The government is to set guidelines for providing alternative fuels at major seaports in response to a European policy requiring inbound sea vessels to reduce carbon emissions, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday.
The EU Emissions Trading System is introducing a carbon border adjustment mechanism on certain high-emission imported goods, which is to take effect next year. Under the policy, importers must purchase carbon certificates and make financial adjustments based on the emissions of the imported products.
Since January last year, importers in the EU have been required to measure and report their embedded emissions.
Photo: Tsai Yun-jung, Taipei Times
The International Maritime Organization has postponed a vote on carbon-reduction measures until October next year due to opposition from the major oil exporters, the Maritime and Port Bureau said.
Deputy Minister of Transportation and Communications Lin Kuo-hsien (林國顯) told a maritime forum in Taipei that it would be difficult to comprehensively electrify shipping services.
Aside from upgrading sea vessels, providing alternative energy and fuels, and purchasing carbon allowances would be necessary to ensure Taiwanese shipping service operators meet carbon-emission standards stipulated by the EU, Lin said.
Before the end of this year, the Maritime and Port Bureau, Taiwan International Ports Corp and CR Classification Society are to incorporate production, installation and supply guidelines for alternative fuels into the regulations governing the management of seaports and ships, he said.
Alternative fuels in the maritime industry include liquefied natural gas, methanol, ammonia and hydrogen fuels.
As part of carbon-reduction measures, Taiwanese shipping companies Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp, Evergreen Marine Corp and Wan Hai Lines have purchased more than 90 dual-fuel ships, accounting for nearly one-third of their shipping fleets, bureau Director-General Yeh Hsieh-lung (葉協隆) said.
CPC Corp, Taiwan has produced B24 biofuel for shipping operators, which is available at the Port of Keelung on a trial basis, Yeh said.
“The advantage of B24 is that it can be directly blended and used by ships, and ship operators do not need to change engines,” he said.
The bureau has set up a platform for fuel suppliers and shipping operators with the goal of supplying alternative fuels at the nation’s seaports, he said.
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