Platform for the implementation of a future inland navigation action programme

Towards zero emission fleet

Executive summary

Regulations and standards belong to the group of obvious policy instruments to support the transition to zero emissions for the IWT fleet. In fact, the legal certainty associated with regulations and standards significantly influences the ability to invest in new technologies (energy carriers / converters). Appropriate regulations and standards allow to:

  • reduce risks for ship owners willing to invest (and help companies plan their investments),
  • reduce operating costs (initial investment, running costs and insurance costs), 
  • facilitate the acceptance of new technologies by mitigating safety and environmental risks, and
  • stimulate market structuring and enable a wider adoption of technologies and clean forms of energy (it reinforces market potential for technology suppliers and may result in economies of scale).

More generally, regulations and standards influence the costs and duration of the transition process to zero emissions for the IWT fleet. In synergy with financial support, a consistent and effective regulatory framework is needed to level out the operational advantages of conventional fossil fuels and related technologies over renewable fuels and thereby improve the business case for cleaner solutions for the fleet.

The purpose of this report is to identify the regulations and standards related to vessels and technologies (energy carriers / converters) which are missing nowadays to effectively support the transition towards a zero-emission IWT fleet in Europe.

The scope of this report is limited to fleet-related regulations and standards: vessel design, including energy converters, energy used, and vessel operations including bunkering, charging and swapping. It covers regulations and standards enacted by the EU, but also those of the River Commissions (such as CCNR or DC) and UNECE which co-exist alongside EU law. In terms of technologies considered (energy carriers / converters), this report takes into account the study published by the CCNR on the energy transition towards a zero-emission inland navigation sector as well as the roadmap for reducing inland navigation emissions adopted in December 2021.

In terms of methodology, a desk study of existing regulations and standards was initially conducted to clarify the general impact on the IWT fleet, the specific gaps for new energy sources as well as gaps in terms of missing regulations for effective emission reduction policies. Then, interviews and discussions (with policy makers, classification societies, technology and energy suppliers, shipyards, IWT sector) allowed to improve the analysis further and prepare recommendations. In particular, the findings of this report were also examined during the third (10-11 February 2022) and sixth (23-24 March 2023) PLATINA3 stage events to ensure acceptance and support by the main impacted stakeholders. This report was elaborated with guidance from the PLATINA3 Advisory Board, as well as representatives of the European Commission’s DG MOVE.

This report includes 42 recommendations to effectively support the transition towards zero emissions for the fleet. In this respect, the recommendations are summarised in table format on the following pages. They include:

