Shipping firm NORDEN has become the first maritime carrier to deliver verified emissions reductions through the RSB book & claim registry, following a pilot project with Microsoft and the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB).

In an emailed statement on Wednesday, NORDEN said the system allows companies to reduce and account for shipping emissions without requiring sustainable fuel to be used on the specific voyage tied to their cargo. Under the book & claim model, companies purchase verified emissions reductions linked to the use of sustainable marine fuels, while the fuel itself can be used elsewhere in the shipping industry.

NORDEN said the solution is intended for customers and companies in other industries that want to reduce emissions from their supply chains, reflecting growing interest in mechanisms that track emissions reductions separately from the physical movement of fuel. For maritime operators, the approach can make it possible to link climate claims to independently verified reductions even when lower-emission fuel is not available on a given route.

The company said it became the first maritime operator to receive RSB Book & Claim trader certification, which allows it to issue and sell verified emissions reductions through the registry.

Microsoft is the first company to use the RSB registry for shipping emissions as part of its efforts to cut emissions from its broader supply chain.

RSB will now update its book & claim framework to support wider use in maritime transport, a sign that the pilot is feeding into standards work rather than remaining a one-off transaction.

NORDEN said it will continue working with customers and partners to expand the solution.