BRUSSELS: Based on reported data, European shipping emissions increased three percent in 2022 to 135 million tonnes of CO2, an all time high.

The number of ships calling at European ports grew from 12,211 in 2021 to 12,953 in 2022.

Swiss-based MSC, the world’s largest container shipping company, produced nearly 10 million tonnes of CO2 last year followed by CMA CGM (5.4 million), Maersk (5.3 million), COSCO (3.8 million), and Hapag-Lloyd (3.3 million).

Responding to a decrease in Russian supplies of oil, the volume and use of liquified natural gas (LNG) grew 60 percent in 2022 resulting in containerships producing a combined total of 37.9 million tonnes of CO2; bulk carriers 18.3 million and oil tankers 16.7 million.

Total cruise ship emissions were 6.9 million and the most polluting ship in 2022 was the MSC Grandiosa, responsible for over 130,000 tonnes of CO2 – the same as a small town.

“Europe’s shipping giants are up there with coal plants and airlines as the continent’s biggest polluters. And as they get richer, our planet gets hotter,” commented Jacob Armstrong, shipping manager at climate advocate Transport & Environment. “Without stricter regulations, shipping companies will continue to spurn investments in efficiency and green fuels. After decades of doing nothing, Europe must drastically tackle its shipping emissions now.”