Global ship manager pools expertise with independent ship broker to offer a unique package of services to assist ship owners and operators navigate and comply with regulations as shipping gears up for emissions trading debut.

Wilhelmsen Ship Management and Affinity Shipping have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly establish an independent company that will provide comprehensive compliance services related to the EU ETS .

The company’s offering will be the first of its kind, offering a complete outsourcing service for shipping ETS management. The service integrates technical ship management and carbon allowance procurement to support shipowners, managers, and operators in the new era of emissions compliance. Following the agreement in December among EU negotiators to include maritime shipping in the EU ETS, ship owners and operators will need to acquire emission permits for 40% of their applicable emissions in 2024, increasing to 70% in 2025, and 100% in 2026 and every year thereafter.

WSM brings technical management expertise to the table, including verification of emissions reports and compliance with the existing EU Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) framework, while Affinity brings experience in the sale and purchase of carbon products, EU Allowances (EUA) registry management, analysis of ETS exposure, and regulated advice on emissions markets.

“We are delighted to be collaborating with Affinity on this important initiative, which will bring added value to customers and ensure full transparency in the whole value chain. The partnership aims to provide a seamless transition into EU ETS compliance, as well as prioritizing our clients’ interest by managing emission allowance in the most efficient way possible,” said Carl Schou, CEO and President of WSM.

Richard Fulford-Smith, Managing Partner at Affinity Shipping, added: “We look forward to working with WSM to launch the company that will provide a turnkey solution for ship owners’ and operators’ needs in the way of emissions reporting and trading support. It’s a powerful pooling of expertise that furthers our aim to assist clients in managing their financial exposure to the approaching energy transition.”

WSM is the ship management arm of the Wilhelmsen group and one of the industry’s largest third-party ship managers with the most extensive global maritime network. Affinity Shipping has had a carbon desk since 2018 and provides client-specific regulated advice and agency broker services for carbon emissions management. The new joint venture company will be based in Oslo, Norway.