ESPO announces the following position paper on port reception facilities for ship waste.
For European ports, ship waste is one of the main environmental priorities, as stated in the ESPO 2017 sustainability report.
In its paper on the revision of the Port Facilities Directive, ESPO welcomes the Commission's proposal and its aim to build on the substantial progress made under the current Directive. The current Directive 2000/59 has contributed to a significant reduction in waste discharges at sea. A minimum fixed fee, which must be paid by all ships calling at EU ports, regardless of whether they use the waste facilities or the quantities they deliver, has been introduced. As a result, only 2,5% of oily waste is not delivered to waste facilities in ports.
European ports strongly support the proposal's objectives of increasing efficiency and reducing administrative burden. However, the new directive should ensure that it encourages an effective and responsible ship waste management regime, in line with the "polluter pays" principle.
“European ports recognise that providing the right incentives is essential and port authorities are certainly willing to contribute. However, introducing a charging system under which ships could deliver unreasonable amounts of waste, including hazardous waste, for a flat fee of 100% would be a serious and unacceptable departure from the ‘polluter pays’ principle. It risks discouraging waste treatment at source, reducing the volume of waste on board, which has been a cornerstone of EU waste policy,” says ESPO Secretary-General Isabelle Ryckbost.
ESPO therefore proposes to set a limit for the waste covered by the 100% flat fee. The flat fee should cover the normal quantities of waste delivered by a particular type and size of ship. Ports should be allowed to charge more if unreasonable quantities are delivered. Furthermore, hazardous waste, which usually requires special and expensive treatment, should not be covered by the 100% indirect fee.
Furthermore, European ports welcome all provisions leading to better enforcement of the obligation for ships to deliver waste ashore. The alignment of specific elements of the Directive with the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) is supported by ESPO. European ports also welcome the fact that new categories of waste, such as garbage, have been addressed by the new proposal.
The proposal is currently under discussion in the Council and the European Parliament. ESPO looks forward to working with the Parliament's rapporteurs and shadow rapporteurs, the Bulgarian Presidency, the Council and the Commission to achieve a new and effective legislative framework that will further reduce ship waste discharged at sea and increase the quantities of waste delivered to ports.
