A BIMCO-chaired industry group has released version 1.0 of two voluntary frameworks aimed at cutting duplicate vessel emissions reporting and standardising data exchange across shipping, according to an official association statement.
The Tripartite Joint Industry Working Group released the Operational Vessel Data (OVD) and Vessel Emissions Reporting (VER) frameworks on 27 October. The group brings together shipowners and operators, shipbuilders and classification societies.
OVD establishes a common structure for operational vessel and fuel-consumption data, with standard data elements, names, units and structures. It does not dictate how data is collected onboard, which software is used or where information is stored.
VER provides standard formats for emissions information, including verification status, over user-defined reporting periods.
Potential applications include charter-party performance, emissions trading scheme cost allocation and FuelEU pooling.
Both frameworks are voluntary and create no new reporting obligations. They are intended to reduce repeated mapping, entry and checking of the same information as shipping companies work across different reporting systems and data formats, including the IMO Data Collection System and the EU Monitoring, Reporting and Verification system.
OVD was initially developed by DNV, while ClassNK prepared the first VER draft before both were developed further through the joint working group. Bureau Veritas has adopted OVD for emissions data collection, while RINA is taking steps to incorporate it into its emissions-reporting processes.
“The maritime industry does not need more ways of exchanging the same information. It needs a common approach that allows data to move efficiently between organisations and systems. OVD and VER are an important step in that direction, reducing duplication and creating a stronger foundation for efficient and interoperable reporting,” said Jeppe Skovbakke Juhl, BIMCO chief naval architect for regulatory affairs and chair of the working group.
Version 1.0 will provide a baseline for practical implementation and further development. The group plans to use experience from adoption to refine definitions, guidance, tools and data structures while assessing a possible transition of OVD and VER to an independent governance structure.
BIMCO is an international shipping association founded in 1905 and has about 2,100 members in 120 countries representing 64% of world tonnage.
ClassNK is a Japanese classification society. DNV, Bureau Veritas and RINA are participating organisations in the joint industry working group.
