France – A number of port authorities and stakeholders around the world signed a joint-commitment to reduce the environmental impact of stopovers made by container and cruise ships during their sea journeys at the One Ocean Summit in Brest.
European Investment Bank (EIB) backs declaration, which is also supported by EU Member States and the rest of the international community. The French Ministry of Transports initiated the declaration, which sets a new goal for promoting green maritime transportation. Moreover, it is in accordance with a principle of the blue economy, which aims to ensure that all human activities around the seas, rivers, and lakes are environmentally friendly and respectful of biodiversity.
In order for European economies and regions to be globally connected, ports play a critical role. Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-1) includes more than 300 seaports located solely within the EU (TEN-T). It is essential to consider the role of ports in the fight against climate change and the role they play in accelerating the ecological and energy transition.
CO2 shipping emissions
This commitment to onshore electricity supply for container and cruise ships by 2028 will contribute to meeting the Paris Agreement’s goals of carbon neutrality at European level by 2050 by reducing CO2 emissions from ships at berth in EU ports by around 7% in 2020.
While ships are docked, onshore power supply can significantly reduce harmful air emissions and noise levels, which can have a direct impact on the quality of life, particularly in densely populated urban areas, where ports are often located An additional benefit of this initiative is that it supports the development of maritime green corridors and thus contributes to global efforts to reduce carbon emissions and pollution from shipping, as outlined in the Clydebank Declaration, which was signed as part of COP26.
Climate action and environmental sustainability investments will be supported by €1 trillion in funding from the European Investment Bank (EIB) over the next decade as the EU’s climate bank. The European Investment Bank (EIB) supports investments that will improve the health of the oceans and their resources as part of its Clean and Sustainable Ocean Program.
