Page 18 - European Energy Innovation - Spring 2016 publication

18 Spring 2016 European Energy Innovation

GREEN SHIPPING

is bound to increase a lot. In fact, the place in 2010. It is important to extend be taken into account when thinking
emissions from containerships are the debate beyond Brussels to the about the right incentives. Ships
expected to be the fastest growing European capitals. Conferences are often have to meet tight schedules
segment of marine shipping. helpful to single out problems, bring and cannot slow down. It is, however,
together people with expertise and vital that we find the right balance in
This is not to say that shipping is initiate action. making changes. European companies
bad. The opposite is true. Almost 90 are already facing increased pressures
per cent of the EU external freight Existing regulatory barriers need to be by global competitors and should not
trade is seaborne. Short sea shipping identified and overcome. Generally, be damaged.
represents 40 per cent of intra-EU the obstacles can be categorized
exchanges in terms of ton-kilometres. in technological, commercial and Overcoming the barriers and
More than 400 million passengers financial. Regarding the former it achieving change is to a large extent
embark and disembark in European needs to be seen what technologies a question of culture. We need to
ports. are on the market and how they can establish the optimism it needs to
be integrated. With regard to the latter make reforms thrive. Last year’s
Shipping is most crucial for trade, points, it needs to be assessed, which agreement from Paris is good for
extremely efficient and we need it! It incentives and pressures will facilitate industries because it offers new
is, however, a crucial variable in the the right decisions. markets with new potentials. Rather
climate equation. A holistic approach than setting too many barriers and
is required, addressing all pollutants There have to be commonly accepted constraints, market-driven efficiency
and types of ships. Important steps measurements and technical improvements should be the goal.
were taken with the Sulphur Emission standards. Introducing the Energy Given the enormous potential for
Control Areas (SECAs) in Northern Efficiency Design Index in 2011, which growth in green shipping a liberal
Europe. In these zones emission rates set compulsory energy efficiency market-driven approach is going to
were lowered significantly by using standards for new ships, was the right work. l
LNG or scrubbers. The same should be step. In terms of new technology,
done in the rest of European waters. weather routing, the use of auxiliary Gesine Meissner (MEP/ALDE)
power and a focus on aerodynamics comes from the German state of
It is my firm conviction that we are possible solutions. The EU has Lower Saxony. She is the FDP's
can offer significant contributions to support innovation in the field by delegate for Germany's Northern
on a European level. After all, the supporting projects with its research and North-eastern regions in
European shipping sector is strong funds. Regarding existing ships, the European Parliament. She is
and influential. Moreover, a common optimisation of maintenance and the liberal group's coordinator
approach by European member operational practices, such as regular in the EP's Transport Committee
states would set the right signal! As propeller and hull cleaning, can and substitute member in the
liberal coordinator for transport and also reduce power requirements. All Environment Committee. Moreover,
president of the maritime intergroup methods offer energy savings that far she is president of the European
in the European Parliament I want to outweigh their upfront costs. Parliament's Intergroup on Seas,
push for the right steps. Rivers, Islands & Coastal Areas
Commercial and financial (www.searica.eu/en/) as well as
Initially, the awareness for the problem developments in the sector are related president of Germany's Liberal
had to be raised. Much progress has to the oil price. Policies need to take Women. Maritime and transport
been made in this regard. Various into account that the financial viability issues are close to her political heart
parliamentarians and associations for saving fuel depends on a specific because of the sectors' immense
have hosted conferences on questions price level. Moreover, the complex importance for the future.
related to green shipping. My first contractual arrangements between
seminar on LNG, for instance, took proprietors and operators need to

1: Eurostat, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Analysis by Source Sector, Eurostat Online http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/File:Greenhouse_
gas_emissions,_analysis_by_source_sector,_EU-28,_1990_and_2013_(percentage_of_total)_new.png (Last accessed: February 2016)
2: COM (2013) 479 final, Integrating maritime transport emissions in the EU's greenhouse gas reduction policies, European Commission Communication http://
ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/transport/shipping/docs/com_2013_479_en.pdf (Last accessed: February 2016)
3: D. Hautmann, Dicke Luft auf hoher See, Fokus Online http://www.focus.de/wissen/natur/wie-schiffe-die-luft-verpesten-die-luft-ist-nicht-rein-auf-hoher-see_
id_5258156.html (3. Februar 2016)

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