Invitation: Feedback on a Common Framework for Digital Reporting of Maritime Emissions Data

Call for Industry Consultation

INTERCARGO invites shipowners, operators, charterers, classification societies, technology providers, verifiers, port authorities and regulators to engage in this work.

The initiative aims to establish and adopt a common business process and associated data exchange protocol for emission-related data, enabling reporting that is accurate, efficient and verifiable.

It seeks to:

• Ensure consistency and interoperability in emissions data reporting across the global maritime sector.
• Facilitate seamless data exchange between ship operators/owners, verifiers, flag States and relevant authorities.
• Ensure the reporting framework is based on open, non-proprietary standards.
• Support the uptake of a harmonised data set based on the IMO Compendium, ensuring alignment with existing international standards.

Why this work matters

Mandatory emissions reporting requirements for ships have expanded significantly in recent years, including under IMO DCS and EU MRV. As a result, shipowners, software providers and verifiers face increasing complexity in collecting, mapping, validating and exchanging emissions-related data.

Today, no single standardised dataset fully covers the common data points needed across major reporting and verification schemes. This leads to duplication, inefficiency and avoidable risk of error, particularly where data must be transformed manually between different systems and formats.

A common framework can help reduce fragmentation, improve data quality and support a more scalable digital infrastructure for maritime emissions reporting.

Towards a common framework for GHG reporting

The Joint Industry Working Group brings together representatives from shipowners and operators, shipbuilders and classification societies to address shared technical, safety, environmental and regulatory challenges through coordinated, non-binding industry dialogue.

The group was established to address the growing need for a common, reliable and industry-wide approach to the digital reporting of emissions-related data. The work is divided into three parts:

• Development of a comprehensive standardised dataset and associated formats for emissions reporting, directly linked to the IMO Compendium.
• Development of a business process description and related protocols for transmitting data across relevant emissions reporting schemes, based on an Operational Vessel Data standard.
• Development of standardised Vessel Emissions Reporting formats for commercial use cases, including outputs, verification status and user-defined reporting periods.

Invitation for industry consultation

In reviewing existing solutions, the working group identified an Operational Vessel Data standard, supported by more than 60 stakeholders and with possible connectivity to a majority of the world fleet, as a mature and operationally tested candidate that could serve as a practical baseline for further development.

The purpose of this consultation is to gather industry feedback on whether this approach reflects operational reality and is usable across different ship types, trading patterns and business models. Feedback is particularly welcome where it helps clarify definitions, improve usability or identify implementation gaps.

We therefore invite the maritime industry to review and comment on the proposed use of the Operational Vessel Data standard as a baseline for a common framework for exchanging log abstract and noon report data for GHG reporting.

Before you begin, we recommend reading the guide: how to provide your feedback, which explains the background of the initiative, the structure of the OVD standard and what makes for constructive feedback. The full reference report (PDF) contains the consolidated questions and background material.

Consultation details

An in-person workshop will be held during SMM Hamburg on 2 September 2026 to explain the concept and invite further input from a broader audience. Following the close of the consultation, the working group will organise an open follow-up webinar on 15 October 2026 to share findings and next steps.

Ready to share your feedback?

The questionnaire is divided into seven short sections so you can progress at your own pace. Your progress is saved automatically in your browser. Responses are treated confidentially, held under Chatham House Rules and used solely to inform this work.

Contact

For questions about this consultation, please contact the INTERCARGO Secretariat at info@intercargo.org.