EU Commission approves agreement to reduce CO2 emissions from port logistics

The European Commission has provided informal guidance on the compatibility with EU competition rules of a sustainability agreement regarding the joint procurement and definition of technical specifications for electric container handling equipment in ports . The initiative aims to facilitate the transition from diesel to battery-powered vehicles in EU ports , thereby reducing CO₂ emissions related to container handling.

The initiative, led by APM Terminals (a port terminal operator part of the Maersk Group), involves the shared definition of minimum technical specifications for straddle carriers and battery-electric shuttle trolleys , the equipment commonly used in ports for container handling. Currently, most straddle carriers and shuttle trolleys are diesel-powered, a choice made both due to higher costs and interoperability, particularly between charging equipment from different suppliers. For this reason, the ultimate goal of the agreement is not only to reduce costs but also to improve interoperability between charging systems supplied by different manufacturers .

Under the revised 2022 Notice on Informal Guidance, which allows companies to request guidance from the Commission on new or complex issues related to the application of EU competition rules, the Commission issued one of its first guidance letters , deeming the agreement compatible with Article 101 TFEU, provided that certain safeguards are respected: operators must retain the possibility of purchasing independently outside the agreement, the aggregated volume must not distort competition between suppliers, and the exchange of sensitive information must remain strictly limited to what is necessary for the implementation of the agreement.

The opinion is based on data submitted by APM Terminals and remains valid for five years within the European Economic Area.

It should be noted, however, that the letter is not binding on the Commission or on third parties, but it offers a useful reference for companies intending to implement collaborative practices in the context of the ecological transition .

The Commission will publish a non-confidential version of the guidance letter on its competition website, in the public case register under case number AT.40976, once all confidentiality requests have been fulfilled.