TALLINN - The government on Thursday approved and sent to the Riigikogu for deliberation new waterway charge rates aimed at encouraging the use of ships with a lower environmental impact.
A waterway charge is a fee for ensuring navigation, icebreaking, and maritime safety. It must be paid when a ship enters an Estonian port or anchorage area.
"The new waterway charge regulation means lower costs for more environmentally friendly ships and provides them with an additional reason to prefer Estonian ports. This way, we support both cleaner shipping and the competitiveness of Estonian ports, while also mitigating the impact for shipowners that comes with the inclusion of the maritime sector in the European Union's Emissions Trading System," said Minister of Infrastructure Kuldar Leis.
The new waterway charges will take into account the ship's environmental impact - the fee for a vessel with better environmental performance can be up to 25 percent lower than the standard rate.
As one of the changes, waterway charges will now be payable for bunkering-the refueling of a ship with motor fuel or oils-at anchorage areas. Bunkering at sea poses a risk of marine pollution, making the continuation of the current exemption from the charge unjustifiable. In 2027, half the standard rate will be charged for bunkering, with the full rate applying from 2028. An exception will be maintained for the bunkering of alternative and renewable fuels.
The waterway charge for cruise ships, which currently has a unit price about 2.5 to 3 times lower than that of other vessels, will also be gradually increased. The current rate will remain in effect in 2027, with higher rates being implemented in 2028 and 2029.
The implementation of the new waterway charge rates is scheduled to begin on January 1, 2027.
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