The implementation of the extension of the Emissions Trading System (ETS) to maritime transport shows no significant evidence of evasion or circumvention trends, according to a European Commission report published on Wednesday 19 March.
In 2024, nine Member States expressed concern about the risks of carbon leakage and loss of competitiveness in European ports (see EUROPE 13435/11, 13540/10). Analysis of traffic data does not reveal any evidence of a general trend in relocation of container transhipment activities, nor does it bring to light any clear evidence suggesting that shipping companies are adding stops at neighbouring non-EU ports. Furthermore, the data provides no evidence of a modal shift towards road transport or an increase in the use of smaller ships.
However, the Commission has highlighted limitations in its analysis, such as the impact of the Red Sea crisis on maritime traffic, the limited time of application of the ETS to the sector and data availability. It recommends that the results be interpreted with caution, and has undertaken to continue its monitoring activities.
In a second report published at the same time, the Commission assessed the potential inclusion of small ships between 400 and 5 000 gross tonnage under the scope of the EU regulation for the Monitoring, Reporting and Verification of maritime greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It concluded that the balance between administrative costs and additional controlled GHG emissions is less favourable for small ships.
To read the reports: https://aeur.eu/f/g29; https://aeur.eu/f/g2b (Original version in French by Anne Damiani)