German Emissions Trading Authority (DEHSt) at the German Environment Agency
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Maritime transport: EU ETS 1 and MRV
Maritime transport will also be integrated into the existing EU ETS 1 from 2024. This means that shipping companies will have to report the volume of emissions caused and surrender sufficient emission allowances to cover the emissions emitted by their ships that enter the European Economic Area (EEA), leave the EEA or move and stay within the EEA. The number of allowances to be surrendered is determined based on aggregated emissions data at company level pursuant to the Directive (EU) 2003/87 requirements. Monitoring and reporting the emissions caused have been an obligation since 2018.
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15/09/2026
Submission of a verified partial emissions report in the event of a change of shipping company for the period under its responsibility (in Thetis-MRV): Immediately, no later than 3 months after a change of shipping company.
Notification of changes to a monitoring plan that have been pre-approved by an inspection body for approval by the competent administrative authority (in Thetis-MRV): ongoing
Submission of a monitoring plan pre-approved by an inspection body for each ship falling within the scope of application after January 1, 2024, for approval by the competent administrative authority (in Thetis-MRV): Immediately, no later than 3 months after first calling at a port in a Member State.
Climate Change 47/2026: The extension of the EU ETS 1 to maritime transport: impacts on sectoral decarbonisationAnalysis of current and future EU ETS 1
All actors participating in emissions trading must open an account in the Union Registry, which is provided by the European Commission. The administration of the German part of the Union Registry as well as the processing of account applications is carried out by the German Emissions Trading Authority (DEHSt). A maritime operator holding account is opened for each shipping company as defined in the Emissions Trading Directive and thus may contain several ships. The surrender transactions of the acquired emission allowances can only be carried out via this account type.
100 per cent of emissions from journeys within the European Economic Area (EEA) and from port calls are covered by emissions trading. Emissions from journeys between a port within the EEA and a third country are only subject to a 50 per cent surrender obligation, regardless of the direction of transport (see Article 3 ga Directive 2003/87/EC). Journeys begin and end in ports of call (see also FAQ 2 on the term ‘Port of call’ and exceptions).
A shipowner may delegate the responsibility for the operation of its ships and the compliance with the EU ETS 1 obligations to another person or organization by a mandate. The basic requirement is that the assigned person or organization represents the shipowner as an ISM Manager.. It is therefore necessary for the ISM manager to hold a ‘Document of Compliance’ (ISM-DOC), that identifies him as ISM-certified and that he has assumed all duties and responsibilities under the ISM Code for the ships concerned from the shipowner. If this is the case, then this ISM manager can assume responsibility for the compliance with the EU ETS 1 obligations from the shipowner (see Article 1(3) (EU) 2023/2599). Following proper authorisation in accordance with this provision (mandate), the ISM manager is deemed to be a shipping company within the meaning of Directive 2003/87/EC (see Article 3(w)) Directive 2003/87/EC). A mandate template can be downloaded via the link below.
Following the introduction of the European Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS 1) in 2005, further national and regional emissions trading systems have emerged around the world.
The Union Registry contains sections for EU ETS 1 and from 2026/2027 on for EU ETS 2. Allowances for EU ETS 1 (EUA) and EU ETS 2 (EUA2) are generated within it and held in accounts or transferred between them. Through these accounts, participants fulfil their obligations under the EU ETS 1 and 2 by surrendering allowances annually in an amount equal to their emissions.
Accredited verifiers play a central role in the European Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS 1) because they verify the information provided by operators and aircraft operators.
Since the beginning of 2010, weekly auctions of emission allowances (EUAs) have been held in the EU ETS 1 for Germany. On this page, you will find further information on the auctioning procedure.
