Mister “Ecobonus” arrives in Europe

Naples - The Italian creation Ecobonus has been transformed and it’s now rolling out across Europe. While maintaining its profile as a community incentives scheme to strengthen short sea shipping, it’s become green and is widening its spectrum to involve ship owners, terminal operators and even ports instead of being solely available to truck transport companies. Tommaso Affinita, Ceo of the Rete Autostrade Mediterranee (Ram), aka Mister Ecobonus, as he is affectionately called, spoke about it during the 17th edition of the Euro-Med Convention, organised by the Grimaldi Group. Convinced that the Ten-T networks should expand beyond the physical boundaries of European countries and should include all countries on the Mediterranean coast, Affinita will be looking forward to the next Ten-T calls, scheduled to be held in December, in order to submit a project known as “Magellano 2020” which with the participation of Spain, France, Poland, Finland and Italy, is designed to introduce a new system of incentives for short sea shipping traffic.

Mister Ecobonus explains in greater detail: “It’s about creating a new community incentive, available to all entities and businesses involved, in order to enhance the use of the ‘motorways of the sea’ and sustain maritime transportation. Every European member state will be able to decide whether to offer the funds made available by the Eu to a port terminal, a ship owner who decided to have his vessels run on natural gas, to an intermodal transport project or, of course, to a truck transport company” Ram’s idea, according to what’s being said in Brussels, could have a real chance of success, even more so since it’s been decided that the Ecobonus incentives will not be dependant on State subsidies.

Funding, which reimbursed truck transport companies with up to 30% of their costs provided they opted for the sea motorways, has come to a standstill as of 2010, when Brussels gave the last ‘ok’. And yet, the motorways of the sea have managed a miracle: between 2007 and 2009, there were 500 million less Tir trucks on the highways which saved almost 411 million euros in social costs (fewer accidents, less pollution and more energy saved) and from 2007 to 2011 they have reduced road traffic by 17,5% and have increased maritime traffic by 4,3%. Now, the issue is back in the spotlight and it’s focusing on Europe. Affinita believes in a “European Ecobonus”. The scheme has been revisited, it’s been Europeanised and it strives to keep funding flowing freely; because with less TiR trucks on the roads, it makes a significant contribution towards a more sustainable, greener, and less polluted Europe.