan applying the relevant methodology for specifying CO2 emission and calculating the emission level.

From 2019 shipowners, or other organizations responsible for ship operation, shall submit a CO2 emissions report and other essential information, for the entire reporting period for every ship for which they are responsible, verified to the satisfaction of the verifies, to the European Commission and relevant national Flag States by 30 April each year.

PRS (Polish Register of Shipping), complying with the European Commission requirements, when entrusted the role of MRV verifier, shall participate in the following processes:

• verification of MRV Monitoring Plans,
• verification of emission reports,
• contacts of owners and ship operators flying the Polish Flag with the Polish Flag Administration, and issue of required documents of compliance.

PRS performs activity with the exception of the USA, Canada and their dependent territories