This Week in Freight & Ports — Brussels (#17, 2026)
Commission awards €1bn to hydrogen; MARPOL/SOLAS amendments adopted; new heavy-duty vehicle CO2 credit rules; exemption for pallet wrappings reuse; SAF book and claim hearings.
May 03, 2026 to May 09, 2026
Commission awards €1bn to hydrogen; MARPOL/SOLAS amendments adopted; new heavy-duty vehicle CO2 credit rules; exemption for pallet wrappings reuse; SAF book and claim hearings.
📋 In This Week's Newsletter
• 🇪🇺 European Commission
• ⚖️ EU Legislation
• 🤝 EU Council
• ✒️ EP Committee Work
• 📚 What We're Reading This Week
European Commission
EU awards over €1 billion to European hydrogen projects to accelerate the clean transition
On 6 May 2026, the European Commission announced the selection of nine hydrogen production projects under the third auction of the European Hydrogen Bank. Projects across seven countries in the European Economic Area will collectively deliver nearly 1.1 GW of electrolyser capacity and over 1.3 million tonnes of hydrogen over a decade. The Innovation Fund, financed by the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), will allocate €1.09 billion to these initiatives. Spain and Germany will provide an additional €1.7 billion in national funds via the 'Auctions-as-a-Service' feature. The formal grant agreements are expected to be signed in late 2026, with operational targets set within five years. Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra stated the investment reinforces Europe's industrial competitiveness and energy security. The European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) will oversee implementation and compliance.
EU Legislation (Official Journal)
Regulation (EU) 2026/1046 amending emission credit calculation for heavy-duty vehicles
Regulation (EU) 2026/1046, adopted on 29 April 2026 and published in OJ L on 7 May 2026, amends Regulation (EU) 2019/1242. The new rules allow manufacturers to generate more emission credits for heavy-duty vehicles in reporting periods 2025–2029 by comparing their specific CO2 emissions to the target, rather than the reduction trajectory. The regulation does not apply to urban buses.
Commission Delegated Decision (EU) 2026/429: exemption for pallet wrappings and straps
Commission Delegated Decision (EU) 2026/429 of 25 February 2026, published in OJ L on 6 May 2026, exempts economic operators using pallet wrappings and straps from the 100% reuse requirements stipulated in Regulation (EU) 2025/40 for transports within the same company or Member State. The decision cites disproportionate adaptation costs and supply chain disruptions as justification.
Council Decision (EU) 2026/1029: EU position at IMO on MARPOL and SOLAS amendments
Council Decision (EU) 2026/1029, adopted 27 April 2026 and published 6 May 2026, sets the Union's position at the International Maritime Organization’s MEPC 84 and MSC 111 sessions. The EU supports amendments to MARPOL Annex VI, including designating the North-East Atlantic as a new Emission Control Area and enhancing the Ship Fuel Oil Consumption Database. The decision also endorses SOLAS and related code amendments for improved maritime safety and e-navigation.
Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/989: revised standard for overfill prevention devices
Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/989, adopted 4 May 2026, updates harmonised standards under Directive 2014/34/EU for overfill prevention devices in static tanks for liquid fuels. The new EN 13616-1:2025 supersedes EN 13616-1:2016 and will be referenced in the Official Journal, with a transition period until October 2027.
EU Council
Upcoming Informal Meeting of Energy Ministers
The Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council will host an informal meeting of energy ministers on 12 May 2026.
Competitiveness Council (Internal Market and Industry) scheduled
The Competitiveness Council is set to convene on 28 May 2026 to address internal market and industry topics.
EP Committee Work
TRAN Committee: Ordinary meeting covers roadworthiness, tolls, railway capacity, and SAF
The Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN) convened on 5 May 2026 in Brussels. The agenda included adoption of draft reports on amendments to Directive 2014/45/EU and Directive 2014/47/EU for vehicle roadworthiness (rapporteur Jens Gieseke, PPE); revisions to Directive 1999/62/EC and related directives for CO2 emission classes of heavy-duty vehicles with trailers (rapporteur Matteo Ricci, S&D); and recommendations for second reading on railway infrastructure capacity (rapporteur Tilly Metz, Verts/ALE). The committee also hosted a public hearing on Book and Claim for Sustainable Aviation Fuels, featuring panelists from IATA, DHL Express, Munich Airport, Transport & Environment, Fondazione PACTA, Opportunity Green, and SkyNRG. The hearing addressed registry design, cost challenges, and policy boundaries for book and claim systems.
What We're Reading This Week
- Experts race to write guidance to contain first ship-borne hantavirus outbreak: Health authorities and scientists urgently develop protocols to manage the unprecedented hantavirus outbreak linked to a ship.
- The Commission welcomes outcome of the IMO 84th Marine Environment Protection Committee: EU Commission supports new international measures to strengthen marine environmental protection agreed at the IMO MEPC 84th session.
- Commission publishes guidance to support EU transport sector affected by the Middle East crisis: Newly released guidelines aim to help EU transport operators navigate disruptions and challenges stemming from the Middle East crisis.
