Guido Grimaldi: Europe is taxing shipping to the point of suffocation

“This way, we volition suffer the greenish modulation race,” warned the president of the Grimaldi Group, speaking astatine the EENMA league titled “Walking into a New Era.” He delivered crisp disapproval of EU policies specified arsenic the ETS and FuelEU Maritime, portion besides outlining his group’s concern imaginativeness for zero-emission ships and sustainable larboard infrastructure.

Speaking with some candor and conviction, Guido Grimaldi, president of the Port Authority of Igoumenitsa and of respective companies wrong the Grimaldi Group, took the signifier astatine the annual league of the Hellenic Shortsea Shipowners Association (EENMA) successful Athens, sending a wide connection to Brussels:

“European shipping risks becoming the unfortunate of Europe’s ain greenish policy.”

This year’s conference, “Walking into a New Era,” served arsenic a forum for strategical dialog connected the aboriginal of short-sea shipping, sustainability, and the greenish transition. In his speech, Mr. Grimaldi voiced heavy interest and disappointment implicit the regulatory burden placed connected the European maritime sector.

“The Fit for 55 package—and particularly the EU ETS and FuelEU Maritime—threaten to undermine the competitiveness of European shipping,” said the Italian shipowner, noting that new emissions costs are already distorting commercialized balances.

He described a “dangerous motorway backshift” phenomenon, explaining:

“Our customers are returning to roadworthy transport. This is the nonstop other of what the Green Deal is expected to achieve.”

Grimaldi denounced what helium called double and unfair taxation, since the shipping manufacture volition person to wage some for the EU’s emissions trading strategy (ETS) and for the global model promoted by the IMO, portion different transport sectors stay mostly exempt.

“Europe is punishing the precise assemblage that keeps its commercialized alive. If we proceed similar this, we’ll suffer the greenish modulation earlier it adjacent begins,” helium warned.

The Financial Burden

According to figures helium presented, European shipping companies volition face:

• €2.5 cardinal successful ETS costs successful 2024,
• €5.7 cardinal successful 2025, and
• over €8 cardinal successful 2026.

“These aren’t theoretical numbers,” helium stressed. “These are funds that could person been invested successful caller vessels, zero-emission technologies, and larboard infrastructure. Instead, they’re being mislaid successful a bureaucratic vortex with nary tangible payment for shipping.”

He called for ETS and FuelEU revenues to beryllium reinvested into the maritime sector done dedicated funds supporting the modulation to clean fuels and green ports.

Grimaldi Group’s Green Vision

Despite the challenges, the Grimaldi Group continues to marque large investments.

“Since 2018, we’ve invested much than $5 billion,” Grimaldi noted.

The group’s program includes 17 caller car carriers and methanol-ready RoPax vessels to beryllium delivered by 2030.

“We’re investing successful dual-fuel ships, vigor betterment systems, and larboard projects that trim c footprints. Our extremity is clear: zero emissions—both astatine oversea and successful port.”

Founded successful 1947, the Grimaldi Group present operates 150 vessels and 150 maritime routes, making it the world’s largest Ro-Ro fleet and 1 of the strongest logistics pillars of the European economy.

The Igoumenitsa Example

Grimaldi highlighted the group’s concern successful the Port of Igoumenitsa arsenic a “model of public–private practice and European champion practice.”

“Igoumenitsa is simply a surviving laboratory of the greenish transition. We’ve already installed a photovoltaic parkland that cuts emissions by 60,000 tons of CO₂ per year, and we’re implementing a multimillion-euro maestro program to upgrade larboard infrastructure,” helium said.

A Clear Message to Brussels

Grimaldi closed with a pointed reminder:

“Shipping accounts for lone 2.5% of planetary emissions, and conscionable 7.5% of that comes from European waters. Yet we’re the lone manufacture being asked to wage a disproportionate price. If this doesn’t change, Europe volition suffer its shipping, its jobs, and its power astatine sea.”

He concluded:

“The greenish modulation is essential—but it indispensable beryllium pursued with realism, balance, and fairness.
Shipping is the backbone of the European economy. It cannot go Europe’s scapegoat.”