As indicated in Table 11.7, environmentally differentiated port fees for ships that
go beyond regulatory standards are set up in 56% of the ports. ESPO has been
promoting this type of initiatives in its Green Guide (2012). However, it should be
noted that, in principle, port fees make up a small part of the total port costs for ships
and even smaller part of the total cost of a ship’s journey. Thus, they do not aim to
change investment decisions of shipowners but rather to reward and enhance the
market reputation of the front-runners contributing to the greening of the supply
chain as a whole.
Evidently, half of the ports that provide green discounts aim to encourage the
reduction of air emissions, 45% of them to encourage better waste management and
another 34% to encourage the reduction of GHG emissions. Environmental certification of ships is rewarded by 42% of them. Furthermore, 28% of them are planning
to introduce environmentally differentiated port dues over the next years.
11.8 Conclusions
European Union has put into force a number of directives and regulations aiming to
incentivise port and shipping companies to commit to comply with environmental
standards. The European Green Deal, the most ambitious action plan of European
Union, aims at increasing the EU’s greenhouse gas emission reductions target for
2030 to at least 50% compared with 1990 levels, creating the most ambitious
package of measures, accompanied with an initial roadmap of key policies in
cutting-edge research and innovation, in green technologies and sustainable solutions. Most of the EU ports are actively working to protect the environment with the
aim of achieving sustainable development. There has been a positive evolution of
most of the environmental indicators since 2013. In principle, EU ports continue to
improve their environmental performance and to maintain or even further enhance
the declared policies of compliance, environmental protection and sustainable
development. While it is difficult to identify and implement at once ‘best practices’
for all the environmental impacts that port activities generate, positive steps towards
sustainable development and management are increasingly taking place.
References
Aciaro, M., Ghiara, H., & Cusano, M. I. (2014). Energy management in seaports: A new role for
port authorities. Energy Policy, 71, 4–12. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/
S0301421514002262.
Asariotis R., Benamara, H., & Mohos-Naray, V. (2018). UNCTAD Research Paper
No. 18 UNCTAD/SER.RP/2018/2018/Rev.1 United Nations Conference on Trade and
Development (2018). https://unctad.org/en/PublicationsLibrary/ser-rp-2017d18_en.pdf
11 New Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Ports: The Deep Demonstration. . . 195
go beyond regulatory standards are set up in 56% of the ports. ESPO has been
promoting this type of initiatives in its Green Guide (2012). However, it should be
noted that, in principle, port fees make up a small part of the total port costs for ships
and even smaller part of the total cost of a ship’s journey. Thus, they do not aim to
change investment decisions of shipowners but rather to reward and enhance the
market reputation of the front-runners contributing to the greening of the supply
chain as a whole.
Evidently, half of the ports that provide green discounts aim to encourage the
reduction of air emissions, 45% of them to encourage better waste management and
another 34% to encourage the reduction of GHG emissions. Environmental certification of ships is rewarded by 42% of them. Furthermore, 28% of them are planning
to introduce environmentally differentiated port dues over the next years.
11.8 Conclusions
European Union has put into force a number of directives and regulations aiming to
incentivise port and shipping companies to commit to comply with environmental
standards. The European Green Deal, the most ambitious action plan of European
Union, aims at increasing the EU’s greenhouse gas emission reductions target for
2030 to at least 50% compared with 1990 levels, creating the most ambitious
package of measures, accompanied with an initial roadmap of key policies in
cutting-edge research and innovation, in green technologies and sustainable solutions. Most of the EU ports are actively working to protect the environment with the
aim of achieving sustainable development. There has been a positive evolution of
most of the environmental indicators since 2013. In principle, EU ports continue to
improve their environmental performance and to maintain or even further enhance
the declared policies of compliance, environmental protection and sustainable
development. While it is difficult to identify and implement at once ‘best practices’
for all the environmental impacts that port activities generate, positive steps towards
sustainable development and management are increasingly taking place.
References
Aciaro, M., Ghiara, H., & Cusano, M. I. (2014). Energy management in seaports: A new role for
port authorities. Energy Policy, 71, 4–12. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/
S0301421514002262.
Asariotis R., Benamara, H., & Mohos-Naray, V. (2018). UNCTAD Research Paper
No. 18 UNCTAD/SER.RP/2018/2018/Rev.1 United Nations Conference on Trade and
Development (2018). https://unctad.org/en/PublicationsLibrary/ser-rp-2017d18_en.pdf
11 New Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Ports: The Deep Demonstration. . . 195