美国联邦海事委员会（FMC）专员致信老拜登组建船舶替代燃料联盟

美国也着急了！

11月8日，美国联邦海事委员会（FMC）网站刊登了一封联邦海事专员路易斯·E·索拉 (Louis E. Sola) 的一封致美国总统拜登的公开信，直指美国政府需要加大对航运脱碳的政策和财政支持。

在信中，联邦海事专员路易斯·索拉呼吁帮助私营部门组建船舶替代燃料联盟，“以确定寻求脱碳进展的适当标准和基准”，该联盟也应获得政府的财政支持。

索拉在信中指出，虽然航运业的能源转型取得了进展，但如果要实现排放目标，“行业内迫切需要领导力和财政援助”。因此，他提出了船舶替代燃料的“挑战”，即建立一个船舶海洋联盟作为私营部门的倡议。

索拉认为，美国政府应该发挥作用，“为航运业采用可持续燃料提供必要的财政支持和激励措施”。他提到了美国交通部联邦航空管理局为机场基础设施和可持续发展项目提供的超过 150 亿美元的政府资助，并建议这可以成为海运业复制的模式。

索拉在向拜登总统发表讲话时指出：“您的政府可以通过协助该行业的公司过渡到低排放技术和可持续燃料，为全球可持续发展做出贡献。”

“航运业不能被排除在替代燃料之外。” 

信中指出，索拉的言论仅代表他个人的观点，并不一定代表FMC的立场。

公开信原文

Dear Mr. President: 

The maritime industry is challenged by the lack of policies incentivizing decarbonization. The “Energy Efficiency and Decarbonization Technical Guide” outlines the Maritime Administration’s efforts to tackle the barriers of decarbonization. Although work is underway to achieve carbon-zero emissions, there is substantial need for leadership and financial assistance in the industry to reach ambitious targets for eliminating ship carbon emissions.  

I believe our industry needs an alternate marine fuel coalition comprised of expert individuals to determine the appropriate standards and benchmarks for seeking progress in decarbonization. Both the private sector and government play a vital role in the efforts towards decarbonization. The marine fuel coalition would be a private sector undertaking, while the government highlights the need for such leadership, therefore I am calling for an alternate marine fuels challenge.  

Many of the world’s leading shipping companies are responding positively to the 2050 zero emissions initiative set forth by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Companies are determining what fuels they will adapt to replace bunker oil while others order newer ships that burn cleaner fuels. Nonetheless, the IMO’s 2050 initiative lacks specific standards and benchmarks for zero-carbon emissions. The industry needs a comprehensive emissions strategy to increase coordination among key actors and acquire funding resources to achieve a carbon-free shipping strategy. 

The appropriate role for the U.S. government is to provide financial support and incentives necessary for adoption of sustainable fuels in the shipping industry. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration received more than fifteen billion dollars for airport infrastructure and sustainability projects. This should be a model for the maritime industry to replicate and further include ports and landside providers of shipping related services.  

This is a critical moment for the maritime industry to collate for a paradigm shift in cleaner burning vessel fuels. The maritime industry needs an alternate marine fuels coalition to tackle the barriers of decarbonization. Your administration can contribute to global sustainability by assisting companies in this sector to transition to lower emission technologies and sustainable fuels. The maritime industry must not be excluded from alternative fuels.  

Respectfully,

Louis E. Sola

Commissioner