Maritime technology firm PortXchange has called on the European Union to ensure ports benefit from revenues generated by the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), saying ports can help deliver immediate emissions cuts.

The appeal follows a proposal from the European Commission earlier this month to change the EU ETS in a way that supports shipping’s decarbonisation. European Shipowners (ECSA) welcomed the proposal, but said many energy-efficiency projects still fall outside the funding framework.

In an emailed statement on Tuesday, PortXchange said ports should also be included, arguing that they can help reduce emissions from today’s fleet and provide the operational data needed to track progress across the sector.

“Earmarking shipping revenues for shipping decarbonisation is absolutely the right direction,” Sjoerd de Jager, Managing Director and Co-Founder of PortXchange, said.

“But ports cannot be treated as spectators in this transition.”

“They are one of the few places where emissions from today's fleet can be understood, influenced and reduced immediately.”

The company said better voyage planning, port-call coordination and berth information can help ships reduce speed before arrival, cut fuel use and avoid unnecessary waiting at anchor. Those measures, it argued, are part of the wider effort to improve efficiency in an industry that is under growing pressure to cut emissions while still keeping cargo moving.

PortXchange added that digital tools and operational efficiency projects should qualify for EU ETS funding alongside sustainable fuels. It also said consistent emissions reporting across European ports will be needed to measure the impact of decarbonisation efforts and compare results across different port calls.