Brussels, 07/06/2013 (Agence Europe) - European Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas wants to speed up the “greening” of the European navigable water fleet, as he explained at the end of Green Week in Brussels on 7 June, announcing that the EU programme to promote this type of transport, Naiades, would continue.
The initial Naiades comes to an end on 31 December 2013, but will be continued in a new programme, Naiades II. The Commissioner said he would be publishing a report on it in the near future to make the most of river and canal transport by focusing on sustainable development. He explained that this form of transport is usually viewed as environmentally-friendly, but improvements could be made.
A working document will be published along with the report on how to reduce pollution from emissions in this form of transport. Alternative fuels, new technology and stricter emissions caps could help the sector remain green, said the Commissioner.
The Commission's proposals will help make the fleet more environmentally-friendly. The Commission drew attention to recent tests by ship-builders using liquefied gas, methanol and hydrogen, which could be used as renewable energy sources. Kallas said he wanted to back this approach, but it was important to strike a balance between environmental and competitiveness requirements.
The Commission's support for navigable waterways follows an agreement with the European Parliament and Council of Ministers on new maps for the trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) (see EUROPE 10856). The maps will cover all the main navigable waterways in the core TEN-T by 2030. Secretary General of Internal Navigation Europe Karin De Schepper said this provides a solid basis for creating a core network of navigable waterways. (MD/transl.fl)