Membership types

Financial institutions that conduct business activities related to vessels that fall under the purview of the IMO Data Collection System (DCS) are eligible to join the Poseidon Principles. Vessels fall under the purview of IMO DCS if they are engaged in international voyages with a gross tonnage of 5,000 and above. Read more about the vessel categories included in the framework in the Technical Guidance.

There are two types of membership depending on the specific business activities: signatories and associate members. Signatories and associate members make up the Poseidon Principles Association, the non-profit organisation responsible for maintaining and promoting the principles. Learn more about how the Poseidon Principles Association is governed.

Signatory membership

Signatory membership is applicable to lenders, lessors, and financial guarantors, including export credit agencies (ECAs).

The business activities of signatories relevant for reporting include credit products (including bilateral loans, syndicated loans, club deals, and guarantees) secured by vessel mortgages, finance leases secured by title over a vessel, or unmortgaged ECA loans tied to a vessel or vessels.

Signatories commit to implementing the four principles in their internal policies, procedures, and standards and to work in partnership with their clients and partners on an ongoing basis to support the Poseidon Principles. They are required to publish the climate alignment of their in-scope portfolio each year within the Poseidon Principles Annual Disclosure Report, along with their own institutional reports.

Associate membership

The ecosystem of financial institutions working with international shipping extends beyond the scope of signatories, so the framework evolved in 2025 to include additional perspectives and support. Associate membership is applicable to:

• Financial institutions that underwrite and arrange transactions for the shipping industry in the debt and capital markets, including those that have business activities outside the current financial scope of signatories (for example, those that lend on an unsecured basis, hedge funds, and private equity firms).
• Financial institutions with business activities in the scope of signatories but are not ready to report the climate alignment of their secured portfolio (in this case, adjusting membership to a signatory will be encouraged within three years).
• Institutions which provide marine insuranceproducts or conduct other business activities relevant to the marine insurance industry in relation to vessels under IMO jurisdiction.

Associate members signal support for the principles and are encouraged to use the methodology internally to the extent possible but have no formal reporting obligations. Starting in 2026, however, associate members in the marine insurance sector can voluntarily report climate alignment in a distinct section of the Poseidon Principles Annual Disclosure Report.

Not sure which membership is right for you?

How to join

Institutions wishing to become members of the Poseidon Principles must complete and send the following documents to info@poseidonprinciples.org.

1. Membership Agreement. This is the formal agreement to become a member of the Poseidon Principles Association.
2. Standard Declaration. This is the public commitment to the Poseidon Principles. There is one version for signatories and one for associate members.
   • Standard Declaration for Signatories
   • Standard Declaration for Associate Members
3. Application. This is where contacts and practical information are listed for onboarding.

Within five months of joining, signatories must also submit a brief Self-Assessment to the secretariat to show the new signatory has set up the internal systems to support their membership.

Membership fees

All members are required to pay an annual fee each year to support the association’s activities. Upon joining, a one-time sign-on fee is also required, meaning that in the first year of membership, both the annual and sign-on fees must be paid.

The annual fee is €10,000 for signatories and €5,000 for associate members. The sign-on fee is €12,000 for new signatories and €6,000 for new associate members.

Book a meeting! Reach out to info@poseidonprinciples.org to schedule a meeting with the secretariat to learn more.