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Emissions verification company Verifavia announced on Wednesday that it has been fully accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) as a global EU monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) verifier.

This accreditation enables Verifavia Shipping to perform EU MRV services, not only for the assessment of monitoring plans, but also for the verification of carbon emission reports according to the ISO 14065 standard and regulation 757/2015. In addition, Verifavia will be able to assess or verify any ship anywhere in the world, regardless of country of ownership, flag state, or class.

Implemented on 1st July 2015, the shipping MRV regulation is now a pressing reality for more than 12,000 vessels visiting EU ports, with the first regulatory deadline on 31st August 2017. Ship owners and operators of vessels exceeding 5,000 GT and operating in the EU have just five months to prepare and submit their ship-specific plans to monitor and report carbon emissions, fuel consumption, and associated transport work.

Commenting on the accreditation, Julien Dufour, CEO, Verifavia Shipping, said: "We are proud to have earned this recognition by UKAS, which cements our position as the leading independent EU MRV verifier and one of the few accredited to offer both monitoring plan assessments and verification of emissions reports on a global basis. With many years of experience verifying aviation emissions, Verifavia has been actively involved in supporting the European Commission to shape the MRV legislation. Our team of knowledgeable MRV auditors has expanded greatly since the MRV regulation came into force, and we now have technical experts from across the world, ready to work hand in hand with ship owners and operators to help them successfully navigate the requirements of the regulation, and achieve compliance in a timely and cost-effective manner."

To obtain accreditation as an independent verification body, Verifavia had to adequately demonstrate its capabilities in providing EU MRV verification services. Moreover, the company had to undergo a rigorous assessment process with UKAS, which assessed its competence, impartiality, and performance capability.

Nikolas Theodorou, managing director, Verifavia Shipping (Hellas), remarked: "Having successfully completed the accreditation process, we are excited to be able to increase the scope of our existing service offering. By combining our innovative approach and streamlined procedures with the technical expertise and industry knowledge of our team, Verifavia provides a highly competitive service that ensures our customers have a smooth EU MRV verification experience.

"We continue to host free EU MRV seminars and webinars globally to help demystify the requirements of the legislation, as with just five months to go until the first legal deadline, it's imperative that shipping companies are equipped with the right information on the various requirements, and able to act now to achieve compliance."

Since July 2015, when the regulation came into force, Verifavia has worked as a partner with several companies - including NEDA, Grimaldi Holding, DFDS, Seaspan, Synergy, and Dynacom - to ensure that they have the right systems, capabilities, and understanding to comply with the new legislation.

Companies including Norden, Vroon, Compagnie Maritime Nantaise, and Viking Line have also appointed Verifavia for legal assessment audits.

In addition, Verifavia has certified several information and communication technology (ICT) systems for MRV use, including those provided by SetelHellas, DYNAMARINe, KROHNE, and Viswalab.

Earlier this year, Verifavia announced a strategic partnership with Greek classification society, INSB Class. As part of the agreement, INSB Class will offer its MRV services to contracted customers by leveraging Verifavia's accreditation, knowledge, and expertise.

"Together with its partners, Verifavia Shipping remains committed to helping ship owners and operators around the world navigate the complexities of this new environmental regulation confidently, competitively, and smoothly," Verifavia said.