Joint industry statement for the ESSF
ECSA, CLIA Europe, Interferry and ECG have released a joint industry statement to contribute to the forthcoming debate at the European Sustainable Shipping Forum (ESSF).
One of thepurposes of the ESSF is to assess progress towards compliance with the IMOrequirementfor a maximum 0.1% sulphur content in marine fuel,due to enter intoforce as from 1 January 2015 in SECAs (Sulphur Emission Control Areas). Thisrequirement will be enforced in the European Union through the Sulphur Directive(Directive 2012/33/EU) The shipping industry urges the Commission to primarily address financialsupport for ship conversions and to consider the timely application of any additionaltransitional measures in order to ensure an appropriate enforcement of the SulphurDirective. |
The shipping industry welcomes the opportunity offered through the ESSF to discuss thecompelling need to address practical issues that will be encountered during theimplementation process of forthcoming environmental requirements, in particular during thetransition phase before and during the entry into force of new standards.
The ESSF shouldalso provide a platform to discuss possible interim measures and take due account ofregional specificities wherever necessary.
The shipping industry has been directly engaged with the EU institutions for several years ona range of issues relevant to the work of the ESSF and is committed to participate in thefuture activities of the Forum and any specific technical subgroups that are established.
The shipping industry urges the European Commission and Member States to give highpriority to consideration and implementation of interim measures and support for conversionof ships, in order to make compliance with the new requirements environmentally andcommercially sustainable.
In addition, the methods that have been used for estimating future availability and costs forcompliant fuel should be clarified. In this regard, consideration should be given to the actualsulphur content of fuel being supplied for use by ships. There is also a clear need to developreliable and consistent approaches to ensure confidence in the results obtained when testingfuel samples.
The shipping industry believes that there is a compelling need to urgently address theseissues in assessing the economic impact of the various technical options for complianceavailable to shipowners, as well as their feasibility, and select the appropriate solution for anindividual ship.
Prior to the entry into force of the new sulphur requirement, the shipping industry believesthat Member States and the Commission should have a commitment to take correctiveaction if factual analysis within the ESSF provides evidence that the implementation of the0.1% limit in 2015 will have detrimental effects on the sustainability of maritime transport.With this in mind and given the restricted time available before January 2015, the anticipatedtimeframe of the ESSF should also be clarified.
Several studies have warned of an expected modal shift from short sea shipping to transportby road. Although the estimated percentage of modal shift may differ depending on theparameters examined and the data sources used, the risk of modal shift is generallyconfirmed. Potential consequences could include the closure of short sea services on someroutes or a reduction of the frequency of services.
This is in sharp conflict with the objectivesof EU transport policy, which aim at a positive modal shift away from road transport, towardsmore environmentally efficient transport by water and rail.
Shipowners have since 2008 been considering a wide range of possibilities for compliance,including identification of the need to confirm adequate availability of compliant fuel, use ofLNG as an alternative fuel, the use of scrubbers and other technology, use of alternativeenergy sources, etc.
It has become increasingly clear that there are still many technical and economic issues tobe solved in the short and medium term before shipowners will be able to select theappropriate solution for individual ships with confidence.
Additional Information |