Cop 27: Green corridors target delayed by one year
Key maritime stakeholders have delayed by one year a target of at least six zero-emission maritime routes by 2025 that was agreed at the UN Cop 26 climate summit in 2021.
But the first Annual Progress Report on Green Shipping Corridors, released today, has pushed this to 2026.
The report also expands key decarbonisation targets for the maritime sector that were left undecided at Cop 26. By 2030, the partners plan for 5pc of maritime fuels in use to be scalable zero-emission fuels, and for 20 ports in three continents to provide these fuels to at least 200 vessels on major deep-sea routes.
Since the Clydebank Declaration in 2021, 21 initiatives have been announced for the establishment of zero-emission maritime routes. Most of these were from Europe, and the majority were on short-sea shipping routes in the Baltic and North Seas. Deep-sea routes have been announced, including between Rotterdam and Singapore, Los Angeles and Shanghai, Antwerp and Montreal, and between Australia and east Asia.
"I think we can say — maybe not surprisingly since we are only one year away from Cop 26 — that most of the projects are still in the early phases" said the Global Maritime Forum's head of institutional strategy and development Kasper Sogaard. While noting that some initiatives have moved to feasibility studies, he said, "we really need to see… that movement accelerating because as we all know, we don't have a lot of time".
One of the challenges to progress raised by the report is a lack of a decision on which alternative marine fuels to deploy. The largest share of initiatives do not indicate any alternative fuel, with methanol and ammonia jointly the second most referenced option. Sogaard said "the jury is still out".
Added to the question of fuel is the pressure of prices. The most recent Argus assessed prices for alternative marine fuels puts green ammonia in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) area at a $2,091/t premium to very-low sulphur fuel oil, and biomethanol at a $2,022/t premium to the same. Stakeholders involved in green corridors projects are calling on governments to create policies to fund the difference between alternative and conventional marine fuels. Like the fuels themselves, there is not yet a consensus on how this is to be done.
In June the European Parliament approved a draft legal report on the inclusion of vessels above 400 gross tonnage in its Emission Trading System (ETS). Maritime industry groups responded by calling for revenues raised to be invested back into maritime decarbonisation including support for low- or zero-carbon fuels. The draft legal report requires member states to agree before it is adopted as law.
The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has market-based measures for alternative fuels are on the agenda for its 79th Maritime Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 79) meeting in December.
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Brazilian banks, IDB plan new Amazon fund
Brazilian banks, IDB plan new Amazon fund
Sao Paulo, 26 July (Argus) — Brazil's three state-owned banks — Caixa, Banco do Brasil and development bank Bndes — and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) are planning to launch a new fund to finance sustainability programs in the Amazon forest, they said on Thursday. The plan is to establish an Exchange Traded Fund — to be called ETF Amazon For All — and distribute quotas before the UN Cop 30 climate summit, which will be held in Brazil's Para state, near the mouth of the Amazon, in November 2025. The fund's investment portfolio will be made up of fixed-income securities issued by the three Brazilian banks. The return offered to investors will be based on a reference index to be created. All the funds raised by the three institutions will be allocated to loans for sustainable projects in the Amazon. "This cooperation, aimed at joining efforts in favor of the Amazon's sustainable development and based on an innovative instrument in the Brazilian capital market, reinforces Bndes' commitment to the Cop 30 agenda," the bank's president Aloizio Mercadante said. The fund is "another step towards ensuring that the Amazon" lasts forever, IDB's president Ilan Goldfajn said. The announcement was made during a G20 meeting attended by finance ministers and central bank presidents in Rio de Janeiro this week. Brazil is presiding over G20 this year. By Lucas Parolin Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
South Africa adopts climate change law
South Africa adopts climate change law
