• 2020 December 11 14:33

    ECSA welcomes EC's new Mobility Strategy and underlines competitiveness of the industry as prerequisite to achieving the goals

    Welcoming the new Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy published by the European Commission, ECSA, underlines the importance of maintaining and improving the competitiveness of the sector as the prerequisite to attaining the ambitions set in the document.

    "Sustainable, connected and resilient European transport sectors are key to maintaining the global position of the European economy," says Martin Dorsman, ECSA Secretary-General. "This strategy comes at the right time, as the transport and mobility sectors seek to come back stronger from the COVID-19 crisis, while delivering on the objectives of the Green Deal."

    Shipping is already the most CO2-friendly means of transport. It plays a critical role in the EU's ambition to be the world's first climate neutral continent by 2050, where the completion of the Single European Transport Area - not yet a reality for European shipping - will represent a significant milestone. In particular, the modal shift towards short sea shipping as a more sustainable transport mode will be crucial to help the EU reach its decarbonisation targets. The provision of adequate EU funding and access to sustainable financing such as through a more granular definition of maritime taxonomy that takes into account the huge diversity of the various European shipping segments are of high priority, so the sector can invest in its green and digital transition.

    The European shipping industry is fully committed to the eradication of GHG emissions from the sector. It welcomes the references in the strategy to the importance of working closely with the International Maritime Organisation on concrete measures aimed at reaching global goals consistent with the Paris Agreement. The industry firmly believes that a global approach is preferable to regional measures such as the proposed extension of the EU ETS to shipping or the revision of the Energy Taxation Directive. A recent ECSA/ICS study on the implications of extending the current EU ETS to international shipping highlights the many downsides attached to such an extension. ECSA will continue its constructive and pro-active dialogue with the European regulators to discuss the way Europe can contribute to decarbonising the global shipping industry as quickly as possible.

    Mr Dorsman also highlights the importance of a coherent approach towards the decarbonisation of shipping:

    "We applaud the Commission's efforts to bring different legislative endeavours into the strategy. The European shipowners need regulatory coherence and long-term certainty to be able to make the necessary green and digital investments and remain competitive globally. The strategy rightly recognises that shipping has greater decarbonisation challenges compared to other sectors, due to current lack of market ready zero-emission technologies, required investments and international competition. In this regard, a consistent legislative framework also addressing the responsibilities of fuel suppliers as well as infrastructure needs is necessary”.

    To this end, ECSA welcomes the upcoming revision of the Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Directive (AFID) and of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED II) and stresses that any proposal on the FuelEU Maritime should be technology-neutral, goal-based and consistent with the Initial IMO Strategy on GHG emissions so that further technical and operational efficiency measures are encouraged. On the ETD, ECSA suggests to exempt all sources of energy delivered to ships from taxation, to create a level playing field between the current fuels used and the new alternative fuels and other sources of energy like electricity.

    "Likewise, we think the plan to revise the Ship Recycling Regulation only two years after one of its cornerstones, the EU list of approved recycling facilities, entered into force goes against the Commission’s better regulation principle, as being premature and only creating uncertainty for operators," Mr Dorsman continued.

    Environmental sustainability must go hand in hand with social and economic sustainability. ECSA therefore welcomes the acknowledgement of the important role of transport workers in the strategy, and in particular the focus on seafarers. In view of the global nature of the industry, the overarching framework for human resources in shipping are the international conventions under the ILO and the IMO. It is essential that efforts are made by the EU to ensure that the MLC is wider ratified and duly enforced. Given the importance of the global level playing field, ECSA cautions against efforts that steer away from global norms.

    European shipowners place a high level of importance on excellent standards of safety and security for both crews and passengers. ECSA looks forward to working with the Commission on the forthcoming revisions of the legislative framework on flag state responsibilities, port state control and accident investigation

    Lastly, Mr Dorsman added that:

    "Maintaining and promoting the competitiveness of the shipping sector is a prerequisite for the sector to achieve its environmental and social sustainability objectives. In addition to the need to complete the internal market for shipping and to provide access to ship financing, ensuring undistorted international competition, reciprocity and a level playing field is essential for the European shipping sector.

    "ECSA very much welcomes the Commission’s commitment to deepen transport relations with new and existing international partners, and will continue to support the Commission’s work to ensure trade agreements reflect the needs of the European shipping industry so as to remain a vital geostrategic asset to the EU, in the face of unprecedented global challenges."


2024 November 2

18:06 Singapore’s first fully electric cargo vessel wins Green Ship Award at SRS Forum
17:20 VTTI looks to buy into LNG terminals in Asia
16:48 Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding signs contracts for 12 large container ships in the past 10 days
16:32 CHIMBUSCO secures its first LNG refueling service in Europe
15:46 SLB OneSubsea awarded subsea boosting contract for bp’s Kaskida project in Gulf of Mexico
15:24 Wilson Sons to start construction of three new eco-friendly tugboats in 2025
14:57 Rem Offshore holds keel laying ceremony for REM Pioneer
12:30 World's first conversion of large container ship to run on methanol successfully completed
11:52 New offshore platform taps into potential of heavy-oil reserves in China
11:24 HRDD completes desulphurization tower system conversion for a PCTC
09:48 TOWT launches its first cargo sailing ship in Le Havre

