Rotterdam-based maritime technology company PortXchange on Tuesday (28 July) has urged the European Commission to expand the scope of its proposed revision of the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), arguing that ports and operational efficiency measures should be eligible for decarbonisation funding alongside alternative fuels and onboard technologies. On 17 July 2026, the European Commission proposed a targeted revision of the EU Emissions Trading System to strengthen European industrial competitiveness and support delivery of the EU’s 2040 climate target. European Shipowners (ECSA) welcomed the proposal to earmark EU ETS revenues for shipping decarbonisation, alongside support for sustainable fuels and simplified reporting. However, it warned that the current approach leaves many energy-efficiency projects and clean technologies outside the funding framework. PortXchange said that criticism is justified, but that the review also misses another vital part of shipping’s transition: ports. PortXchange argued that shipping decarbonisation cannot be achieved through alternative fuels and onboard technologies alone. Better voyage planning, port-call coordination and information sharing can also reduce avoidable waiting, unnecessary acceleration and congestion-related emissions. “Earmarking shipping revenues for shipping decarbonisation is absolutely the right direction,” said Sjoerd de Jager, Managing Director & Co-Founder, PortXchange. “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. “It makes little sense to collect billions from shipping emissions while excluding measures that can cut those emissions now. Sustainable fuels are essential, but they remain expensive, scarce and uncertain. Europe should not fund only the future while ignoring the operational waste happening in and around ports every day.” While much of the industry