EMEA News
Cold-ironing, Carbon Intensity Feature in EU's Adopted FuelEU Maritime Initiative
Shoreside power for berthed ships and a ratcheting down on shipping's carbon footprint features in the European Union's FuelEU Maritime initiative adopted by the European Parliament and Council of Ministers.
A provisional agreement was reached in March with the announcement July 14 providing detail in the final document.
Under the regulation, ships over 5,000 gt, vessels (containerships and passenger ships) berthed at European ports are directed to use shore power from the start of 2030.
The greenhouse gas intensity of the energy used onboard by a ship -- calculated as the amount of GHG emissions per unit of energy -- must fall by 2% from 2025 increasing incrementally to 75% by 2050.
It is hoped that the measure will "stimulate the uptake of sustainable maritime fuels and zero-emission technologies by setting a maximum limit on the GHG content of energy used by ships calling at European ports".
In addition the measures are aiming to increase the "demand for renewable low-carbon fuel (RLF) in maritime transport while maintaining a level playing field and a well-functioning EU market for marine fuels and maritime transport".
The organisation's transport commissioner, Adina Vălean, said: "With our three transport-specific initiatives – ReFuel Aviation, FuelEU Maritime and the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation – we will support the transport sector's transition into a future-proof system.
"We will create a market for sustainable alternative fuels and low-carbon technologies, while putting in place the right infrastructure to ensure the broad uptake of zero-emission vehicles and vessels."
To make FuelEU Maritime work in practice, ships will provide certified operational energy data to the authorities so that they can be issued with, and carry onboard, a valid FuelEU certificate of compliance.
