Shipping lines based in France, represented by Armateurs de France (AdF), says the EU directive on reducing sulphur emissions to 0.1% would seriously threaten French shipping companies. The directive affects the SOx Emission Control Areas (SECAs) of the Baltic Sea, North Sea and the Channel to 0.1% from 1 January 2015.
Shipping companies argue that the technology is not yet available and services and jobs would have to be cut, resulting in freight coming back on the roads from the sea.