Tag

EU

Mar 13
Love3

EU Directive on Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition: Deadline for National Implementation

By 2026 Newsletter week 11

EU Member States must implement the Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive by 27 March 2026. The directive (EU) 2024/825 strengthens consumer protection and targets misleading environmental claims.

It amends the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive and the Consumer Rights Directive to improve transparency on sustainability and product durability.

Key elements include:

  • Stricter rules on environmental claims to combat greenwashing.
  • Ban on vague claims such as “eco-friendly” or “green” without clear evidence.
  • Restrictions on “carbon neutral” claims based solely on offsetting.
  • New information requirements on durability, repairability, and software updates.

For ferry operators, ports, and suppliers, the directive will affect how environmental and sustainability claims are communicated to consumers.

Companies will need to ensure that all green claims are substantiated, specific, and verifiable. Marketing language and sustainability messaging will likely require review before the rules start applying in September 2026.

Nov 06
Love3

EU Says No to Project Helios

By 2025 Newsletter week 45

The EU says no to support for Viking Line’s electric ferry concept Helios, but the shipping company is not slowing down but is charging ahead towards an emissions-free future in the Gulf of Finland.

Viking Line’s vision of the world’s largest all-electric passenger and car ferry was rejected by the EU’s Innovation Fund this week. But the shipping company is choosing to continue, just as determined as when the M/S Viking Grace put LNG on the world map.

Source: https://www.sjofart.ax/nyheter/eu-sager-nej-till-projekt-helios/

Jul 11
Love3

EU Approves EMS Project Hanko-Rostock

By 2025 Newsletter week 28

The European Commission has approved the joint infrastructure project Rostock Port – Port of Hanko under the CEF Transport Call 2024.

Together, the ports will invest nearly €30 million to enhance maritime and intermodal transport capacity. Around €14 million of that will be allocated to Rostock, with 50% co-financing from the EU.

In Rostock, the project includes:

  • Extension of the intermodal terminal tracks to 680 m to strengthen rail freight.
  • Construction of new pre-staging areas and optimisation of logistics flows.

These upgrades will significantly boost multimodal transport, support climate-friendly logistics, and reinforce the maritime corridor between Finland and continental Europe.

Source: European Commission Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) programme.

Jul 19
Love2

EU to invest €7 billion into sustainable, safe and smart transport infrastructure

By 2024 Newsletter week 29

The European Commission has selected 134 transport projects to receive over €7 billion in EU grants from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), the EU’s instrument for strategic investment in infrastructure. 

Around 20 maritime ports in Ireland, Spain, Finland, the Netherlands, Germany, Malta, Lithuania, Cyprus, Croatia, Greece, and Poland will receive support for infrastructure upgrades, some of which will enable them to supply shore-side electricity to ships, or transport renewable energy. 

Rail projects will receive 80% of the €7 billion. 

Source: European Commission 

Dublin Port has been awarded €73.8 million in funding from the EU’s CEF Transport (Connecting Europe Facility for Transport) as part of a €7billion EU investment in sustainable, safe and smart transport infrastructure. (Source: Dublin Port) 

Dec 01
Love0

EU: Improved rights and better information for travellers

By 2023 Newsletter week 48

The European Commission adopted on 29 November 2023 a series of proposals designed to improve the experience of passengers and travellers by strengthening their rights.

The new rules will build on lessons learned, including the recent experiences of the COVID-19 crisis and the bankruptcy of the travel group Thomas Cook in 2019, which had a major impact both on travellers and on the travel market.

In particular, they will clarify rules on reimbursement when flights or multimodal journeys are booked via an intermediary, so that passengers are better protected against cancellations.

They will also provide for smoother journeys, especially those involving different travel services or transport modes, ensuring that passengers have access to direct support, and enhanced real-time information, for example on delays and cancellations.

Special attention is paid to the needs of passengers with disabilities or reduced mobility to address and facilitate the switch between transport modes and improve quality assistance where needed.

The proposals adopted focus on 3 aspects:

  1. Stronger passenger rights
  2. Protection of package travellers
  3. Better multimodal travel information services and the creation of a common European mobility data space
Dec 02
Love0

EU agrees preliminary ETS deal for shipping

By 2022 Newsletter week 48

The European Parliament, the Council of Ministers represented by the Czech Presidency and the European Commission agreed preliminarily on the conditions on how to include maritime emissions in the EU ETS during the so-called trilogue on Tuesday 29 November.

As proposed by the Commission, not only trips inside the EU but also trips from EU ports to third countries and for third countries to EU ports (50%) will be included.

European shipowners welcome the outcome of yesterday’s trilogue negotiation and the provisional agreement on the EU ETS maritime. The Parliament and the Council have embraced the calls of the industry stakeholders to earmark  EU ETS revenues back to the maritime sector to support its energy transition.

At least 20 million ETS allowances, which correspond to 1.5 billion EUR under the current ETS carbon price, will be allocated to maritime projects under the Innovation Fund.

The provisional agreement on shipping is subject to an overall agreement on the ETS revision in late December.

Feb 18
Love3

FERRY PORTS

By 2021 Newsletter week 7

Sustainable Transport Node Initiative By Four Ports

Ports of Stockholm, Belfast, Lübeck and Ghent have applied for EU grant funding to invest in the role of ports as a node and driving force in sustainable transport provision.

The joint application is for green ports of the future to be multi-modal nodes for sustainable and smart mobility through innovation and research within electrification and development of alternative fuels.

The overarching goal is the significant reduction of air pollutant emissions within port areas.

For Ports of Stockholm, the planned project includes the possibility to scale up existing onshore power electricity connection capabilities to be able to charge heavier road vehicles and to provide large-scale battery charging facilities for RoPax ships. Stena Line, a customer of the ports in both Stockholm and Belfast, is one of the additional alliance partners in the EU application for investment in electrification and battery-powered shipping.

The application also includes testing of emission-free machinery within the port areas, a study and pilot trial of autonomous passenger boats and last mile delivery services, as well as charging capabilities for smaller passenger vessels.

Feb 11
Love1

Tirrenia’s Head Quarter In Naples To Be Closed Down At The End Of February

By 2021 Newsletter week 6

After the last meeting with the top management of the company, labour unions announced that Tirrenia will definitely close down its historical head quarter in Naples where some 40 administrative employees work. They will be asked to move to Livorno.

The decision is part of Moby’s debt restructuring and cost saving plan currently under discussion with the creditors (banks, bond holders and the bad company Tirrenia in Amministrazione Straordinaria).

Palazzo Sirignano, this is the name of the historical building, is bound to become a luxury hotel.

Feb 11
Love1

IN THE MEDIA

By 2021 Newsletter week 6

Fury At Minister Gove As Exports To EU Slashed By 68% Since Brexit

The volume of exports going through British ports to the EU fell by a staggering 68% last month compared with January last year, mostly as a result of problems caused by Brexit, the Observer can reveal.