FOR residents who plan on transporting goods to and from mainland Spain, they will be hit by increased charges from shipping companies in Mallorca.
As a result of the 20% rise in costs imposed on businesses dedicated to freight activities in the Balearic Islands, a collective agreement has been made for customers to cover the new rates which will come into force this month. This was decided upon through an agreement made by unions who believed that the hike in costs would negatively impact trade and put companies out of business.
Responding to the proposal, Carmen Planas, the President of the Confederation for Business Associations in the Balearic Islands (CAEB) stated that the new rates will become “a burden that will harm the maritime competitiveness of the region and affect resident’s pockets” due to the dependence on goods arriving from the sea.
The increase in rates had been introduced by shipping companies to counter-balance the European Union’s 2020 guidelines which were implemented by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to tackle the issue of international shipping being a growing source of greenhouse gas emissions.
Studies indicate that worldwide maritime transport emits around 940 million tonnes of CO2 annually and is responsible for approximately 2.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, where freight companies are urged to opt for more sustainable fuels which are considerably more expensive.
