This　study　sorted　out　and　categorized　main　inventory　compilation　methods.　Five　main　methods　were　compared　and　characterized　by　their　applicability,　complexity,　time　of　calculation,　accuracy　of　results,　ability　to　distinguish　vessel　types　and　sources　of　emissions.　A　new　method　was　proposed　to　develop　an　emission　inventory　based　on　a　vessel　energy　consumption　reporting　system.　This　method　is　believed　to　have　the　potential　advantages　to　produce　results　of　higher　accuracy,　higher　temporal　and　spatial　resolutions.　Five　main　methods　were　used　to　calculate　emission　inventories　in　three　cases　at　different　scales.　This　study　recommends　the　use　of　different　inventory　compilation　methods　under　different　circumstances.　Highlights:　Ship　exhaust　emissions　have　been　considered　as　a　significant　source　of　air　pollution　that　has　an　adverse　impact　on　the　global　climate　and　human　health.　It　is　of　vital　importance　to　create　an　accurate　ship　emission　inventory　for　the　purpose　of　formulating　effective　control　measures.　A　wide　range　of　inventory　compilation　methods　have　been　proposed　around　the　globe,　and　there　has　long　been　a　pressing　need　to　analyze　and　compare　these　methods　in　depth.　This　study　sorted　out　and　categorized　inventory　compilation　methods　of　ship　emissions　in　recent　decades.　Five　main　methods　were　compared　and　analyzed　by　their　applicability,　complexity,　time　of　calculation,　accuracy　of　results,　etc.　In　addition,　a　new　method　was　proposed　to　develop　an　emission　inventory　based　on　a　vessel　energy　consumption　reporting　system.　This　method　is　believed　to　have　the　potential　advantages　to　produce　results　of　higher　accuracy　and　temporal　and　spatial　resolutions.　To　perform　the　validation,　three　cases　at　different　scales　were　selected　in　part　of　China　and　surrounding　maritime　waters　(large-scale),　the　Yangtze　River　Delta　region　(medium-scale),　and　Tianjin　Port　(small-scale),　respectively.　The　analysis　results　show　that:　each　of　methods　have　different　technical　characteristics.　Computed　results　significantly　between　methods,　with　the　maximum　deviation　of　up　to　87%.　It　is　advisable　that　the　optimal　method　should　be　chosen　based　on　the　actual　needs　in　inventory　compilation　and　the　data　available.　In　terms　of　accuracy　of　results,　Methods　1　and　5　offer　moderately　high　accuracy;　Method　2　provides　average　accuracy;　while　Methods　3　and　4　produce　low　accuracy.　In　terms　of　resolution　of　results,　Methods　1　and　5　provide　high-resolution　temporal　and　spatial　distribution　of　ship　emissions;　Method　2　delivers　low-resolution　spatial　distribution;　while　Methods　3　and　4　are　incapable　of　spatial　distribution.　In　terms　of　applicability,　Method　1　applies　to　the　calculation　of　inventories　of　varying　scales;　Method　2　is　more　applicable　to　small-scale　calculations,　such　as　a　port;　Methods　3,　4,　and　5　are　more　desirable　for　large-scale　calculations,　such　as　a　country.　The　author　recommends　Methods　5,　1,　3,　and　2/4　in　a　descending　order　of　preference　for　large-scale　ship　emissions　inventory　compilations;　recommends　Method　5　(if　accuracy　is　the　first　priority)　or　Method　1　(if　temporal　and　spatial　resolutions　are　given　first　priority),　followed　by　Methods　2,　3,　and　4　in　a　descending　order　of　preference　for　small/medium-scale　ship　emissions　inventory　compilations.　These　results　may　serve　to　help　inventory　compilers　choose　an　applicable　method　and　support　improvements　in　inventory　compilation　methods.　©　2022　by　the　authors.