Sotiris Raptis News

The last plenary of the European Parliament in Strasbourg has adopted a new law which aims to scale up industrial capacity for green technologies in Europe.European shipowners strongly welcome the inclusion of clean fuels for shipping, including advanced biofuels and e-fuels, in the list of net-zero technologies adopted under the Net-Zero Industry Act. The new law introduces a benchmark for the Commission and the EU Member States to match 40% of the deployment needs for clean fuels for shipping with production capacity.

The international maritime industry, led by the International Chamber of Shipping, has joined together to express their concern for the seafarers from the Galaxy Leader who have been held hostage and call on the Houthis to release them.Monday February 19, 2024 marks the three-month anniversary since the Houthis seized the Galaxy Leader and its 25 seafarers in the Red Sea.The roll-on/roll-off vehicle carrier was seized on November 19.“The 25 seafarers who make up the crew of the Galaxy Leader are innocent victims of the ongoing aggression against world shipping…

The European Commission has published its proposal for a 2040 climate target: greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced by 90% by 2040 at the latest, receiving positive feedback from European shipowners.The shipowners welcome the strong commitment of the Commission to address “barriers to the deployment of low- and zero-emissions fuels including e-fuels and advanced biofuels” in shipping and to give the sector “priority access to these fuels over sectors that have access to other…

The European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA) has welcomed the Polish Shipping Association as a full member as of January 1, 2024.The Polish Shipping Association brings together the Polish Shipowners’ Association (ZAP) and the Polish Shipping Companies Association (PZPŻ).“We are proud to welcome the Polish Shipping Association as a new member of ECSA. The Polish Shipping Association extends the geographical scope covered by our membership, brings additional expertise and knowledge…

Global leaders from organizations representing seafarers, shipowners and other maritime employers signed a memorandum of understanding with the Philippines’s Department of Migrant Workers on Wednesday 11 January, to form the International Advisory Committee on Global Maritime Affairs (IACGMA).The IACGMA is composed of the European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA), the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), the International Maritime Employers’ Council (IMEC), and the…

European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) congratulates Port of Barcelona (Spain), Port of Vigo (Spain) and Port of Baku (Azerbaijan) for getting EcoPorts’ environmental management standard (PERS).Isabelle Ryckbost, ESPO’s Secretary General, handed over the PERS certificates to the ports’ representatives during the Green Port Congress in Oslo.“I would like to congratulate Port of Barcelona and Port of Vigo for renewing EcoPorts’ environmental standard and Port of Baku for obtaining it for the first time. Ports in Europe are more than ever investing to improve their environmental performance and to get their “licence to operate” from the local community…

ESPO congratulates Port of Dunkerque (France) for obtaining for the first time EcoPorts’ environmental management standard (PERS). Isabelle Ryckbost, ESPO’s Secretary General, handed over the PERS certificate to Stéphane Raison, CEO of Port Dunkerque, during a special ceremony which took place at the port. “I welcome the PERS certification of Port of Dunkerque which has become the ninth port certified with PERS from France. The Port of Dunkerque is clearly a port that puts environmental sustainability on the forefront. We hope that the PERS certification gives the people in the port working on a daily basis on environmental performance the well-deserved   pat on the back.

The European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) congratulates Port of Rotterdam (Netherlands), Port of Le Havre (France) and Port of Piraeus (Greece) for renewing EcoPorts’ environmental management standard (PERS). Isabelle Ryckbost, ESPO’s Secretary General, Eamonn O’Reilly, ESPO’s Chairman, and Sotiris Raptis, EcoPorts coordinator, handed over the PERS certificates to the ports’ representatives during the annual ESPO Conference in Rotterdam. “I would like to congratulate the three ports for obtaining once more the environmental standard of EcoPorts (PERS). PERS certification is rewarding years of day-to-day engagement towards improving environmental management.

The European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) congratulated the Port Boulogne Calais for achieving the Port Environmental Review System (PERS) certification, the only port sector specific environmental management standard provided by the EcoPorts Network. The PERS certificate was handed over to the port during the ESPO General Assembly by the ESPO Chairman, Eamonn O’Reilly, the ESPO Secretary General, Isabelle Ryckbost and the EcoPorts Coordinator, Sotiris Raptis. Compliance with the PERS standard is independently assessed by Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance and the certificate has a validity of two years. There are currently 25 ports in Europe and its neighbouring countries in the EcoPorts Network certified by PERS.

Shipping’s only legally binding climate measure is not stimulating the uptake of new technologies or driving efficiency improvements, according to a new independent study. Since 2013 newly-built ships subject to the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) design fuel efficiency standard – known as the EEDI – have performed much the same as those not covered, the report for NGOs Seas At Risk (SAR) and Transport & Environment (T&E) finds. According to the study, at least two-thirds of containerships…

Over the course of the year the extent of the shipping industry’s confusion – some would say delusion – on how to clean up its emissions became clear, says Sotiris Raptis, shipping and aviation officer, European Federation for Transport and Environment. "Sitting in meeting rooms in London and Paris, we heard officials from the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and industry profess their opposition to regional measures to reduce CO2 and then fail to address the problem at the global forum, the Paris climate conference," Sotiris adds. During my second year of attending the IMO’s marine environment protection committee (MEPC), which deals with air pollution and CO2 emissions from shipping…