It is true that shipping, along with aviation, is probably the most difficult sector in transport to fully decarbonise. One would assume that the EU is running discussions at high speed to bring the emissions of shipping, one of the largest greenhouse gas (GHG) emitting sectors of the global economy, down as fast as possible. Quite the opposite is the case though, with shipping gaining only very little attention in European climate policy. One directive including some points on sustainable shipping is the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Directive, which states that “Member States shall ensure that the need for shore-side electricity supply for inland waterway vessels (…) and inland ports is assessed in their national policy frameworks.”[ii], which doesn’t set any binding target. Apart from that, NAIADES II, an EU-led project, aims to facilitate a modal shift in transport from road to sea, for many reasons, including environmental ones.
Posted on - 2019-07-10