France Demands Carbon Footprint on Transport
As part of France’s objectives to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, ship operators are required as of 1October 2013 to disclose the quantity of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted during transport services.
This new CO2 emission disclosure requirement applies to “any public or private persons organising or sellingtransport services for passengers, goods or moving purposes, carried out using one or several means of transport,departing from or travelling to a location in France, with the exception of transport services organised by public orprivate persons for their own behalf” – including ships transporting passengers or cargo to / from French ports.
The requirement DOES NOT apply to ships:
- transiting Frenchwaters;
- making stops for refuelling or making other technical stops in France;
- and with no goods or passengersdeparting from or transporting to a location in France.
More details regarding the new requirement can be found at Decree n 2011-1336 of 24 October 2011 on information on the quantity of carbondioxide emitted during transport services
The Gard P&I Club has issued news alert to inform operators with ships calling at French ports to immediately familiarise themselves with the new CO2disclosure requirements in force and, as the possible methods available for communicating the required informationare numerous, carefully consider the most suitable method for disclosing the required information when taking intoaccount their type of transportation (passengers or goods) and their relationship with the “customer” (individualpassenger or shipper)
The French Ministry for Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy has published a methodological guide entitled as ”CO2 information for transport services; Application of Article L. 1431-3 of the French transport code”The guide providesexamples for the implementation of the requirements including methods of how to calculate the amount of CO2 emitted.
