ESPO welcomed the agreement reached by the IMO to peak CO2 emissions from shipping as soon as possible and reduce them by at least 50% by 2050, compared to 2008 levels. For European ports, the agreement to reduce shipping emissions is very important.
Secretary General of ESPO, Isabelle Ryckbost, stated:
The clear support of EU stakeholders – both from port and shipping side – to the EU negotiators has delivered. This momentum should be used to continue on the same path towards developing concrete measures to implement the agreement. We hope that here again the EU can play an important role.
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ESPO called the measures proposed to be developed and introduced by 2023 at the latest in order to implement the targets agreed. European ports point out that these will drive to a large extent the infrastructure investments to be made by ports to facilitate the decarbonisation of the maritime sector.
Isabelle Ryckbost added:
The European Commission is currently preparing the new legislative framework for the financing of the TEN-T network for the period 2021-2027. Decarbonisation is expected to be one of the main pillars of the new Connecting Europe Facility proposal. It will provide funding and support for the corresponding transport infrastructure investments. The sooner we have measures the shipping sector will agree on identified and rolled out, the better the ports can plan adequate investments and benefit from the tools offered by the new CEF. Clarity regarding the measures will also help EU policy makers to set the priorities for the next period.
Finally, ESPO believes that discussions on the level of ambition and the reduction target should continue and be revised in the future in line with the EU proposal.
