Interferry has raised concerns that a further delay to road transport’s inclusion in EU emissions trading would deepen the competitive disadvantage facing ferry operators.
The association estimates annual ETS costs for European RoPax and RoRo operators at approximately EUR 1 billion. It warns that uneven carbon pricing encourages freight to shift from ferries to roads, limits operators’ ability to pass on costs and reduces funds available for decarbonisation.
According to Interferry, road transport’s ETS2 framework, already postponed from 2027 to 2028, faces pressure for further delays. The association argues that linking road transport and building emissions allows political concerns over household heating costs to shield road freight from carbon pricing.
Interferry calls for road transport to be separated from buildings under ETS2, or for carbon costs to be applied uniformly across sectors. It also wants all maritime ETS revenues ring-fenced for shipping’s decarbonisation, including EU-produced sustainable marine fuels, clean technologies and shoreside charging infrastructure.