On 24 September, the Council of Ministers, at the proposal of the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO) approved the Royal Decree updating the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC 2023-2030).

The update of the PNIEC incorporates recommendations from the European Commission and contributions from different administrations and organisations that have participated in the public hearing process.

Some of the policies and measures proposed in the PNIEC review directly affect maritime transport. Among the proposals for the decarbonisation of this sector is the ‘development and implementation by the Directorate General of the Merchant Navy of a National Action Plan for the decarbonisation of maritime transport and the Spanish Maritime Strategy 2024-2050’. Both documents are already in the drafting phase.

The PNIEC expressly recognises the great challenge posed by the decarbonisation of maritime transport: ‘it is a sector with very specific technological challenges and characteristics, including the long development and life cycles of ships, the considerable investment required in equipment and refuelling infrastructures and international competition, which make differentiated treatment necessary’.

The National Plan includes economic incentives ‘to encourage the development of port infrastructures for the supply of electricity - especially of renewable origin - to ships at berth and other (almost) zero emission energy sources, as well as for their use by ships, including possible rebates on port charges, electricity tariffs, etc.’. Also the development of infrastructures for alternative fuels for both renewable and non-renewable ship fuels and transitional fossil fuels.

News and image obtained: "Asociación de navieros españoles"

https://anave.es/el-gobierno-aprueba-la-actualizacion-del-pniec-2023-2030/