FEPORT, the federation of private port terminalists European, called on European Union legislators to define rules, as part of trilogue negotiations on FuelEU regulations Maritime and the establishment of an infrastructure for alternative fuels (AFIRs), which clearly specify which port system actor must be responsible for the provision alternative fuels infrastructure such as Onshore Power Supply (OPS), i.e. plants for the supply of ships of electricity from the land network. The subject responsible for the construction, management and maintenance of basic infrastructure in ports, including the installation of OPS and facilities for bunkering sustainable fuels, has specified the federation, must be the authorities port and port management bodies.

The federation pointed out that the two regulations constitute two important pieces of legislation in order to reduce emissions from ships, with FuelEU imposing requirements for the use of shore-based electricity at berth and with AFIR to set ambitious targets for implementation infrastructure for the supply of alternative fuels. However, FEPORT noted that "to achieve success In the introduction of the use of shore-side electricity is It is essential that different actors of the port-maritime ecosystem cooperate and be aligned. The port authorities - has Explained the Federation - they have a central role in the administration and management of port infrastructure, including alternative fuels infrastructure such as OPS. At the same time, terminal operators must be strictly involved in the process as the installations will occupy a Significant amount of platform space, with an impact then on terminal operations. It is also necessary the coordination with the electricity supplier and the sector maritime so that supply corresponds to demand'.

Specifying that the installation of OPS constitutes a "logistical puzzle" very complex, FEPORT recalled that he had "always asked that OPS be installed in those areas of the port (such as moorings or terminals) where it has more environmental and economic sense'. In addition, the Federation stressed that the supply to ships of energy electricity from the ground network "involves enormous investments and risks, as there is a lack of voluntary request use of OPS by shipping companies, and because FuelEU Maritime allows ships at berth to use other zero-emission technologies." FEPORT has "These investment risks should not be transferred to private terminal operators forcing them to invest in OPS as is the case in some ports. The operators of Terminal - explained the Federation - have a very impact limited on the actual use of energy from the ground. The decision of investing or not in OPS should remain a business decision voluntary based on expected returns on investment. To this purpose - added FEPORT reiterating concerns already manifested in the past - it is also crucial that equality conditions between ports is preserved thanks to a framework Clear and harmonised legal liability for investments in OPS'.

Finally, FEPORT also reiterated the need to allocate sufficient national and EU funds for the introduction of OPS and, In the opinion of the Federation, the resources that will be collected through the implementation of FuelEU Maritime and the application to Maritime transport of the European Allowance Trading Scheme EU ETS emissions offer an excellent opportunity in this sense.