EMEA News
EU: MEPS Set Sights on Maritime Emissions Legislation
A tougher stance on curtailing shipping emissions in Europe has been taken by the European parliament.
Accelerating the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from shipping, encouraging port side power and imposing penalties on transgressors have all got the backing of the transport and tourism committee.
Under the European Union's Fit for 55 initiative (which aims to cut net GHG emissions by 55% by 2030), the committee has voted for a draft negotiating mandate to reduce maritime sector GHG by 2% by 2025, 20% by 2035 and 80% by 2050 applied to ships over 5,000 gross tonnes.
For ships moving between ports within the EU, it applies to all energy used onboard; for ships where arrival or departure is outside the bloc, it applies to 50% of the energy used onboard.
A target of 2% of renewable fuels usage has been proposed and the draft position mandates containerships and passenger ships to use on-shore power supply while at berth at main EU ports as of 2030.
Members of the transport and tourism committee favour financial penalties to ensure compliance. The document will need parliamentary approval before MEPs can start talks with EU governments on the final shape of the legislation.
