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Classification society Bureau Veritas confirmed on Thursday that it has gained accreditation from United Kingdom Accreditation Services (UKAS) to carry out assessments and verifications for compliance with the European Union's Maritime Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (EU MRV) regulation.

The regulation, part of the EU's commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, requires operators to monitor and report on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions based on ship fuel consumption. It applies to all merchant ships of 5,000 GT or above on journeys that call at an EU port.

Reporting is on both a per-voyage and an annual basis, and emissions monitoring plans and reports must be verified by an accredited verifier. Ship operators must achieve a number of milestones before the first monitoring period begins in 2018.

Patrick Le Dily, Vice President, Legal Compliance & Regulatory Management, Bureau Veritas, remarked: "As a leader in both regulatory compliance and environmental performance services for the marine industry, Bureau Veritas has a deep understanding of EU MRV and the challenges it brings.

"UKAS accreditation combined with our worldwide organization and network of EU Maritime MRV Verifiers enables us to help clients meet the deadlines for compliance through timely approval of monitoring plans and future verification of monitoring reports."

Bureau Veritas will act as a UKAS accredited EU Maritime MRV Verifier in accordance with accreditation for ISO 14065:2013 certification scheme. Verification activities cover review and approval of emissions monitoring plans (2017), assessment of reports and issuing Documents of Compliance (both from 2019).