PortXchange has emphasized that the European Commission’s proposed EU ETS revision overlooks vital operational efficiencies and port-side coordination by focusing too heavily on future alternative fuels. The maritime digital solutions provider argues that funding should immediately support digital port optimization to cut avoidable emissions from the existing fleet.
Rotterdam | July 28, 2026 – As the European Union moves to recalibrate its flagship carbon market to meet ambitious 2040 climate milestones, maritime digital solutions provider PortXchange has sounded a warning note. While the industry widely celebrates moves to ring-fence carbon revenues for shipping decarbonisation, the current regulatory framework risks funding only tomorrow’s vessels while ignoring the operational waste happening in ports today.
The Blind Spot in the EU ETS Revision
On July 17, 2026, the European Commission tabled a targeted revision of the European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) designed to bolster industrial competitiveness and enforce the bloc’s trajectory toward its 2040 climate targets.
The European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA) quickly welcomed the proposal to earmark ETS revenues specifically for shipping decarbonisation and sustainable fuels. However, ECSA cautioned that the framework continues to exclude broader energy-saving initiatives and clean technologies.
PortXchange argues that this critique, while valid, misses an even more foundational oversight: the exclusion of ports as primary decarbonisation actors.
“Earmarking shipping revenues for shipping decarbonisation is absolutely the right direction. But ports cannot be treated as spectators in this transition,” said Sjoerd de Jager, Managing Director & Co-Founder of PortXchange. “It makes little sense to collect billions from shipping emissions while excluding measures that can cut those emissions now. Sustainable fuels are essential, but they remain expensive, scarce and uncertain. Europe should not fund only the future while ignoring the operational waste happening in and around ports every day.”
Treating Operational Efficiency as Real Decarbonisation
The maritime sector’s transition dialogue is heavily dominated by future-proof alternative fuels, such as green hydrogen derivatives, ammonia, and bio-LNG. Yet, PortXchange points out that the vast majority of ships currently on the water will continue sailing well into the 2040s and beyond. Relying solely on future newbuilds leaves immediate reduction opportunities on the table.
While most greenhouse gas emissions occur during open-sea transits, some of the fastest and most cost-effective carbon cuts are found in the final stages of a port call:
- Speed Management: Unnecessary high-speed sailing ahead of a congested arrival spikes fuel consumption needlessly.
- Waiting at Anchor: Preventable idling outside port limits generates massive, avoidable emissions.
- Port-Call Synchronization: Better data exchange and transparent berth availability allow vessels to dynamically adjust speeds, drop anchor only when necessary, and optimize turnaround times.
“When vessels have reliable information about berth availability and operational readiness, they can adjust speed, reduce fuel consumption and avoid unnecessary waiting at anchor,” de Jager noted. “We already know how to do this.”
The Need for Consistent Emissions Intelligence
Beyond funding allocations, PortXchange emphasizes that financial mechanisms like the EU ETS require rigorous, standardized measurement tools to prevent a fragmented regulatory landscape.
Under current conditions, varying methodologies across different European ports make it difficult to track genuine environmental progress. PortXchange, whose EmissionInsider platform tracks Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions across vessel, truck, rail, and terminal operations, argues that robust digital emissions intelligence is imperative.
“We cannot talk seriously about a level playing field while every port is measuring a slightly different race,” de Jager added. “The methodology does not need to be perfect on day one, but it does need to be consistent enough for ports, regulators and customers to understand whether emissions are genuinely falling.”
As European legislators debate the final architecture of the revised EU ETS, the pressure is mounting from technology and port stakeholders to ensure that immediate, shore-side operational efficiencies are elevated from secondary considerations to central pillars of maritime climate policy.
About PortXchange
Established in 2019 as a spin-off from The Port of Rotterdam Authority, PortXchange is a leading provider of trade-agnostic digital solutions committed to enhancing port call efficiency and reducing global shipping emissions. The company uses a data-centric approach to optimize operations, enabling critical functions like just-in-time sailing and effective operational planning. As a B Corp-certified company, PortXchange is committed to environmental sustainability and upholding socially responsible business practices.
Source: PortXchange