UK ETS scope expansion: emissions from international maritime voyages

The UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS) Authority (UK Government, Scottish Government, Welsh Government and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs for Northern Ireland) is seeking input on a number of proposals to expand the scheme to the international maritime sector.

As part of the November 2024 consultation on UK ETS expansion to the maritime sector, we included a section and questions on the possibility of bringing a share of emissions from international voyages to and from the UK into the UK ETS. Responses were generally supportive of this expansion.

The Authority confirmed some of the technical aspects of expanding the UK ETS to cover maritime emissions in an interim Authority Response in July 2025. This included the intention to expand the UK ETS to include emissions from international voyages. This, therefore, is a full consultation on the proposed expansion of the UK ETS to a share of emissions from international voyages to and from the UK, with the aim of sourcing feedback from stakeholders to finalise policy details.

In particular, it seeks views on:   

• the scope of the scheme
• UK ETS cap adjustment for the inclusion of international maritime emissions
• a future review of the scheme, in light of the global measures developed at the International Maritime Organization (IMO)
• impacts of the scheme

This consultation is open to anyone, but we expect it to be of greatest interest to:  

• the shipping industry  
• non-governmental organisations (NGOs)  
• academics and thinktanks  
• any individual or organisation that has an interest, directly or indirectly in the expansion of the UK ETS and/or the adjustment to the cap of the scheme