Car carrier coalition harmonises emissions data

A coalition of major global car carrier operators, known as the Global Ro-Ro Community (GRC), has announced the release of a unified set of guidelines aimed at accurately calculating their fleets’ greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions intensity. The new initiative has been developed in partnership with the international non-profit Smart Freight Centre (SFC).

The six founding members of the GRC—Eastern Car Liner, Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K Line), Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL), Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK), Wallenius Wilhelmsen, and ClassNK—have jointly unveiled the guidelines to create a standardised methodology for calculating Scope 3 emissions. These emissions account for indirect GHG outputs across a company’s value chain and are often the most challenging to measure accurately.

With growing global interest in tracking the full carbon footprint of goods and services, consistent and transparent reporting methods have become critical. Until now, maritime transport has lacked a harmonised standard for emissions calculation, resulting in inconsistent data and limited progress toward meaningful emissions reductions.

The GRC’s new guidelines are based on the internationally recognised ISO 14083 standard and align with the Global Logistics Emissions Council (GLEC) framework. 

“The release of this standard is a milestone not just for our industry, but for global supply chains,” said representatives from the GRC in a joint statement. “By harmonizing how we calculate and report emissions, we’re empowering shippers, carriers, and regulators to make more informed decisions and drive collective climate action.”

According to SFC, the next phase will involve collecting real-world performance data on a ship-by-ship basis to generate precise average emission intensity figures for the sector.