{"id":156686,"date":"2025-02-04T10:33:18","date_gmt":"2025-02-04T09:33:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cde.ual.es\/?p=156686"},"modified":"2025-02-04T10:33:18","modified_gmt":"2025-02-04T09:33:18","slug":"maritime-transport-environmental-and-sustainability-challenges-persist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cde.ual.es\/en\/maritime-transport-environmental-and-sustainability-challenges-persist\/","title":{"rendered":"Maritime transport: environmental and sustainability challenges persist."},"content":{"rendered":"
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Europe\u2019s maritime sector is making progress towards greater sustainability but will need to increase its efforts over the coming years to meet EU climate and environment goals aimed at reducing energy use, pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions as well as better protecting biodiversity. That is according to the second edition of the\u00a0European Maritime Transport Environmental Report, released today by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) and the European Environment Agency (EEA).<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Maritime transport plays a crucial role in sustaining trade, economic growth, connectivity, and accessibility, while also contributing to energy security and job creation. However,\u00a0increased transport demand<\/strong>\u00a0for the maritime sector comes with additional environmental impacts on the atmosphere and marine ecosystems. According to\u00a0the report\u00a0, which gives an update on the environmental performance of the sector and an assessment of efforts to make it more sustainable, some\u00a0progress<\/strong>\u00a0has been made but reducing emissions remains a challenge.<\/p>\n

Activities like shipping of cargo, containers, commercial fishing, tankers, and cruise ships, as well as port activities, remain significant contributors to a\u00a0wide range of environmental challenges<\/strong>, with the whole sector accounting for 3-4% of the EU\u2019s overall\u00a0carbon dioxide<\/strong>\u00a0(CO2<\/sub>) emissions, a share that needs to decrease. Meanwhile,\u00a0methane<\/strong>\u00a0gas (CH4<\/sub>) emissions have at least doubled between 2018 and 2023, accounting for 26% of the sector\u2019s total methane emissions in 2022. Apart from greenhouse gas emissions, reducing\u00a0air pollutants<\/strong>\u00a0like sulphur and nitrogen oxides (NOX<\/sub>) continues to be an issue.<\/p>\n

Maritime transport also continues to contribute to\u00a0water pollution<\/strong>, through oil spills and wastewater discharges from ships, as well as underwater noise. Marine litter from fisheries and shipping is estimated to have halved over the last decade but remains difficult to comprehensively tackle. Container loss, including those containing plastic pellets also remain an important source of sea pollution.<\/p>\n

The report also reveals that the use of\u00a0alternative fuels<\/strong>\u00a0and sources of power has increased, although from a low base. However, as it currently stands, some prospective alternative fuels will need to significantly increase production to be able to meet potential demand. In addition,\u00a0harmonised international guidelines\u00a0<\/strong>will have to be developed and a supply of seafarers trained on new decarbonisation technologies.<\/p>\n

Commending the report, the Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism,\u00a0Apostolos\u00a0<\/strong>Tzitzikostas<\/b>, stated: \u201cThe new European Maritime Transport Environmental Report is a valuable guide for the future of European shipping, one that is both sustainable, competitive, and resilient. This report is also a call to action. By working together, we can ensure that maritime transport remains a key player in our global economy, while minimizing its environmental impact and safeguarding our oceans for future generations.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jessika Roswall<\/strong>, EU Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, added: “Our waters are under pressure from climate change, biodiversity loss, mismanagement and pollution. This is why I will launch an EU Water Resilience Strategy. We need a paradigm shift on how we value water, to preserve water quality and quantity and to boost the competitive edge of our water industry. We need a \u2018source to sea\u2019 approach as activities at sea are closely linked to those on land. Now is the time for transformative change in maritime and water sectors so we can make Europe water-resilient\u201d.<\/p>\n

The report reflects the urgent need for the maritime transport sector to increase its efforts to reduce its carbon footprint and other environmental impacts such as water pollution as well as speeding up efforts to shift to cleaner fuels, sustainable port and shipping practices to reduce its impact on marine and coastal ecosystems. New innovations and technologies and better management will help to achieve future sustainability in an affordable way, so its key now that the sector steps up its shift to green practices.<\/em><\/p>\n

Leena Yl\u00e4-Mononen<\/div>\n
EEA Executive Director<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n
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\u201cContinued action and increased innovation are needed to accelerate the progress made towards more sustainable maritime transport in Europe \u2013 across all its operations \u2013 to reach the ambitious targets of the European Green Deal while preserving the competitiveness of the sector. Our joint report is intended to provide policymakers and citizens with a factual, evidence-based assessment of the current and future challenges to the sector\u2019s decarbonisation journey, as well as the opportunities that digitalisation and advanced technology can bring for the green transition of maritime,\u201d said\u00a0Maja Markov\u010di\u0107 Kostelac<\/strong>, EMSA\u2019s Executive Director.<\/i><\/p>\n

Achieving sustainability<\/span><\/h2>\n

New EU legislative measures, financing opportunities, and investment, can be expected to advance the decarbonisation of the sector. The EU became the first jurisdiction to set a carbon price on greenhouse gas emissions from ships with the extension of the\u00a0EU Emissions Trading System\u00a0(EU ETS) to maritime transport in 2024. Revenues from the ETS finance the Innovation Fund, one of the world\u2019s largest programmes for innovative, low-carbon technologies, with more than 300 shipping-related projects already supported. At the same time, the\u00a0FuelEU Maritime Regulation, effective from January 2025, is incentivising low carbon fuels and power solutions with GHG intensity limits on energy used on board by ships. The FuelEU Maritime model provides the basis for the GHG fuel standard (GFS) proposed for emissions reduction at international level through the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).<\/p>\n

Key environmental impacts highlighted in the report<\/span><\/h2>\n