Welcome for emissions trading

The recent proposal by European MP Peter Liese to update Amendment 9 of the EU emissions trading system (ETS) draft directive and support the “polluter pays” principle has been cautiously welcomed by INTERCARGO. This recognition that often the shipping company is not the commercial entity controlling the ship operation, and thus is not responsible for the resulting greenhouse gas emissions, is long overdue. INTERCARGO chairman, Dimitrios Fafalios, said: “Although we retain our reservations on the EU ETS, we are pleased to see the EU take steps in the right direction, as regulators finally grasp some of the realities of our industry.”