Freight News, Logistics, Sea

Patchwork Carbon Rules Complicate Tracking

[ February 19, 2026   //   Gary Burrows ]

A growing patchwork of regional carbon pricing and fuel-intensity regulations is making it harder for global shipping companies to track emissions and plan long-term decarbonization investments, according to maritime engineering firm BAR Technologies.

The company said overlapping frameworks – including the European Union’s Emissions Trading System, FuelEU Maritime requirements and proposed measures at the International Maritime Organization – are creating compliance complexity for vessels that trade across multiple regions.

More than 30 emissions trading systems are operating or under development worldwide, according to the International Carbon Action Partnership. Each program uses different baselines, reporting standards and cost structures, requiring shipowners to monitor and reconcile emissions data under multiple methodologies.

“Carbon compliance is becoming more fragmented by the month,” said John Cooper, CEO of BAR Technologies. “Instead of building momentum behind a single global framework, we’re creating a patchwork of schemes with different baselines, rules and cost mechanisms. That creates confusion, inflates costs, and weakens the industry’s ability to invest in real, scalable solutions.”

Industry executives warn that this fragmentation risks diverting resources toward administrative compliance rather than emissions reduction.

The European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, which took effect Jan. 1, adds further indirect pressure by applying carbon pricing to certain imported goods, such as steel and cement – major seaborne cargoes – embedding emissions costs deeper into global trade flows.

BAR Technologies said the lack of a unified global framework creates uncertainty for long-term investment in cleaner fuels and efficiency technologies. Without standardized carbon accounting and pricing signals, operators face difficulty modeling future costs and evaluating payback periods for decarbonization projects.

While policymakers debate global alignment, companies are turning to fuel-agnostic efficiency technologies that can deliver measurable emissions reductions regardless of regulatory jurisdiction, the firm said.

The International Maritime Organization is continuing discussions toward a global net-zero framework, but final measures have yet to be adopted.

Tags: BAR Technologies, Internation al Carbon Action Partnership