- Interferry urges the European Commission to align EU climate rules with the IMO’s Net-Zero framework.
- Misalignment between the EU ETS, FuelEU Maritime, and IMO regulations could result in double emission costs.
- Ferries transport 800 million passengers and 200 million vehicles annually in Europe, easing road congestion.
- Higher costs could push traffic back to road transport, which currently faces no equivalent carbon charges.
Interferry is pressing the European Commission to urgently harmonize its EU climate regulations with the International Maritime Organization’s newly established Net-Zero framework, warning that misalignment could result in European ferry operators paying twice for the same emissions. The concern stems from potential overlaps between the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), FuelEU Maritime rules, and the IMO’s new system.
According to Interferry’s Director of Regulatory Affairs, Johan Roos, the European Commission had pledged to adjust its rules once a strong global framework was in place, and that time has now come. Ferries carry around 800 million passengers and 200 million vehicles annually in Europe, with half of the world’s RoRo passenger ship tonnage operating in European waters.
These services are vital for easing road congestion and supporting trade and tourism. Still, the group warns that additional carbon costs could force operators to raise ticket prices, pushing passengers and freight back to already congested roads that do not face equivalent charges. Interferry maintains it is unacceptable to impose double compliance on ferry operators and calls for the EU to act swiftly to ensure regulatory consistency in line with the IMO’s framework, as reported by Container News.
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Source: Container News
