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Leading emissions verification company Verifavia Shipping has this week delivered a seminar on the European Union's Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (EU MRV) Regulation at the SMM maritime trade fair in Hamburg.

Held in conjunction with industry experts from Zephyr Trading, CarbonSink, DFDS, NEDA Maritime Agency and ME Production, the seminar provided owners and operators with the key deadlines, requirements and challenges of the EU MRV, helping to bridge the knowledge gap and support the route to compliance.

In July 2016, the European Commission published the draft Delegated and Implementing Acts pursuant to the EU MRV Regulation 757/2015, to provide additional clarity on the requirements of the legislation. The public consultation closed on 26th August and the final Acts will become law by the end of December 2016. This means that by 31st August 2017, ship owners and operators of vessels sailing in the EU and exceeding 5,000 GT are required to submit a Monitoring Plan (MP) detailing the procedures in place to monitor and report the fuel consumption, carbon emissions, and transport work on all voyages to, from and between European ports.

To increase awareness and understanding of this new Regulation, the seminar - held on 6th September - provided industry insight to support owners and operators in complying with the EU MRV. The agenda included:

- EU MRV regulation overview and update
- Development of an EU MRV Monitoring Plan: content and challenges for shipowners and operators
- EU MRV from the perspective of shipowners
- An EU MRV case study
- Direct emissions measurement systems: how to reduce emissions effectively
- How to get MRV-Ready
- Q&A

Short speeches were delivered by industry experts, focusing on the practical implementation of the EU MRV and including hands-on experience from companies already engaged in the compliance process.

Speaking before the event, Julien Dufour, Verifavia Shipping, CEO, explained: "In less than one year's time, owners and operators of vessels sailing in the EU and exceeding 5,000 GT must submit a Monitoring Plan (MP) describing the procedures in place to monitor and report their carbon emissions and transport work. With the Delegated and Implementing Acts almost finalised, requirements are now very clear. However, as with most new legislation, the challenge lies in effectively navigating its complexity and interpreting it to ensure compliance. We hope that this seminar will go some way to addressing frequently asked questions and equipping owners and operators with the information needed to work towards compliance."