Against this background, the European Maritime Transport Environmental Report, launched today by the European Environment Agency and the european Maritime Safety Agency, marks the first comprehensive examination health-check of the sector. The reputation shows that ships produce 13.5 % of all greenhouse gas emissions from transportation in the EU, behind emissions from road transportation ( 71 % ) and air travel ( 14.4 % ). Sulphur dioxide ( SO2 ) emissions from ships calling in european ports amounted to approximately 1.63 million tonnes in 2019, a digit which is expected to fall promote over the coming decades due to stricter environmental rules and measures .
Maritime transportation is estimated to have contributed to the fact that underwater noise levels in EU waters have more than doubled between 2014 and 2019 and has been creditworthy for half of all non-indigenous species introduced into european seas since 1949. however, even though the bulk of oil transported by sea has been steadily increasing, entirely eight accidental medium to large oil tanker spills out of a cosmopolitan total of 62 occurred in EU waters over the past decade.
The joint report assesses the stream state of emerging nautical ecstasy sustainability solutions, including alternative fuels, batteries and onshore world power issue, and provides a comprehensive photograph of their consumption in the EU. It besides outlines future challenges posed by climate change for the industry, including the potential impingement of rising sea levels on ports .
“ Our sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy makes clear that all transport modes need to become more sustainable, smarter and more bouncy — including ship. Although nautical conveyance has improved its environmental footprint in past years, it still faces big challenges when it comes to decarbonising and reducing pollution. Based on all the latest evidence, our policies aim to help the sector confront these challenges, by making the most of innovative solutions and digital technologies. This way, nautical transportation can keep growing and delivering on our citizens ’ daily needs, in harmony with the environment, all the while maintaining its competitiveness and continuing to create timbre jobs, ” said Adina Vălean, EU Commissioner for Transport .
“ This joint report gives us an excellent overview of the present and future challenges related to maritime tape drive. The message is clear : maritime enchant is expected to increase in the coming years and unless we act now, the sector will produce more and more greenhouse gas emissions, air travel pollutants and subaqueous noise. A polish but rapid conversion of the sector is all-important to meet the objectives of the European Green Deal and move towards carbon neutrality. This will besides create new economic opportunities for the european transmit industry as depart of the necessary transition to a sustainable gloomy economy. The challenge is huge, but we have the technologies, the resources and the will to tackle it, said Virginijus Sinkevičius, european Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries .
“ Innovation-driven sustainability is an opportunity for shipping to complete a transformation on the lapp scale as the refilling of sails by steam. This new maritime rotation will depend on ships developed through advance technology and digital solutions, but besides on a multi-layered, fully inclusive march at national, european and international level that encompasses condom, security and social aspects a well as environmental ones. But crucial besides is shipping ’ south character as a connection in a multinational logistics chain. This means that every partially of that chain — from ports to the shipbuilding sector, from shippers to the private and public fiscal sectors — must be included in our repel towards sustainability, ” said Maja Markovčić Kostelac, EMSA Executive Director .
“ While Europe ’ second nautical transport sector plays a vital function for our economic wellbeing, this report card clearly shows that nautical enchant in Europe and the entire international ship community have an pressing responsibility to step up their efforts to reduce this sector ’ sulfur environmental footprint. While steps have been taken already based on european and external policies, a lot more is needed for a cardinal shift towards a sustainable maritime enchant sector that contributes to secure the future wellbeing and survival of our most sensitive ecosystems and coastal areas, and the wellbeing of Europeans, ” said Hans Bruyninckx, EEA Executive Director.
Read more: What is the Maritime Industry?
Key impacts on the environment
- Greenhouse gas emissions: in total, ships calling at EU and European Economic Area ports generated around 140 million tonnes of CO2 emissions in 2018 (approximately 18 % of all CO2 emissions generated by maritime transport worldwide that year).
- Air pollution: In 2019, sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions from ships calling in European ports amounted to around 1.63 million tonnes, approximately 16 % of the global SO2 emissions from international shipping.
- Underwater noise: Ships create noise which can affect marine species in different ways. It is estimated that between 2014 and 2019, the total accumulated underwater radiated noise energy more than doubled in EU waters. Container ships, passenger ships and tankers generate the highest noise energy emissions from propeller use.
- Non-indigenous species: Overall, since 1949, the maritime transport sector has accounted for the largest proportion of non-indigenous species introduced into seas around the EU — close to 50 % of all species, with the largest number found in the Mediterranean. A total of 51 species are all classified as high impact, meaning that they can affect ecosystems and native species. The report also notes the limited data available in assessing the full impact on habitats and species.
- Oil pollution: out of a total of 18 large accidental oil spills in the word since 2010, only three were located in the EU (17 %); better monitoring, enforcement and awareness is helping to reduce oil pollution events even though the amount of oil transported by sea has been steadily growing for the past 30 years.
Navigating towards sustainability
EU maritime enchant faces a crucial decade to transition to a more economically, socially and environmentally sustainable sector. already, most ships calling in the EU have reduced their accelerate by up to 20 % compared to 2008, thereby besides reducing emissions, according to the report .
In addition, non-traditional fuels and energy sources, such as biofuels, batteries, hydrogen or ammonia, are emerging as possible alternatives for ship, with the likely to decarbonise the sector and lead to zero emissions. Onshore exponent issue ( where ships shut down their engines and connect to a might source on farming while berthed at port ) can besides provide a clean informant of energy in nautical and inland seafaring ports .
Link to report & fact sheets
EEA : hypertext transfer protocol : //mindovermetal.org/en/publications/maritime-transport/
EMSA : hypertext transfer protocol : //www.emsa.europa.eu/emter
Read more: A Man Quotes Maritime Law To Avoid Ticket
Press contacts
- EEA: Antti Kaartinen: mindovermetal.999@gmail.com; mobile: +45 2336 1381
- EEA: Constant Brand: mindovermetal.999@gmail.com; mobile: +45 2174 1872
- EMSA: Ruth McDonald: mindovermetal.999@gmail.com,eu; mobile +351 913 151 610
In memory of Irene del Barrio Alvarellos, our colleague who has been instrumental in developing, scoping and writing this first european nautical transport environmental report .
