WSC: New EU transport commissioner to play pivotal role in shipping’s decarbonization

The World Shipping Council (WSC), the voice of liner shipping, said that the designated European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, will have a key role in securing supply chains and decarbonizing the shipping sector.

In a media release issued on November 5, WSC welcomed the opportunity to continue a dialogue with the European Commission (EC), stating that Tzitzikostas’ list of priorities should include protecting maritime supply chains against illegal trafficking and geopolitical dangers, integrating renewable energy into the transportation system, streamlining customs and administrative processes, and promoting effective public-private partnerships.

To remind, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the EC, presented the next College of Commissioners for the 2024 – 2029 period on September 17, 2024, emphasizing the green and digital transition of the waterborne sector as part of the European Green Deal in the mission letter for Apostolos Tzitzikostas.

During the confirmation hearing on November 5, Tzitzikostas stressed that if confirmed as Commissioner for sustainable transport and tourism he would focus on enhancing the competitiveness of the EU’s transport sector, sticking to the agreed timetable for its green and digital transitions, completing the Trans-European Transport (TEN-T) network by the established deadlines, enhancing transport safety, and ensuring the enforcement of current EU rules.

To push for transport decarbonization solutions, such as the production of sustainable fuels and the development of charging infrastructure, he committed to presenting a sustainable transport investment plan in 2025, while on competitiveness he pledged to develop an EU industrial action plan for the automotive sector.

Based on the committee recommendations, the Conference of Presidents is set to conduct the final evaluation and declare the hearings closed on November 21. The evaluation letters will be published Once the Conference of Presidents declares all hearings closed.

“We are confident that Commissioner designate Tzitzikostas will be instrumental in coordinating transportation, energy, and industry policies to promote sustainable shipping. We value our good working relationship with DG MOVE, and we relish the opportunity to partner with the new Commissioner to advance our shared objectives for the benefit of the industry and the broader EU economy,” said WSC President and CEO Joe Kramek.

Arguing that collective immediate action is needed to achieve long-term sustainability goals, the WSC urged the EU to work constructively with International Maritime Organization (IMO) member states and deliver global greenhouse gas regulations that will allow green fuels to compete with fossil fuels.

“The decarbonisation of the transport network and improvement of the energy network need to go hand in hand. Continuing to improve the EU transport and energy network will enhance the EU’s competitive position as well as support the global transition to decarbonisation. Low-GHG transportation networks depend upon fully integrated renewable energy networks, to ensure there is a strong supply of green maritime fuels and to prevent service disruptions in the coming years,” the WSC concluded.

Earlier on, the WSC called on the EU to design policy frameworks that facilitate the essential role of shipping in a globally connected economy and to forge the path to net-zero shipping by 2050 in partnership with industry, urging the union to implement the EU ETS and FuelEU and ensure that the full climate impact of fuels is taken into account, and so that production of renewable fuels scales to meet fleet demand.

The WSC also submitted a detailed proposal, including design updates and regulatory text for the Green Balance Mechanism to support the timely development of effective climate regulations for shipping.