G. Plakiotakis: Outside the ‘FuelEU Maritime’ regulation, Greek coastal shipping until 2029

An extension of the exemption from the provisions of the “FuelEU Maritime” Regulation until 31 December 2029, was agreed for ferry ships operating in island ports with less than 200,000 inhabitants, according to a decision taken by the Council of Ministers of Maritime Transport of the European Union.

This is a very important decision concerning the sensitive sector of Greek coastal shipping, which was taken after the coordinated actions of the Ministry of Shipping and Island Policy in cooperation with the Permanent Representation of Greece to the European Union.

Mr. Plakiotakis expressed his satisfaction for the exclusion of the coastal shipping industry, emphasizing that “after our many and painstaking efforts, this way the economic and social impact for the residents, producers and visitors in our island areas is addressed, while at the same time “vital time is provided both for the adequate availability of alternative fuels and for the energy transition of the coastal fleet.”

In the same context and after Greek intervention, a provision was included which, in application of the fundamental principle “the polluter pays”, recognizes the possibility for the commercial operator of the ship to assume the obligation to compensate the shipping company when the ship fails, at the time when the responsibility for purchasing the fuel lies with the commercial operator, to comply with the requirements of the “FuelEU Maritime” Regulation as regards the annual greenhouse gas emission intensity limit.

The Council also adopted a general approach to amending Directive 2003/25 / EC, which achieves, as far as possible, the harmonization of Union legislation with the recently improved international stability standards for passenger ships in the event of failure, such as agreed under the IMO.

On the above-mentioned legislative proposals of the European Commission, the completion of the EU legislative process is expected in the near future.

Commenting on the results of the meeting of the EU Council of Ministers of Transport. The Minister of Shipping and Island Policy Mr. Plakiotakis pointed out that “Greece fully shares the environmental objectives of the Regulation” FuelEU Maritime “for the gradual use of cleaner fuels in seagoing shipping and coastal shipping.

The text of the general approach agreed in the EU Council of Ministers of Maritime Transport, he continued, is balanced, maintains the high level of ambition of the original Proposal, while at the same time ensuring the competitiveness of the European shipping industry.

I consider, he underlined, the fact that the response and recognition of the particularities of the Member States is achieved to a satisfactory degree, through the realistic treatment of specific cases, where the implementation of the Regulation will have an economic and social impact.

In conclusion, I also consider as an extremely important element of the text the recognition of the possibility of establishing the responsibility of compliance with the new Regulation of the commercial operator (“commercial operator”), when he chooses the fuel to be used and the course of the ship, applying with the most appropriate for this dossier the fundamental principle the “polluter pays”.