[EN-SEA] "ESC" Proposes Ways to Cut Emissions From EU Transport

THE European Shippers' Council (ESC) has put forward to the European Parliament's Transport Committee 10 policy recommendations to reduce green house gas emissions produced by freight transport in Europe, in the form of an ESC Memorandum on Transport and Environment.

ESC chairman Dick van den Broek Humphrey noted that the environment is freight transport industry's number one challenge, by saying: "Industry will try to reduce waste to reduce costs, but some will move faster than others.

The majority will need help to invest in new technology and cover the set-up costs of implementing new measures, new practices, new systems. They will need to be informed of best practice and encouraged to proactively engage with the groups and associations like the ESC, to find out more.

"The providers of freight services will need to work with their customers in order to find economically and environmentally sustainable solutions. Policies from government are only needed where there are barriers to delivering what is required, quickly," he said in a statement issued by the European Shippers' Council.

The ESC calls to open the way: to a global Emission Trade Scheme (ETS) system for aviation and maritime transport; open the way to Eco-combi's, or the European Modular System (EMS), to permit the wider usage of larger trucks in Europe; unrestricted cabotage; access to rail freight infrastructure (including yards and marshalling areas); open the way to European rail freight corridors that run across borders and through member states; open the debate on implementation of International Maritime Organisation (IMO) marine fuel requirements concerning the use of low sulphur fuel; accessibility of hinterland and inland waterways; debate on 'polluter pays'; open the way for removal of operating restrictions for night time and weekend freight transportation; and open skies by implementing the Single European Sky (SES) policy.

In addition to this a "standardised measurement of emissions and pollution needs to be developed to help industry identify what, for example, their carbon footprint is for different logistics and supply chain models.

"Only when it is standardised can effective decisions and choices be made. Various sectors are already producing and developing measures to help, but ESC is willing to proactively help facilitate a co-ordinated approach that seeks to find one standard acceptable by all," the ESC memorandum said.

Source : HKSG, 30.01.10.