Tugs exempted from new EU rules limiting emissions from ships

Tugs that are operating in the ports of European Union member countries will no longer need to comply with the same regulations that seek to limit emissions from large cargo and offshore vessels.

The appeal to exempt tugs from complying with the new emissions monitoring regulations had earlier been made to the European Commission by Daniel Attard MEP.

Attard emphasised that the majority of operators of tugs within the EU are only small to medium enterprises and therefore should not have to take on additional administrative burdens.

The amendments to the regulations were implemented following close cooperation with stakeholders.

Prior to the amendments, the original regulations had placed tugs that operate mainly in ports and deep sea-capable offshore vessels in the same category, thus requiring both vessel types to comply with the same set of guidelines.

Anna Maria Darmanin, Secretary-General of the European Tugowners Association, said the misclassification would have subjected tug companies, particularly those operating in Malta, to "disproportionate administrative and financial burdens."