Starting in 2018, all ships that use liquefied natural gas (LNG) as their primary fuel can apply for a discount of four percent on tonnage fees when calling at the Port of Tallinn.
The goal of the discount is to contribute to the adoption of environmentally friendlier technologies in the Baltic Sea shipping sector, the Port of Tallin said in a statement.
“Similarly to other ports in the European Union and Norway, the Port of Tallinn has set a course toward environmentally differentiated port fees, with the aim of reducing the amount of air pollution and marine pollution from ships’ waste handling and gaseous emissions,” said the head of quality and environmental management department at the Port of Tallinn, Ellen Kaasik .
Kaasik noted that currently, cruise ships that sort their waste receive a discount on the waste fee, adding that next year the port will introduce a discount on port infrastructure fees for all ships that use LNG as their primary fuel.
The Port of Tallinn also provides incentives for ships that have invested in scrubbers for reducing sulphur compounds in emissions, and accepts the waste generated by scrubbers without charging additional fees.
Kaasik said the Port of Tallinn plans to continue a policy of environmental differentiation port fees and plans to implement the Environmental Ship Index (ESI) energy performance system, which was developed by the World Ports Climate Initiative (WPCI).