Implementation of amendments to Directive on ship-source pollution – launch of a legislative project

In 2024, the European Union adopted a directive amending the Directive on ship-source pollution. On 25 November 2025, the Ministry of Transport and Communications the Ministry of Transport and Communications decided to launch a project to start preparing the necessary legislative amendments.

The amendments to the Directive require Member States to prohibit in their legislation any discharges from ships that violate the MARPOL Convention. The purpose of the Convention is to prevent marine pollution from ships. The full original name of the act was “Directive on ship source pollution and on the introduction of penalties for infringements”. As the 2024 amendments remove the obligation to provide for criminal penalties, the Directive will hence be called, for short, the Ship-Source Pollution Directive.

The amendments require that Finland lay down provisions on a system of administrative penalties that would apply to emissions which are in violation of MARPOL. In practical terms, amendments need to be introduced to the Finnish Act on Environmental Protection in Maritime Transport.

Necessary legislative amendments concerning the monitoring of emissions and related reporting, as required by the Directive, are also to be made.

What's next?

The Ministry of Transport and Communications will begin drafting the amendments in collaboration with the competent authorities. The drafting process will include a public consultation. The Government plans to submit its proposal to Parliament in autumn 2026. 

The amendments required by the Directive must be brought into force by 6 July 2027.

Inquiries:

Laura Sarlin, Ministerial Adviser, tel. +358 295 342063, [email protected]