October 8, 2026
The Governments of Djibouti and Gabon have introduced sovereign carbon registry frameworks that apply a carbon cost to qualifying ship movements to and from their ports.
In simple terms, the system works on a straightforward principle: those who pollute must pay. Instead of using a carbon market like the EU ETS, these frameworks apply a fixed carbon contribution based on the share of a vessel’s emissions attributed to the country.
For shipowners, operators and agents, the commercial message is clear: emissions are no longer only something to report. In some trades, they now directly affect the cost of calling at port.
Under both frameworks, Djibouti and Gabon attribute 50% of the total carbon footprint of a qualifying ship movement to themselves. That means a ship sailing to or from one of these countries is not charged on the full voyage footprint, but on the part of the journey’s emissions that the country counts as its own. That attributed share is then subject to a fixed carbon contribution.
This is an important difference from EU ETS. There is no tradable allowance, no carbon market exposure, and no daily EUA price to track. Instead, the system is administrative: report the movement, calculate the carbon footprint, receive an invoice, and pay the contribution.
From 1 September 2026, Gabon applies revised rules covering the carbon price, maximum contribution, exemptions, reporting deadlines, payment terms and penalties.
Geographical coverage:
The frameworks apply to qualifying ship movements to or from ports in Djibouti and Gabon. In both cases, the country counts 50% of the total carbon footprint of the movement between the national port and the previous or next port of call.
In Gabon, movements to or from an offshore platform located within Gabonese territorial waters are treated as calls at a Gabonese port. They are subject to the same reporting, payment and penalty requirements.
Ship size threshold:
The scope is broader than a simple GT threshold.
Djibouti exempts:
- Vessels below 3,000 DWT
- Vessels below 500 GT
- Container ships below 300 TEU
- Vessels under the Djibouti flag
Under the Gabon V10 Registry rules, Gabon exempts:
- Vessels below 400 GT
- Container ships below 200 TEU
- Vessels under the Gabonese flag
- Domestic voyages between two Gabonese ports
- Bulk carriers, oil tankers, chemical tankers, Ro-Ro vessels, break-bulk and general-cargo vessels, liquefied-gas tankers, other liquid tankers and refrigerated bulk carriers below 2,000 DWT
The Registry rules therefore no longer present the 2,000-DWT threshold as a general exemption applying to every type of vessel.
Voyage Coverage:
Any ship that calls at the relevant country and is subject to port and customs clearance obligations must report the movement and the associated carbon footprint, unless it falls under an exemption.
For Gabon, this also includes qualifying movements to and from offshore platforms in Gabonese territorial waters.
Gases covered:
The rules are expressed in terms of carbon footprint / tCO₂e (CO₂, CH₄, N₂O). In other words, the cost is charged per tonne of CO₂ equivalent with emission factors derived from Smart Freight Center.
Exemptions:
Besides the tonnage and capacity thresholds above, both frameworks include special treatment for military vessels and certain special-purpose ships. Gabon also has a separate rule for ships with an unknown or undisclosed destination.
Djibouti
- The carbon contribution applies from 1 January 2025.
- From 1 July 2025, the framework also introduces an offsetting element for up to 30% of the footprint associated with Djibouti.
Gabon
- The Sovereign Carbon Registry has been operational since 15 February 2025.
- The revised mitigation obligations and new carbon-contribution rate apply from 1 September 2026.
- The revised maximum contribution and associated operational rules also apply from this date.
- Carbon offsetting will apply later, from a date still to be defined.
The party responsible under the framework is the Shipping Agent, acting as the ship’s legal representative. That agent is responsible for carrying out the reporting and mitigation obligations in relation to the registry.
In practice, this does not necessarily mean the shipping agent carries the economic burden. Commercially, the cost may still be passed through between owner, operator, charterer or cargo interests depending on the contract. But from the registry’s perspective, the shipping agent is the key compliance interface.
The two frameworks no longer apply the same carbon price.
Djibouti
- USD 17 per tCO₂e
- USD 7,500 maximum per vessel movement
- From July 2025, an offsetting effort applies to up to 30% of the carbon footprint associated with Djibouti.
Gabon
- CFAF 21,400 per tCO₂e, effective from 1 September 2026
- CFAF 18,900,000 maximum per vessel movement
- The contribution applies to 100% of the emissions attributed to Gabon, representing 50% of the total carbon footprint of the relevant movement.
- Carbon offsetting is foreseen, but the applicable date and allocation between the contribution and offsetting have not yet been defined.
Special calculations
For certain exceptional cases, the contribution is calculated using gross tonnage rather than the standard carbon-footprint methodology:
- Djibouti: military and special vessels at USD 0.50 per GT
- Gabon: military and special-purpose vessels at CFAF 630 per GT for the combined arrival and departure movements
- Gabon: vessels with an unknown or undisclosed destination at CFAF 315 per GT for each affected movement
The practical takeaway is that this is a predictable carbon cost compared with a traded carbon market, but it is still an additional emissions-linked cost that must be managed commercially.
1. Reporting of movements
The ship’s legal representative, i.e. the Shipping Agent, must report the movements of the ships for which it acts, together with the ship type and the relevant ship specifications. This includes:
For Gabon, the reporting obligation also covers movements to and from offshore platforms in Gabonese territorial waters.
2. Carbon footprint calculation
The carbon footprint can be determined in two ways.
The first is based on the ship’s actual fuel consumption and fuel type. In that case, the obligor must provide supporting evidence, such as a copy of the Captain’s Logbook. The registry can verify this information.
The second is based on default emission factors for the vessel type, combined with the voyage distance. This provides a fallback methodology where actual fuel data is not used.
3. Reporting cycle
Djibouti
- Monthly reporting
- No later than 30 days after the movement
Gabon
- Monthly reporting
- All movements and associated greenhouse-gas emissions must be reported by the 15th day of the month following the month in which they occurred
4. Invoicing and payment
Once the movement and carbon footprint have been reported and validated, the registry issues an invoice. After payment, the registry issues a Payment Certificate, which serves as evidence that the relevant carbon contribution has been settled.
For Gabon:
For shipowners, operators, charterers and agents, the message is simple: know your emissions. These frameworks make fuel data, voyage data and vessel-capacity data commercially relevant in a more direct way. If you cannot track them properly, you will struggle not only with reporting, but also with forecasting and controlling the cost of port calls.
As many African countries are likely to follow Djibouti´s and Gabon’s lead in aligning with Paris Agreement goals, the key to navigating these regulations is simple: know your emissions. Understanding and tracking emissions will streamline the calculation of related costs and reduce administrative burdens.
