Shipping Cuts Emissions Red Tape With Two New Data Standards
BIMCO-led industry group releases version 1.0 of OVD and VER frameworks to eliminate duplicate reporting and improve.
The maritime industry has launched two common data formats to streamline fleet emissions reporting, eliminating duplicate data entry and improving consistency across regulatory and commercial systems. The Operational Vessel Data (OVD) and Vessel Emissions Reporting (VER) frameworks, released as version 1.0 by the Tripartite Joint Industry Working Group (JIWG) chaired by BIMCO, aim to standardise how operational and fuel-consumption data is exchanged between ships, shipping companies, software providers, and verification bodies.
The OVD framework provides a structured format for exchanging operational vessel and fuel-consumption data, defining common data elements, names, units, and structures. This ensures that different systems and organisations interpret the same information consistently. The VER framework builds on this by offering standardised formats for emissions reporting, including verification status, which can vary significantly depending on commercial practices and regulatory requirements.
“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,” said Jeppe Skovbakke Juhl, BIMCO Chief Naval Architect and chair of the JIWG. “OVD and VER are an important step in that direction, reducing duplication and creating a stronger foundation for efficient and interoperable reporting.”
How the new standards work: Data
The frameworks are designed to support the industry’s objective of capturing data only once and reusing it for all relevant reporting and verification purposes. For example, operational and fuel-consumption data can now be recorded once and reused for regulatory reporting, verification, and commercial purposes such as charter-party performance, EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) cost allocation, and FuelEU pooling. This eliminates the need for repeated data mapping and manual checks, which have long been a burden for shipowners and operators.
The need for accurate and trusted emissions data has grown significantly with the implementation of the IMO Data Collection System (IMO DCS) and the EU Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) system. While these regimes serve different purposes, differing datasets and system formats have led to inconsistencies, repeated data mapping, and manual work along the reporting chain. The JIWG’s frameworks address this by providing a common approach that allows data to move seamlessly between systems, regardless of the technology or service provider used.
The OVD framework builds on an earlier framework developed by DNV, while the VER framework is based on an initial draft prepared by ClassNK. Both were further developed through collaboration within the JIWG, which includes shipowners, operators, shipbuilders, and classification societies such as Bureau Veritas and RINA. The frameworks are voluntary and do not impose new reporting obligations, but they offer a practical solution for companies looking to streamline their data exchange processes.
Why the industry needs these standards now
Bureau Veritas has already adopted the OVD framework for emissions data collection, while RINA is taking practical steps to integrate it into its emissions reporting processes. The adoption of these standards is expected to reduce administrative burdens and improve data accuracy, which is critical for compliance with evolving regulatory requirements.
The release of version 1.0 marks a baseline for practical use and further development. The JIWG will gather experience from real-world implementation and industry consultation to set priorities for the next version. Until then, the JIWG will continue to oversee the work.
The frameworks were formally introduced during a Tripartite meeting in Tokyo on No se menciona la fecha en la fuente original, where industry stakeholders discussed their implementation and potential impact. With the maritime sector under increasing pressure to decarbonise, the OVD and VER frameworks provide a much-needed tool to improve efficiency and transparency in emissions reporting.
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