  • 21 recommendations for the vessel regulations,
  • 11 recommendations for fuel regulations and
  • 10 recommendations for the operational regulations.
no V=vessel, F=fuel, P=operation/policeWhoWhatWhenPriority
V1EC, CCNR, DC, Moselle Commission, Sava Commission, National administrationsfacilitate the financing and commissioning of pilot vessels using alternative technologies, subject to the sharing of the experience collected for the regulatory workContinuousI
V2CESNI, EC, CCNRinvestigate the opportunity to introduce efficiency and greenhouse gas emission limits, possibly both for existing vessels and newly built vessels, in line with emission reduction target2023-2025I
V3CESNI and EUROMOTupdate regularly their FAQ document on NRMM and ES-TRINContinuousI
V4ECreview opportunity to further reduce exhaust emission limits for inland navigation vessels, taking account of existing related Union and international standards and propose any necessary legal changes2025II
V5EC, CCNR, CESNIconsider introducing a phasing out of existing engines in ES-TRIN to achieve minimum air pollutant emission standards2030II
V6,8EC, engine manufacturers classification societiesfacilitate the use of marinized engines (clarify the accepted inducement strategies and possible use on board vessels transporting dangerous goods)ContinuousII
V7ECreview the extent to which the engine emissions measured during type-approval tests using corresponding test cycles reflect engine emissions in real operating conditions and propose any necessary changes.2025II
V9ECevaluate the need to lower the factor A of emission limits for gas engine in NRMM to increase the climate performance of LNG propulsion systems2025II
V10CESNIevaluate the requirements for lithium-ion batteries after several years2024-2025II
V11CESNI/CCNRdevelop provisions to allow the swappable battery containers for the considering the risks involved2023I
V12CESNImonitor the development in the use of batteries for propulsion and anticipate the spreading of type of batteries other than LIB.ContinuousII
V13CESNIcollect experience regarding the approval of the hydrogen tanks and the relevant standards2023I
V14CESNIfinalise the requirements for the compressed and liquefied storage of hydrogen2023-2025I
V15EUROMOT/CESNIdevelop guidelines for the implementation of Articles 34 and 35 of NRMM for engines using hydrogen as fuel (pending a revision of NRMM).2023I
V16CESNIstart the development of safety requirements for hydrogen in internal combustion engine2024II
V17ADN SC
(UNECE-CCNR)
confirm that hydrogen is accepted for propulsion of vessels carrying dangerous goods2024-2025II
V18CESNImonitor the development in the hydrogen carriers2025II
V19CESNIfinalise the requirements for the storage of methanol and its use in internal combustion engines (ES-TRIN 2025)2023I
V20EUROMOT/CESNIdevelop guidelines for the implementation of Articles 34 and 35 of NRMM for engines using methanol as fuel (pending a revision of NRMM).2023I
V21ADN SC
(UNECE-CCNR)
confirm that methanol is accepted for propulsion of vessels carrying dangerous goods2024-2025II
F1Member States, CCNR, DC, Moselle Commission, Sava Commission, ECcoordinate on implementation of REDII revision and FQD as regards obligations for energy suppliers to inland vessels (preferably this coordination takes place at River Commissions level in relation with IWT fleet modernisation issues or even on EU level).2023-2024I
F2ECstart policy research/development and impact assessment study for a proposal of “FuelEU IWT” based on the FuelEU Maritime proposal in Fit for 55, aligned with EU Taxonomy technical screening criteria and methodology2024-2025I
F3ECstart policy research/development and impact assessment study for a proposal about IWT to be included in ETS (based the approach for road transport in ETS)2024-2025I
F4, F5Member States / EClimit the share of EN590 and fossil LNG in fuel supply, e.g. by means of limits on carbon intensity levels and/or ETS on EU level.2030I
F6, F9, F10, F11Member States / ECpromote the share of fuels (HVO or biofuels/e-fuels, hydrogen and methanol) as well as electricity from renewal sources in fuel supply, e.g. by means of limits on carbon intensity levels and/or ETS on EU level2030I
F7CENinvestigate need for more strict fuel quality standards for FAME and their blends as well as quality checks in the supply chains of these fuels and enforcement.2025II
F8EBU / ESO / national shipowner associations / IVRlaunch awareness campaigns on the usage of biodiesel to be aware of possible technical risks and mitigation measures to prevent problems (e.g. as regards filter blockage, water separation)2024I
P1CCNR, DC, Moselle Commission, UNECEexamine the need of operational requirements to ensure safety in case of thermal runaway of batteries2023I
P2National authoritiesfacilitate the exchange of good practices between the fire brigades involved in fires with LIB, especially on-board inland vessels2023-2024I
P3CEN, CENELECdevelop standards for shore-side battery recharging and battery swapping, taking into account the experience gained in inland navigation and the difference with the maritime sector.2026I
P4CCNR, DC, Moselle Commission, UNECEexamine the need of operational requirements to ensure safety of hydrogen2023-2024I
P5CEN, CENELECdevelop standards for swapping of racks/containers of compressed hydrogen, taking into account the experience gained in inland navigation and the existing industrial standards2026I
P6CEN, CENELECdevelop standards for bunkering of liquefied hydrogen2028II
P7, P10National authoritiescollect and share the experience gained with the first pilot vessels to feed in the regulatory workContinuousI
P8CCNR, DC, Moselle Commission, UNECEexamine the need of operational requirements to ensure safety of methanol2023I
P9CEN, CENELECdevelop standards for bunkering of methanol, taking into account the experience gained in inland navigation and the existing industrial standards2024I
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