Page 43 - European Energy Innovation - autumn 2017 publication

Autumn 2017 European Energy Innovation
concerns but also preserve and
strengthen the European lead of the
European industry and know-how at
global level.
Examples of such innovation can be
found in the ability of cranes to store
the energy released when lowering a
container, or in the use of engine heat
in vessels to regulate the temperature
on board. Smart port management
can also combine measures to reduce
emissions, energy consumption and
costs by minimising ship idle time,
optimising the land side operations
of calls, using digital technologies,
developing innovative mobility
concepts, renewable energies and
the interlinking of power plants and
consumer plants to promote efficient
use of resources.
The EU port policy contributes to such
developments in particular through
four initiatives:
1. The Port Services Regulation:
The regulation was adopted in
February 2017 after three years of
debate in the EP and the Council.
It introduces a transparent access
to the market of port services and
transparent rules on financing
and charging. It promotes the
charging of environmental costs
by explicitly allowing it and asking
the Commission to develop
guidance to classify the vessels
according to their environmental
performance. Indeed, although
30 core European ports already
apply green charges to use their
infrastructure, the study which the
Commission published in June
indicates that more environmental
benefits could be gained by a
greater coordination and use of
such schemes. The regulation also
introduces port governance rules.
The later ensures for instance
the regular consultation of local
stakeholders and communities on
issues such as spatial planning and
port environmental matters.
1) The article only reflects the views of the author and not necessarily the ones of the European Commission.
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THE EU PORT POLICY AND GREEN PORTS
2. Modern state aid control: To alternative fuels and this chicken
facilitate investments in ports, in and egg problem is a typical market
particular green port infrastructure, failure that adequate legislation and
the Commission adopted a new public funding can redress.
General Block Exemption Regulation
in May 2017. Member States will 4. Digitalisation: By simplifying
not be required any longer to reporting and sharing data, maritime
notify to the Commission certain transport can become more energy
port investments for prior state aid efficient, attractive and easier to
control. The list of infrastructure integrate in the logistic network.
includes the fixed, mobile or The creation of a genuine European
offshore port infrastructure allowing Single Window Environment to
a port to supply vessels with digitally integrate all the reporting
energy sources such as electricity, formalities is therefore high on the
hydrogen, or Liquefied Natural European agenda. Digital solutions
Gas (LNG) which contribute to and automation can also assist the
the decarbonisation of transport captain navigating the vessel into
and enhance its environmental the port, the terminal operations
performance. and more broadly the sharing of
data between maritime, terminal,
3. Multimodal and alternative fuel rail, river and intermodal operators
infrastructure: The Connecting using for instance block chain
Europe Facility has awarded €1.1 technologies. In Horizon 2020, a
billion since 2014 to projects to call dedicated to smart ports and
improve rail and inland waterways the port of the future was launched
connexions to ports or to develop last year. The call has generated
alternative fuel facilities in ports proposals for €160 million (10 times
such as bunkering for vessels the available budget!) which are
powered by LNG or on-shore power currently being evaluated.
supply for moored vessels. In the
latest so-called "Blending Call" To facilitate the implementation of
closed on 14 July, we received the new recently adopted rules on
additional proposals which are now ports and promote good practices on
being evaluated. The European all the above issues, the Directorate
Investment Banks and the European General for Mobility and Transport has
Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) created a European Ports Forum in July
also offer valuable opportunities 2017. The forum will be composed
to improve the bankability of of member States representatives
projects, for instance the €750 and of organisations representing at
million EFSI Green Shipping European level the many stakeholders
Guarantee Programme open for involved in port activities. We look
both retrofitting of existing shipping forward to start working with the forum
as well as for the construction of by the end of the year.
new vessels with a green innovation
aspect. The various EU programmes In short, the years to come hold great
are all the more important as potential for the ports which are
they can help Member States engaged to green their operations and
to implement the Directive on promote more sustainable transport
alternative fuel infrastructure which and the ports which are more broadly
requires LNG refuelling facilities to engaged in the energy transition.
be accessible for all the core ports These ports will find at European level
of the trans-European network many opportunities to develop their
by 2025. The lack of appropriate strategies and disseminate their good
infrastructure indeed prevents viable practices. l