The Hellenic Shortsea Shipowners Association (HSSA) welcomes the initiative of the Hellenic Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy, a long-standing and consistent request of both our Association and the European Shortsea Network (ESN). The Ministry has launched a public consultation on the draft legislation providing that revenues generated from penalties under the FuelEU Maritime Regulation will be legally designated as “green resources” and allocated directly to a dedicated account of the Green Fund. These revenues will be used exclusively to support the green transition of shipping and the upgrading of port infrastructure.
Furthermore, HSSA looks forward to the swift development and implementation of appropriate funding schemes that will ensure the fair and effective distribution of FuelEU revenues to the final beneficiaries, including shipowning and ship management companies, port authorities and port operators, as well as universities and research centres active in the field of maritime energy transition.
Finally, HSSA expects that revenues generated through the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) will also be incorporated into the above-mentioned Fund. Such a development would safeguard the principle of returning resources generated by shipping back to shipping, while facilitating access to capital for shipowning and ship management companies seeking to invest in energy-efficiency technologies and accelerate their green transition.