note is that the more frequent users of ports are RoRo and RoPax ferries which
already seem to follow recommendations regarding slower speed and also
connecting to land electricity to avoid using auxiliary engines to provide for electricity while in port. There are too many uncertainties in the findings from the work
packages dealing with vessel-induced emissions.
What has gained more attention has been emission and congestion problems
related to vehicles operating to and from the port. Looking at the figures regarding
vehicles transported by vessels to and from ports, Gothenburg counts 548,937,
Stockholm 472,127, Trelleborg 744,570 and Karlskrona 145,195.
46 These figures
relate only to vehicles transported by RoPax ferries. To these figures must be added
the number of vehicles that transport containers and semi-trailers to RoRo-vessels.
This is another uncertainty as figures are not available for the full effect of a study on
environmental impact and the level of congestion. Nevertheless, the focus on efforts
to combat pollution and congestion was presented by researchers from both IVL and
VTI
47 and the means discussed relates to two different areas.
In the first model, the following proposition is made in the form of a congestion
fee for trucks. The fee is charged upon entering the port, similar to the TMF from the
port of Los Angeles and Long Beach. The proposal is connected to container
terminals and aims at peak-hour traffic.
48 During those hours, the fee would be
SEK 200 at each entry. According to the model suggested the fee would be the same
regardless of which truck or how it is loaded. The other fee would be an environmental fee. Once again, there is a port gate entry fee; this time, a differential
depending on the classification and environmental performance of the trucks engine.
Entering the gates will generate charges on SEK 200 per entry and it is mandatory for
all trucks. Then there will be a discount of 50% if the truck is fitted with an Euro-6
engine and 100% if it is an electric/hybrid vehicle or a gas vehicle (CNG/LNG/
Dual Fuel).
These are basically good suggestions. The only crux is that they are not fees. A
common denominator for a fee is that there is a correlation between what is paid and
what the payor gets for the money charged. In reality this is a tax. The setup of the
system as described, involves a three-fold discussion on how it can be made
possible, and perhaps made legal, as follows:
Purpose: The purpose is to achieve environmental improvement measures by favouring
trucks with high environmental performance, thereby lowering local emissions of pollutants
such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), Hydro carbons (HC) and particles (PM).
Who collects charges: The terminal operator.
Who pays the fee: The fee is paid by the driver directly at the port gate, either in cash or
by card.
49
46 Figures are derived from statistics on Swedish Ports from 2017, see also footnote 15 above.
47 IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute and VTI—Swedish Road and Transport Research
Institute.
48 Peak hours is at weekdays between 6:30–9:00 p.m. and at 2:00–6:00 a.m.
49 Argued by the authors of the text as: “similar to existing system for infrastructure fees in Europe,
i.e. bridge and road charges”—but far from the Swedish adopted system where a congestion tax or
450
L.-G. Malmberg
already seem to follow recommendations regarding slower speed and also
connecting to land electricity to avoid using auxiliary engines to provide for electricity while in port. There are too many uncertainties in the findings from the work
packages dealing with vessel-induced emissions.
What has gained more attention has been emission and congestion problems
related to vehicles operating to and from the port. Looking at the figures regarding
vehicles transported by vessels to and from ports, Gothenburg counts 548,937,
Stockholm 472,127, Trelleborg 744,570 and Karlskrona 145,195.
46 These figures
relate only to vehicles transported by RoPax ferries. To these figures must be added
the number of vehicles that transport containers and semi-trailers to RoRo-vessels.
This is another uncertainty as figures are not available for the full effect of a study on
environmental impact and the level of congestion. Nevertheless, the focus on efforts
to combat pollution and congestion was presented by researchers from both IVL and
VTI
47 and the means discussed relates to two different areas.
In the first model, the following proposition is made in the form of a congestion
fee for trucks. The fee is charged upon entering the port, similar to the TMF from the
port of Los Angeles and Long Beach. The proposal is connected to container
terminals and aims at peak-hour traffic.
48 During those hours, the fee would be
SEK 200 at each entry. According to the model suggested the fee would be the same
regardless of which truck or how it is loaded. The other fee would be an environmental fee. Once again, there is a port gate entry fee; this time, a differential
depending on the classification and environmental performance of the trucks engine.
Entering the gates will generate charges on SEK 200 per entry and it is mandatory for
all trucks. Then there will be a discount of 50% if the truck is fitted with an Euro-6
engine and 100% if it is an electric/hybrid vehicle or a gas vehicle (CNG/LNG/
Dual Fuel).
These are basically good suggestions. The only crux is that they are not fees. A
common denominator for a fee is that there is a correlation between what is paid and
what the payor gets for the money charged. In reality this is a tax. The setup of the
system as described, involves a three-fold discussion on how it can be made
possible, and perhaps made legal, as follows:
Purpose: The purpose is to achieve environmental improvement measures by favouring
trucks with high environmental performance, thereby lowering local emissions of pollutants
such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), Hydro carbons (HC) and particles (PM).
Who collects charges: The terminal operator.
Who pays the fee: The fee is paid by the driver directly at the port gate, either in cash or
by card.
49
46 Figures are derived from statistics on Swedish Ports from 2017, see also footnote 15 above.
47 IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute and VTI—Swedish Road and Transport Research
Institute.
48 Peak hours is at weekdays between 6:30–9:00 p.m. and at 2:00–6:00 a.m.
49 Argued by the authors of the text as: “similar to existing system for infrastructure fees in Europe,
i.e. bridge and road charges”—but far from the Swedish adopted system where a congestion tax or
450
L.-G. Malmberg