EU shipping emissions rose in 2025. The ships did not emit more. The reported increase comes entirely from vessels that entered the reporting rules in 2025; follow the same ships through both years and emissions fell. Below the CO₂ line, methane rose sharply as LNG dual fuel ships reached the water, and from 2026 that methane becomes billable, pushing the maritime EU ETS bill toward 100 million allowances. For owners and charterers, the headline MRV number is only the starting point. The exposure sits behind it.
The full storyThe IMO’s Extraordinary Session was meant to anchor a global decarbonisation framework for shipping. Instead, it revealed just how politically and economically complex that mission has become. With the adoption of the Net-Zero Framework deferred, the centre of gravity in carbon regulation is shifting, from global negotiation rooms to regional markets.
Emissions pricing is no longer a distant regulatory threat, it’s a line item on the shipping industry’s balance sheet. In 2025 alone, the EU’s emissions schemes are set to add more than USD 6 billion in costs. And this is just the beginning.
As emissions regulations tighten costs increase across global shipping, Knutsen OAS has taken a proactive approach to managing and reporting emissions from its fleet, moving beyond pure compliance.
