Cost of ‘Fit for 55’ to the Dutch shipping industry & ports

In mid-July 2021, the European Commission presented the ‘Fit for 55’ package of measures that are intended to result in a 55% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to 1990. The Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment requires a breakdown of the first-order costs of Fit for 55 for the Dutch shipping industry and seaports up to and including 2034.

Based on the published proposals of the European Commission, CE Delft has calculated the first-order costs for ships sailing and/or operating under the Dutch flag. For ocean-going vessels, the first-order costs from 2025 onwards consist of:

• the emission allowances for CO2 emissions (EU ETS);
• the obligation to reduce greenhouse gas emission intensity of fuel, e.g. by blending biofuels (FuelEU Maritime);
• a tax on fuels (ETD).

In addition, from 2030 onwards:

• the mandatory use of shore-side electricity for container and passenger ships (FuelEU Maritime);
• a 15% reduction in greenhouse gas intensity of fuels supplied to the transport sector in the Netherlands (RED);
• a mandatory investment in shore-side electricity connections by seaports (AFIR).