The proposal from the European Commission to revise the EU Emissions Trading Scheme opens a new financing route for the energy transformation of maritime transport through the Sustainable Maritime Alternative Propulsion (SMAP) mechanism, an initiative that Interferry believes should also incorporate the necessary land infrastructures to expand the use of electric ferries.
The international association of ferry operators has focused its positioning on the EU ETS review on the necessary conditions to extend the electrification of this segment. Interferry maintains that the development of battery-powered vessels must be accompanied by investments in ports, both in connection and charging systems and in the capacity of the electrical networks supplying energy to the terminals.
The legislative proposal presented by the European Commission includes the creation of the SMAP mechanism to support sustainable maritime fuels and zero-emission propulsion technologies. Among the solutions included is expressly electric propulsion, along with other technologies such as wind assistance.
The system plans to reserve up to 110 million emission rights between the start of its application and the end of 2040. These resources could be used to reduce the cost difference between conventional fuels and eligible alternatives, in addition to financing additional costs associated with the deployment and use of zero-emission propulsion systems.
Interferry believes that electrification has specific characteristics within the energy transition of maritime transport. While other alternatives fundamentally depend on the availability and price of fuel, electric ferries need to have sufficient charging capacity during their stops and a suitable connection with land networks.
The association points out that operators can gradually increase battery capacity and expand the distances covered through electric propulsion, but it conditions this evolution on ports having enough power to supply the required energy during stop times.
This issue had already been raised by Interferry previously. The organization has argued that investments in port electrification should not be limited to the physical connection point between the vessel and the dock but should also encompass the electrical facilities located behind the berth and the capacity expansions that may be necessary in the grid.
The proposal takes on a new dimension with the EU ETS review proposal, as the SMAP mechanism would allow the use of resources from the European emissions trading system to support emission-free propulsion technologies.
Interferry suggests that these aids could cover the necessary infrastructure to supply electricity to vessels and not just the investments made on board. The association believes that the availability of energy in ports is one of the factors currently conditioning the expansion of operations with electric ferries.
The European Commission includes SMAP in a broader review of the EU ETS Directive. Maritime transport began to be integrated into the system in 2024 through a progressive application that will reach 100% of covered emissions starting from the year corresponding to 2026. From this year, the scheme also includes methane and nitrous oxide emissions, in addition to carbon dioxide.
The European proposal will now undergo the legislative procedure of the European Union, with the participation of the European Parliament and the Council. The final configuration of the SMAP mechanism and the investments that may benefit from its resources will depend on the text resulting from that negotiation.