CENIT is delighted to see its recent report on the impact of new EU shipping regulations featured in a recent 3Cat article. The article warns that the maritime sector is preparing for battle over the introduction of emissions charges by the EU in the new year, drawing valuable insights from CENIT’s research on the subject.
From January onwards, ships operating within the European Union will be required to pay for their emissions. The aim is to mark a new era of greener practices in the industry.
However, the ETS (Emissions Trading System) Directive has sparked concerns among EU member states, including Spain, who fear that imposing these charges might lead to a diversion of shipping traffic to North Africa. This concern has prompted requests for a moratorium – something that the European Commission has firmly rejected.
CENIT’s report sheds light on a crucial aspect of these regulations. According to our findings, shipping companies could save up to 600,000 euros annually in emission charges, a figure that doubles when factoring in other costs like labour.
For example, a container ship arriving in Barcelona from China in 2024 will incur approximately 80 euros per tonne of emitted carbon dioxide on the final leg of its journey. But if the cargo is transferred to another ship in Port Said in Egypt, for example, charges will only apply to the Mediterranean route
Read the full article (in Catalan): https://www.ccma.cat/324/el-sector-maritim-en-peu-de-guerra-contra-la-penalitzacio-per-les-emissions-contaminants/noticia/3263302/
Access the original CENIT report here: https://piernext.portdebarcelona.cat/en/publications/
Also in the news this month, Sergi Sauri was interviewed for TV3 to highlight the main challenges for railway operators as they seek to compete with road transport.
These hurdles include infrastructure bottlenecks impacting operational efficiency along with the reluctance of companies to embrace rail as a viable option for goods transport due to supply concerns. Furthermore, despite industry liberalisation in 2004, prospective new operators encounter barriers to entry, ranging from substantial investment requirements to operational complexity.
In this landscape, market dominance is notably held by a single operator, Renfe Mercaderies, making it challenging for other players to gain a foothold.
The result: market share of railway freight has remained disproportionately low, hovering at around 5%, despite concerted efforts to address the issue.
🔗 Read and watch the full interview here: https://www.ccma.cat/324/el-port-de-barcelona-ja-connecta-en-tren-amb-franca-pero-el-camio-encara-el-domina-el-transport/noticia/3259825/
