As dangers of cargo diversion to the detriment of EU ports have gotten increasingly more actual with the upcoming entry into drive at first of 2024 of EU ETS for transport, native organizations are voicing their considerations.
The Federation of European Port Firms and Personal Terminals (FEPORT), European Tugowners’ Affiliation (ETA), European Maritime Pilots’ Affiliation (EMPA) and European Neighborhood Affiliation of Ship Brokers and Brokers (ECASBA) members are expressing main considerations concerning the dearth of actual evaluation of the EU ETS for transport associated results on EU ports. “The measures proposed by the EU Fee i.e., the monitoring and the potential for a assessment of the Regulation don’t represent the right response to actual dangers of cargo diversion to the advantage of non-EU ports within the Mediterranean and the UK,” mentioned the organizations in an announcement.
FEPORT, ETA, EMPA and ECASBA members anticipate that transport traces which don’t intend to cross on the extra ETS prices to their prospects will want to name non-EU ports with all implications this can have on employment and financial exercise for EU ports. Moreover, the Match for 55 goals to cut back emissions will probably be circumvented. As soon as the commerce routes are shifted and the rules are bypassed, it is going to be very tough to reverse these detrimental results.
“We’d like an actual evaluation of the influence of ETS for transport on EU ports to be carried out now and never in two years’ time when cargo can have left some EU ports for good. Port capacities in Southern Mediterranean and different non-EU ports are necessary, and they’re going to proceed to develop. They may characterize engaging alternate options for the transport traces which need to keep away from ETS. Can we need to await this to occur and investments in EU ports to be placed on maintain or cancelled?” says FEPORT Secretary Normal, Lamia Kerdjoudj.
FEPORT, ETA, EMPA and ECASBA are urging the EU Fee to start out a research concerning the influence of EU ETS for transport now. The phrases of reference of the research may think about all options which might be presently proposed by totally different port stakeholders to keep away from cargo diversion.
The organizations are additionally calling on the Fee to proceed to boost its voice inside IMO in favor of a world ETS and concurrently to instantly discover the potential for concluding bilateral agreements with EU neighboring nations that would undertake laws just like ETS and with converging timelines.
