An LNG containership, the Jacques Saade
The Port of Rotterdam Authority has welcomed the European Parliament’s position on the revision of the EU Emissions Trading System (EU STS), including the extension of the ETS to maritime transport.
According to the Port of Rotterdam Authority, the parliaments position ensures the greening of shipping while safeguarding the competitive position of EU ports through measures on addressing carbon and business leakage.
The potential risk of evasive behaviour and its impact on the competitive position of EU seaports vis-à -vis non-EU ports must be taken into account in order for the EU’s carbon emissions trading scheme to become a robust instrument for addressing emissions in the industry.
Research by CE Delft has found that evasive behaviour is realistic, even when the ETS price is relatively low (compared to the extra costs of a port call, fuel costs, operational costs, etc.).
The Port of Rotterdam Authority thus supports the measures adopted by the Parliament to make it less attractive for ships to circumvent the EU ETS.
Examples of these measures are the inclusion of non-EU ports in a range of 300 nautical miles in EU ETS and by covering 100% of the emissions on extra-EU routes as of 2027.
Additionally, the European Parliament states that 75% of the revenues generated from the auctioning maritime allowances shall be put into an ‘Ocean Fund’ to support the transition to an energy efficient and climate resilient EU maritime sector.
The port authority has welcomed the earmarking of revenues for investments in the maritime sector, including investments in port infrastructure and the deployment of alternative fuels, and believes that this will stimulate the transition towards sustainable shipping.
Co-legislators will start the interinstitutional negotiations in order to seek a political compromise as a next step.
The port authority has called upon EU Member States to take the Parliament’s position into account, as it believes it provides a good basis to address carbon and business leakage in the ETS.
