UK Emissions Trading Scheme Scope Expansion: Maritime – Interim Response
Date published:
UK Emissions Trading Scheme Scope Expansion: Maritime – Interim Response
A joint interim response of the UK Government, the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs for Northern Ireland
In the UK Emissions Trading Scheme Scope Expansion: Maritime consultation, published in November 2024, the UK ETS Authority consulted on technical implementation details in relation to the expansion of the existing UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS) to include emissions from the maritime sector. This followed the Authority Response to the Developing the UK ETS consultation2, published in July 2023, where we confirmed the expansion to emissions from domestic maritime, as well as an intent to implement this expansion from 2026.
The November 2024 consultation was split into two sections:
Section A: Implementing the UK ETS for Maritime. In this section, we consulted in detail on the implementation of the scheme and provided more detail on the changes announced in the previous Authority Response. This included stating that the threshold would be 5000 gross tonnage (GT) and proposing to review this threshold in future, as well as providing further detail on a definition of a domestic journey, exemptions, a cap adjustment, and the monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) requirements.
Section B: Potential further expansion of the UK ETS to additional maritime emissions. Here, we consulted on any potential further expansion to the maritime regime. This included a proposal to review the threshold by 2028 and to consider how a proportion of international emissions could be brought into scope in future, should action from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) be delayed or prove insufficient.
Following the consultation, we have finalised certain elements of the maritime expansion. We are therefore issuing an interim Authority Response containing some of our policy decisions to enable maritime operators to prepare to comply with the requirements of the UK ETS, and to assist regulators to conduct onboarding activities in preparation for implementation.