The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries of South Korea announced that it has revised the “Regulation on Standards and Certification of Eco-Friendly Ships,” jointly enacted with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
The amended regulation will take effect on August 21, 2025.
Key changes include expanding certification eligibility from shipowners to shipbuilders, allowing vessels to obtain final certification even if design modifications cause deviations from preliminary certification, and incorporating internationally recognized indicators such as the Energy Efficiency Design Index for ships of 400 gross tons or more and the Carbon Intensity Indicator for ships of 5,000 gross tons or more.
Since the enforcement of the “Act on Promotion of the Development and Supply of Eco-Friendly Ships” in January 2020, the ministry has operated the eco-friendly ship certification system, which assigns grades from 1 to 5 depending on greenhouse gas reduction performance.
As of July 2025, 119 ships had been certified.
Choi Seong-yong, Director of Maritime Safety at the ministry, said: “Following the introduction of the eco-friendly equipment certification system in February, we expect significant growth in demand for eco-friendly ship certification after these improvements.” He added that the government will continue measures such as acquisition tax reductions of up to 2 percentage points and construction financing support of up to 30% of vessel price to encourage greenhouse gas reduction in the shipping sector.
Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) is a central government ministry of the Republic of Korea responsible for maritime policy, fisheries management, marine environment protection, and shipping safety.
Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) is a central government ministry of the Republic of Korea that oversees industrial development, trade policy, and energy regulation.