Source: searica event page

With almost 90% of the EU’s external freight trade being seaborne, maritime transport and ports play a key role in the EU economy. Furthermore, shipping and ports play an important role for tourism. The EU maritime sector’s total economic impact contributed EUR 149 billion to EU GDP in 2018 and supports more than 2 million jobs. Moreover, the Covid-19 pandemic revealed the necessity of resilient uninterrupted supply chains and highlighted the role of maritime freight as critical infrastructure.

The sector, which is regulated at both EU and international level, is still very reliant on fossil fuels, as a system for monitoring, reporting and verifying CO2 emissions from maritime transport is currently under revision. There is overall agreement within the sector on the necessity to contribute to European climate objectives on GHG emissions, to reach climate neutrality in Europe by 2050 and to contribute to the Green Deal. The European Commission’s Smart and Sustainable Mobility Strategy puts 2030 as target to get zero-emission vessels ready for the market.

The European shipping industry is making efforts to achieve this necessary transition. Clean technologies and solutions (LNG, shore-power related projects, lithium-ion battery, fuel cell, zero-emission ships) should be adapted to the different types of vessels and naval segments. Research and investment from public and private funding will be essential for a sustainable transition and for deploying zero-carbon maritime transport.

Hosted by SEArica Vice-Chair for Maritime Transport Jan-Christoph Oetjen, co-moderated by SEArica member Caroline Nagtegaal and closed by SEArica member Claudia Monteiro de Aguiar, the webinar shall bring together MEPs, representatives from the shipping industry and from the European Commission to discuss available solutions and technologies.

Download the agenda here

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