Maritime transport is the only industry without clear EU commitments to minimize greenhouse gas emissions, given the fact that global shipping is expected to emit around 2-3 per cent of total global GHG emissions.

However, as the European Union is moving forward with the European Green Deal and being carbon neutral, the union feels it is time to adopt tougher industry policies.

The committee demanded more flexibility in the legislative report adopted on Tuesday, and agreed to include ships of 5000 gross tonnage and above in the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS).

Furthermore, MEPs claim that market-based emission mitigation measures are not enough, so they have also implemented mandatory standards for shipping companies to reduce their average annual CO2 emissions per transport job by at least 40 percent by 2030, for all their ships.

“Today, we are sending a strong signal in line with the European Green Deal and the climate emergency: Monitoring and reporting CO2 emissions is important, but statistics alone do not save a single gram of greenhouse gas,” Rapporteur Jutta Paulus (Greens/EFA) said.

Ships will need to be emission-free at berth by 2030, as a way of reducing emissions in European ports to the cities.

The Green Group Transport & Environment (T&E) said that the European Commission should follow this line to propose that ships be included in the EU carbon market and invest the money raised in greener maritime technology.

The MEPs have demanded that the new monitoring program (MRV) for ship emissions be made more transparent and cover all greenhouse gases, including methane emissions from ships powered by LNG.

20% of the fund 's income will be used to help preserve, rebuild and maintain marine habitats threatened by global warming effectively.

Maritime Business World