Data Integrity "Key" to EU MRV Compliance, Says WSM

WSM says "the biggest challenge to remain compliant is ensuring data integrity throughout the data collection period."
Image Credit: WSM

Wilhelmsen Ship Management (WSM) Tuesday said data integrity "is the key" to compliance with the European Union's (EU's) Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) regulation.

As Ship & Bunker has reported, the MRV regulation requires shipping companies to submit ship-specific monitoring plans to verifiers for approval by the end of August 2017, with per-voyage monitoring set to start on January 1, 2018.

"At WSM, we foresee the biggest challenge to remain compliant is ensuring data integrity throughout the data collection period," said WSM.

WSM notes that it has implemented the first draft of EU MRV requirements into the company's in-house IT application onboard and business intelligence tool.

"Starting early is crucial as it allows us to have sufficient time for data validation phase. We have implemented validation rules and are continuously fine-tuning to achieve the ideal system.

The company also notes that it has established procedures, trainings, and data integrity awareness to ensure the organisation, both onshore and at sea, are moving in the same direction.

"Moving ahead, regulators/verifiers may establish its own digital reporting platform that allows direct submissions of emissions report. We have evaluated the electronic version of the emissions report template and we are confident that our existing digital platform can meet the requirements," explained WSM.

With data collection for the Internation Maritime Organization's (IMO's) data collection system (DCS) set to begin on January 1, 2019, WSM says it is currently implementing the requirements of IMO DCS into the company's systems.

"We are starting early like how a shaper of the maritime industry should be," said WSM.