Insert transhipment ports close to the European Union, such as the Moroccan one of Tanger Med or the Egyptian one of Port Said, represents only a partial solution to the problem of loss of competitiveness of European ports, in particular those of transhipment, following the entry into force next first January of the Directive providing for the inclusion of transport maritime in the Emissions Trading System (ETS) of the EU. This was highlighted by ESPO, the association of European ports, in its response to the four-week public consultation launched on 21 August by the European Commission during of which they could be sent by last Monday comments on Article 3g(2) of Directive No 87 of 2003 that establishes the ETS, which - as part of the Definition of the scope of the standard - establishes the list of container transhipment ports close to the EU that are located less than 300 nautical miles from a port falling within under the jurisdiction of an EU State and in which the share of Transshipped containers exceed 65% of the entire traffic containerized handled from the port. These non-European ports fall under the so-called "transhipment clause" which was introduced into the directive precisely in order to limit the risks of carbon leakage, and of companies with the entry into force of the inclusion of the sector of maritime transport in the EU ETS.

According to the European Sea Ports Organisation, 'the principle of not considering as a "port of call", as part of the calculation of ETS fares, stopovers to certain transhipment ports bordering the EU represents only one partial solution to the problem'. For the association of ports 'This will not be enough to ensure that circumvention cannot take place. If only a few nearby ports - has ESPO detected - are reaching very high volumes of transhipments required by legislation (65%), many ports and terminals around Europe have developed, or are developing, transhipment capacity. The Commission should therefore take into account not only current volumes, but also consider the transhipment capacity in the different ports close to the EU'.

"Moreover - the association has observed - according to the current legislation, even if the port of call of transhipment non-EU is subject to the special regime, it is however more favourable for ships to call at a non-EU port rather than in an EU transhipment port. When ships call at an EU transhipment port, the last leg between the port of transhipment and any other EU port is subject to ETS fares for 100% of the trip. If, on the other hand, the ships call at in a non-EU transhipment port, only the 50% of the trip."

ESPO warned that we are already seeing the first signs that provide that, with the entry into force of the standard, the leakage of emissions and businesses will become reality. "We assist - explained the president of the association, Zeno D'Agostino - to an effective increase in investments in additional capacity in terms of teu in ports and new terminals in neighbouring countries, including investments made in these ports by the main companies of navigation, and we also hear about the first initiatives of redirect outside Europe. This strengthens the belief that shipping companies are preparing, where possible, to exit the EU Maritime ETS. We recognize - has specified D'Agostino - the importance of the EU ETS Directive and We support the objective, but - he underlined - we continue to complain that this legislative framework disadvantages EU ports compared to non-EU ports, without the expected benefit in terms of reduction of emissions'.

ESPO again highlighted that the monitoring of possible steps to circumvent the application of the standard should be launched before it enters into force, given that such initiatives are already in the planning phase or have already been implemented, monitoring that also - reiterated the association, "It should be done continuously and not just with a report every two years'. "You have to realize - he said affirmed Isabelle Ryckbost, Secretary General of ESPO - that, a Once the circumvention and modification of trade routes has been implemented, it will be It is very difficult to reverse negative developments."