Traffic info about Sea Freight

Important information about transport worldwide

Here you will find important traffic information on worldwide Sea Freight. You are, of course, always more than welcome to reach out to your local Blue Water contact for further information.

November 2023

ETS affecting the shipping industry 

The EU Emission Trading System (ETS) is an instrument from the EU to help reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. As the world’s first major carbon market, it is part of a series of legislative regulations with the main goal of achieving the EU’s climate neutrality by 2050. The parties involved have decided to gradually add shipping emissions to its carbon market from 2024 and onwards:

• In 2025, pay for 40% of emissions released in 2024
• In 2026, pay for 70% of emissions released in 2025
• From 2027, pay for 100% of emissions released in 2026 and onwards. 

The new taxation is vital for the shipping industry to finance and proceed with a more sustainable business model. The maritime sector will not receive any free allocations and will be fully integrated into the standard ETS cap-and-trade framework.

Alongside introducing carbon pricing for vessels traveling between EU countries, the law also has extraterritorial application. This means that if a vessel sails between an EU port and a non-EU port, half of the emissions from the voyage will be subject to the ETS. Shipping companies are obligated to purchase allowances for the following emissions:

• Intra-EU: For journeys beginning and ending within EU ports 100% of emissions must be covered by ETS.
• Extra-EU: For ships commencing or concluding their journeys outside the EU but entering or departing from EU ports, 50% of the emissions must be covered. 

In order to be transparent, we have decided to inform you about these new added costs caused by the introduction of ETS. As from 1 January 2024, there will be a surcharge applicable for all shipments whether these are LCL, FCL, split or full charter solutions impacted by the regulation.

Further information from the European Commission can be found here. 

January 2021

DAP & DDP to the USA – Important info about Power of Attorney

Blue Water Shipping offers and recommends its customers DAP or DDP solutions within the USA. This means the customer will have control of his/her shipments from A to Z.

When you choose a DDP solution, Blue Water should be pleased to assist with customs clearance. In this connection, a Power of Attorney (POA) should always be filled in.

US Customs Border Protection (CBP) has stringent requirements regarding signatures and documentation in relation to issue of POA. CBP requires a copy of driver’s license or passport to accompany the POA, and also that the two persons signing the POA must hold a C title: CEO, CCO, COO etc. Other titles will not be accepted.

If you have any questions to the above, please feel free to approach your local Blue Water contact.