On 22 September 2026, FEPORT Secretary General Ms Lamia Kerdjoudj participated in Porto Maritime Week alongside representatives of CLECAT, ESC, ECSA, ESPO and FONASBA.
Moderated by Mr António Belmar da Costa, the panel invited participants to present their organisations’ priorities and exchange views on the revision of the EU ETS for maritime transport, the entry into force of the new Union Customs Code and the competitiveness of European maritime logistics chains.
Addressing the EU ETS, Ms Kerdjoudj stressed that climate policy must deliver effective emission reductions without encouraging cargo diversion towards neighbouring non-EU transhipment hubs, including those in the United Kingdom and the Southern Mediterranean.
FEPORT members welcome important elements of the European Commission’s July 2026 ETS revision proposal. These include lowering the applicable transhipment threshold from 65% to 50% and extending the list of neighbouring container transhipment ports. The proposed measures should help address circumvention and reduce incentives for shipping lines to restructure port calls solely to avoid EU carbon costs.
Stronger anti-evasion rules, however, are only part of the answer.
FEPORT has repeatedly underlined that current support frameworks do not sufficiently recognise the contribution of ports and terminals to maritime decarbonisation. ETS revenues should be explicitly channelled towards port infrastructure, including onshore power supply, terminal electrification and the upgrading of energy networks. Without adequate support, EU ports risk being asked to finance the transition while simultaneously competing with neighbouring ports that are not subject to comparable requirements.
Turning to customs, Ms Kerdjoudj welcomed the entry into force of the new Union Customs Code. FEPORT members broadly support the creation of the EU Customs Data Hub, which has the potential to simplify data submissions, facilitate controls and reduce unnecessary administrative duplication for economic operators.
Its success will nevertheless depend on implementation. The Data Hub must connect seamlessly with existing Port Community Systems and the European Maritime Single Window environment. Industry should therefore remain closely involved in developing the new system and the accompanying secondary legislation.
Competitiveness was a common thread running through the discussion. Ms Kerdjoudj warned that the combined impact of environmental compliance costs, high energy prices and substantial digital investments could gradually erode the attractiveness of European ports and terminals.
If cargo operations shift towards non-EU hubs, the consequences will extend beyond individual ports. Europe could lose traffic, investment and control over strategically important supply chains.
FEPORT therefore calls for a coherent approach in which decarbonisation, digitalisation and trade facilitation advance together. European climate and customs policies must support the transition while preserving the resilience and competitiveness of the EU’s maritime logistics ecosystem.
