The Port Authority Bay of Algeciras (APBA) will be the scene on Friday 15 of the international meeting ´The challenge of the ETS for European ports´, which will give voice to managers, employers and representatives of workers of European ports in the Mediterranean, mainly affected by the entry into force on January 1, 2024 of the new emissions trading system (Emissions Trading System, ETS) of the European Commission.
In addition, as indicated by the APBA in a note, the meeting is also expected to know the international vision on the issue have agencies such as the International Maritime Organization (IMO) or the European Ports Organization (ESPO), the hand of the president of the Council of the IMO, Victor Jimenez, and the deputy director general of Innovation of the Port of Barcelona and member of the executive committee of ESPO, Santiago Garcia-Milá.
Likewise, the vision of the Spanish administration will also be presented by the director of Planning and Development of Puertos del Estado, Manuel Arana, and the technical advisor for Safety and Environment of the Directorate General of the Merchant Marine, José Casado, as well as the vision of the regional administration, with the intervention of the Councilor of the Presidency of the Junta de Andalucía, Antonio Sanz.
In parallel to the meeting this week, the president of the APBA, Gerardo Landaluce, has attended Tuesday in Brussels to a meeting with officials of the Directorate General for Climate Action of the European Commission, in which the main point to be discussed is precisely the entry into force of the ETS. The meeting is promoted by ESPO, whose general secretary, Isabelle Ryckbost, participates in the meeting, which is also attended by representatives of the main ports of Spain, Italy, Malta and Portugal, among others.
Since 2020 the Port of Algeciras has been warning of the repercussions for European ports of the entry into force of the ETS, has recalled the APBA.
"It is not that we do not agree with the approach and objectives of the ETS, quite the contrary, we support 100% the agreements of the European Green Deal (Green Deal) and the objective of the Fit for 55, but it is no less true that the legislation concerning the ETS, as initially created, will create certain dysfunctions, causing diversions of ships and traffic to ports of third countries close to the EU and the consequent leakage of CO2 from the European space," said Landaluce, who has insisted on asking for a moratorium for its entry into force.
News and image obtained: "Andalucía Información"
