A few days after the agreement at the International Maritime Organization on the Review of the International Strategy for Reduction of greenhouse gases emitted by ships ( of 7 July 2023), today the European Parliament, as part of the "Fit for 55" package of measures that in mid-2021 led to the decision to extend the trading system EU emission allowances (ETS) to the maritime transport sector ( of 14 July 2021), adopted, by 555 votes to 48, and 25 abstentions, new rules on ship fuels and, with 514 votes for, 52 against and 74 abstentions, new rules on alternative fuels for road transport.

With regard to fuel for shipping, it is expected the obligation for ships of more than 5,000 gross tonnage to gradually reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reducing the amount of energy they use, 2% from 1 January 2025, 6% from 1 January 2025 2030, by 14.5% from January 1, 2035, by 31% from January 1 2040, 62% from January 1, 2045 and 80% from January 1 2050 compared to 2020 level. This reduction will be on all energy used on board in EU ports or in navigation between them and 50% of the energy used for routes where the port of departure or arrival is outside of the EU or its outermost regions.

In addition, the new rules provide that, in order to reduce Significant air pollution in ports, starting from 2030 container ships and passenger ships at berth in Main port ports will have to connect to the electricity grid of land for all their electricity needs.

The path that led to today's green light from Parliament started on 24 July 2021 when the Commission European had presented a proposal for a regulation on the use of Renewable and low-carbon fuels in maritime transport (the FuelEU Maritime Regulation which is part of of the legislative proposals of the Fit for 55 package). Next 19 October, the EU Parliament adopted its position which planned to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from ships by 2% by 2025, 20% by 2035 and 80% by 2050 compared to the 2020 level (the European Commission had proposed a reduction of 13% and 75%). Trilogue negotiations this year led on 23 March to an agreement on the decarbonisation of the maritime transport, which provided for a 2% reduction in ship GHG emissions from 2025, 6% from 2030, 14.5% from 2035, 31% from 2040, 62% from 2045 and 80% to starting from 2050, i.e. percentages and timing adopted today by Parliament ( of 23 March 2023).

The rules adopted today in Strasbourg state that "the Entity responsible for ensuring compliance with this Regulation - specifies the text of the FuelEU Maritime initiative - should be the company, defined as the shipowner or any other organization or person, such as the manager or the bareboat charterer, who has assumed responsibility the operation of the vessel by the shipowner and that, assuming such responsibility, agreed to take on all tasks and Responsibilities imposed by the International Management Code ship safety and pollution prevention, as implemented in the Union by Regulation (EC) No 336/2006 of European Parliament and of the Council. The definition of society under this Regulation is in line with the Global data collection established in 2016 by the International Maritime Organization (IMO)".

"The new rules - has emphasized the rapporteur of the proposal on sustainable marine fuels Jörgen Warborn - establish the path far more ambitious in the world for the decarbonization of maritime transport. The aim is to achieve 90% of maritime CO2 emissions, protecting the at the same time the smaller shipowners and ports from the costs and administrative burdens. These make Europe at the forefront of creation of a demand for sustainable fuels and in the promotion of innovation'.

New rules for alternative fuels approved today foresee that by 2026 electric charging stations for passenger cars, with a minimum output of 400 kW, are installed at least every 60 kilometres along the main road corridors of the TEN-T network and that the power of the network increases to 600 kW by 2028. Charging stations are provided for trucks and buses every 120 kilometers. These stations should be installed on half of the EU's main roads by 2028 and with a Output power from 1,400 kW to 2,800 kW depending on the road. The EU countries will have to ensure that, by 2031, hydrogen refuelling along the TEN-T core network is distributed at least every 200 kilometers.

Once the Council of the EU has adopted Formally both laws, infrastructure rules for Alternative fuels will apply from six months from their entry into force, while those on marine fuels sustainable will apply from January 1, 2025.