Interferry Demands Pause on EU ETS Implementation at 70% Coverage

Interferry is calling for an immediate halt on the further implementation of the EU ETS for the ferry sector, maintaining the surrendering obligation for maritime emissions frozen at the 70% level scheduled for 2025, and halting the planned increase to 100% in 2026. The demand follows the recent decision to continue exempting road transport from a parallel ETS mechanism and the lack of clear regulations on the distribution of the funds collected.

“This action must remain in place until road transport is also in an ETS and funds collected are actually ringfenced for maritime decarbonization. The EU must deliver on its promise of a level playing field and ensure its climate policy supports, rather than financially drains, its most forward-looking transport sector,” says Mike Corrigan, CEO of Interferry.

Ferry services are critically important to Europe, with more than half of the world’s gross RoRo- and passenger ship tonnage operating in European waters, transporting 400 million passengers and 200 million vehicles and freight units every year within the EU, significantly offloading the road network. Every euro of freight rate increase on ferries risks pushing freight volumes back to the already congested European road networks. Interferry supports decarbonization of the maritime industry