2024 November 1

18:00 Marlink to deploy Sealink NextGen hybrid solution on 26 tankers for Transpetro
17:38 Austal Australia delivers 8th Evolved Cape-class Patrol Boat to Royal Australian Navy
17:23 Acteon and Applied Fiber enter MoU to collaborate on mooring solutions
16:54 KOTUG International and Maritalia S.A. secure major marine services contract for bp’s Greater Tortue Ahmeyim gas project
16:24 BW LPG takes delivery of vessel BW Chinook from Avance Gas
15:44 HD Hyundai may nearly double shipbuilding capacity in Vietnam
15:24 Samsung Heavy Industries secures $390 mln contract for four Suezmax tankers
14:36 EU imposes duties on unfairly subsidised electric vehicles from China
14:23 Port of Montreal workers at two terminals start new strike
13:41 Chinese ports container volume rises 7.7 % from January to September of 2024
13:22 MOL, COSCO Co-host 6th Shanghai International LNG Shipping Forum
12:43 Global schedule reliability drops to 51.4% in September 2024
12:22 GTT secures technical services contract with Maran Tankers for eight LNG Dual-Fuel Suezmax vessels
11:45 MSC inks up $2.1bn container ship at the reborn shipyard Rongsheng Heavy Industries
11:28 China's first 'smart factory' for offshore oil, gas equipment fully operational
10:43 Yanmar completes land-based demonstration testing of a hydrogen engine for power generation in coastal vessels
10:23 Samsung Heavy wins W358 bln LNG ship order in Asia
09:58 EU greenhouse gas emissions fell by over 8% in 2023

2024 October 31

18:00 MAN receives multiple orders for MAN B&W G95ME-LGIM Mk 10.5 methanol engines to power a series of VLCV
17:23 The Marechal Duque de Caxias platform ship starts producing in the pre-salt layer
17:06 IWS Seawalker CSOV makes it 1000 ship designs from Kongsberg Maritime
16:45 “K” Line Wind Service and Japan Marine United sign agreement for Phase 2 of NEDO’s Green Innovation Fund Project
16:04 Wärtsilä introduces its innovative NextDF feature for the Wärtsilä 25DF dual-fuel engine
15:45 MOL plans to change charter contract for vessels related to Russia business
15:44 MABUX: Bunker price trends in the world's four largest hubs, Oct 8 - Nov 1, 2024
15:23 HHLA raises expectations for fiscal year 2024
14:59 Major fire extinguished at UK nuclear submarine yard
14:16 AD Ports Group and Somali Ministry of Fisheries & Blue Economy sign MoU for maritime sector development
13:44 Maersk reports Q3 results
12:43 UECC orders four advanced multi-fuel battery hybrid pure car and truck carriers from China Merchants Jinling Shipyard Nanjing
11:39 Japanese сonsortium produces design concept for eco-friendly VLCC
11:12 TMC Compressors bags contract to supply four LNG carriers
10:46 Panama Canal operating costs down 5% in FY2024
09:29 HIF Global and Antarctica21 promote sustainable tourism with e-Fuels

2024 October 30

18:00 East Java Multipurpose Terminal partners with Sinarmas LDA Usaha Pelabuhan
17:22 Container traffic at Iranian ports up 5% in the first half of the current Iranian calendar year
17:06 CIMC SOE delivers second 7,600 cbm LNG bunkering vessel to Seaspan Energy
16:42 Klaveness Combination Carriers makes first move into wind with bound4blue eSAIL system on CABU III newbuild
16:23 Transport workers' strike in Argentina to affect port operations
15:59 South Korea's seaport container cargo up 3.5 pct in Q3
15:46 Stena Line marks significant milestones in build of NewMax ships, Stena Futura and Stena Connecta
14:55 DNV and LR grant AiP to HD Hyundai Heavy Industries for ammonia duel-fuel large container vessel
14:45 Jiaxing Port adds a new sea-river intermodal operation area
13:32 Maersk signs long-term methanol sourcing deal
13:08 MOL and Pyxis sign Collaboration Agreement for development and market expansion of electric vessels in Singapore and Japan
12:40 AD Ports Group and the General Department of Vietnam Customs sign MoU
12:21 TE H2, CIP, and A.P. Møller Capital Partner for a large-scale project in the Kingdom of Morocco
11:40 ClassNK issues AiP for Autonomous Navigation Assistance System developed by Samsung Heavy Industries
11:20 MacGregor launches Carbon Calculator
10:55 Russian seaports in Q3, 2024: Infographics and Analytics
10:30 World's first ammonia-fuel dual-fuel bulk carrier begins construction
10:09 Erik Thun launches the next-generation Lake Vanern Max vessel
09:03 SCHOTTEL receives an order to supply azimuth thrusters for four new escort tugs for Saltchuk Marine

2024 October 29

18:00 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announces selections for nearly $3 bln of investments in Clean Ports
17:34 Asyaport becomes first Turkish port to provide shore power to container ships
17:00 Port of Los Angeles awarded $412 million grant from U.S. EPA for zero-emission transformation
16:42 Oil spill occurred during bunkering operations at the Port of Singapore
16:10 World’s first electric hydrofoil ferry line takes off in Stockholm
15:46 Wallenius Wilhelmsen signs five-year, $766 million deal