Following an announcement by the International Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH), OceanScore has been mandated as the administrator of the Environmental Ship Index (ESI) with effect from 1 January 2026.

The Environmental Ship Index (ESI) is a voluntary, industry-led environmental performance scheme that enables ports to incentivize ships demonstrating performance beyond applicable regulatory requirements. Participating ship owners and operators benefit from incentives such as port fee reductions based on independently assessed environmental criteria.

For ports, ESI provides a consistent and independent framework to recognise environmental performance, support incentive schemes, and demonstrate sustainability commitments beyond their direct Scope 1 and 2 emissions.

The scheme is supported by more than 70 ports and maritime administrations worldwide, with over 6,500 vessels currently registered, making ESI the most widely adopted environmental incentive framework in global shipping. The index was created by major ports in cooperation with the IAPH and has been fully integrated into the IAPH’s governance structure since 2020.

Albrecht Grell and Ralf Garrn, Managing Directors at OceanScore

Under agreement with IAPH, OceanScore has been mandated as the globally exclusive administrator of the Environmental Ship Index (ESI). OceanScore will work in close coordination with IAPH, the ESI Board, and the ESI Technical Advisory Group to ensure continuity, transparency, and consistent application of the ESI framework.

“We are excited to work in partnership with our new administrator OceanScore to ensure ESI remains the global benchmark for incentivising the environmental performance of vessels,” remarked IAPH managing director Patrick Verhoeven. “Amid uncertainty about the maritime industry’s long-term strategy for decarbonisation, ESI remains a trusted, established and evolving solution to help ports reward those vessels reducing emissions at a level beyond the IMO baseline.”

Continuity for Incentive Providers and Incentive Receivers

The administrator change does not lead to any immediate changes for ESI participants. Building on ESI’s strong foundation and global recognition, OceanScore will work together with IAPH and ESI governing bodies to further develop the scheme into an even more attractive, user-friendly, and future-ready incentive framework. The focus will be on strengthening ESI’s role for ports and shipowners, ensuring alignment with evolving technical developments, regulatory requirements, and the decarbonization ambitions of the global maritime industry.
Source: OceanScore