South Korea strengthens regulations to accelerate green shipping transition

South Korea has revised its eco friendly ship certification guidelines to expand eligibility and align more closely with international standards. The updated rules, jointly introduced by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE), took effect on August 21.

According to MOF, the scope of applicants has been broadened so that shipbuilders, in addition to shipowners, can now obtain eco friendly certification. Final certification may also be granted even if there are deviations from preliminary accreditation due to unavoidable reasons such as design changes. In addition, the rules have been adjusted to better reflect internationally recognised standards, including the Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) and the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII).

Seong yong Choi, Deputy Director of the Safety Policy Division at MOF, said: “Following the introduction of the eco friendly equipment certification system last February, we expect that the demand for eco friendly certification will increase significantly with the overall improvement and supplementation of this certification system.”

He added: “The government will continue to promote measures such as acquisition tax reductions for eco friendly certified ships (up to 2 percentage points) and construction financing support (up to 30% of shipbuilding costs) to take the lead in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the shipping sector.”

The eco friendly vessel certification initiative was first launched by MOF in December 2020 to encourage the adoption of sustainable technologies across the maritime sector. As of July 2025, a total of 119 vessels have received certification. In February 2025, the guidelines were amended to expand certification beyond vessels to include green equipment such as onboard carbon capture and storage (OCCS) systems and waste heat recovery solutions.