Unfit emissions package

This is ESPO’s conclusion of the European Commission’s “Fit for 55”-package, a package of proposals which should help deliver on the European Climate Law target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the EU by at least 55% by 2030, and enable climate neutrality by 2050. Efficiency, funding and managing the burden on ports are amongst the areas that need working on, said ESPO.

“If Europe is to become fit for 55, it needs to fund for 55,” said ESPO secretary general, Isabelle Ryckbost. “The needed investments in ports to facilitate the greening of shipping are huge. Since there is no silver bullet to green the shipping sector, these are high risk investments with hardly any return on investment for the investing port authority.”

Common sense OPS rollout

ESPO believes that to ensure a rapid deployment of Onshore Power Supply (OPS) and avoid a waste of public funds, Europe’s ports must be able to prioritise and focus on deploying OPS where it makes sense in terms of delivering cost-effective reductions of greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution at berth.

The Fit for 55-package can only deliver if it is accompanied by sufficient EU funding for investments in alternative fuels infrastructure, bunkering and production capacity, and retrofitting of existing ships, said ESPO. An ambitious OPS deployment plan in ports requires adequate funding, since every OPS facility installed so far has been supported by 50% or more public financing.

Safeguarding the competitiveness of the European port and maritime sector is also important, said ESPO. Appropriate solutions will have to be found to the risks of deviation of certain EU port calls to ports outside Europe, linked to certain proposals in the package, certainly if these happen without any gains in terms of emissions (carbon leakage).

Avoiding administrative burden for ports is also key. To remain competitive and efficient, the Fit for 55-package should not lead to unduly complicated calculations, compliance procedures and administrative burden connected to port calls in Europe.