Cape Town, 25 July (Argus) — South Africa's president Cyril Ramaphosa has signed into law the country's climate change bill, which sets out a national response to climate change for the first time. The new climate change act will enable the orderly reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through the implementation of sectoral emission targets towards South Africa's commitment to reach net zero by 2050. Currently, the country is the 15th largest GHG emitter in the world, according to the World Resources Institute. The law provides policy guidelines to ensure South Africa reaches its nationally determined contribution (NDC) under the Paris climate agreement by assigning individual enterprises carbon budgets and facilitating public disclosure of their progress. In its updated 2021 NDC, the country has undertaken to cut its GHG emissions to 350mn-420mn t of CO2 equivalent (CO2e), equivalent to 19-32pc below 2010 levels, by 2030. The lower end of this range is in line with the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C global warming threshold. To meet this, South Africa will have to achieve a steep decline in coal-fired electricity generation. A carbon tax is seen as a vital component of the country's mitigation strategy, according to the president. "By internalising the cost of carbon emissions, carbon tax incentivises companies to reduce their carbon footprint and invest in cleaner technologies, and also generates revenue for climate initiatives," Ramaphosa said. South Africa's carbon tax was introduced in a phased approach in June 2019 at a rate of 120 rands/t ($7/t) of CO2 equivalent (CO2e) and increased to R134/t of CO2e by the end of 2022. But tax-free allowances for energy-intensive sectors such as mining, and iron and steel, along with state-owned utility Eskom's exemption, implied an initial effective carbon tax rate as low as R6-48/t of CO2e. South Africa's National Treasury is targeting an increase to $30/t of CO2e by 2030. But the extension of phase one from the end of 2022 to the end of 2025, together with an uncertain future price trajectory and lack of clarity on future exemptions, means the effective carbon tax rate is likely to remain well below the IMF's recommended $50/t of CO2e by 2030 for emerging markets. The new climate change act seeks to align South Africa's climate change policies and strengthen co-ordination between different departments to ensure the country's transition to a low-carbon and climate-resilient economy is not constrained by any policy contradictions. It outlines South Africa's planned mitigation and adaptation actions aimed at cutting GHG emissions over time, while reducing the risk of job losses and promoting new employment opportunities in the emerging green economy. The law also places a legal obligation on provinces and municipalities to ensure climate change risks and associated vulnerabilities are acted upon, while providing mechanisms for national government to offer additional financial support for these efforts. The new act formally establishes the Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) as a statutory body tasked with providing advice on the country's climate change response. Among other things, the PCC is developing proposals for a just transition financing mechanism, for which a platform will be launched in the next few months. Over the last three years, South Africa has seen an increase in extreme weather events often with disastrous consequences for poor communities and vulnerable groups. To address the substantial gap between available disaster funds and the cost of disaster response, the government announced in February that it would establish a climate change response fund. At the time of the announcement, Ramaphosa reiterated that South Africa would undertake its just energy transition "at a pace, scale and cost that our country can afford and in a manner that ensures energy security". Elaine Mills Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Refining, LNG segments take Total’s profit lower in 2Q
Refining, LNG segments take Total’s profit lower in 2Q
London, 25 July (Argus) — TotalEnergies said today that a worsening performance at its downstream Refining & Chemicals business and its Integrated LNG segment led to a 7pc year-on-year decline in profit in the second quarter. Profit of $3.79bn was down from $5.72bn for the January-March quarter and from $4.09bn in the second quarter of 2023. When adjusted for inventory effects and special items, profit was $4.67bn — slightly lower than analysts had been expecting and 6pc down on the immediately preceding quarter. The biggest hit to profits was at the Refining & Chemicals segment, which reported an adjusted operating profit of $639mn for the April-June period, a 36pc fall on the year. Earlier in July, TotalEnergies had flagged lower refining margins in Europe and the Middle East, with its European Refining Margin Marker down by 37pc to $44.9/t compared with the first quarter. This margin decline was partially compensated for by an increase in its refineries' utilisation rate: to 84pc in April-June from 79pc in the first quarter. The company's Integrated LNG business saw a 13pc year on year decline in its adjusted operating profit, to $1.15bn. TotalEnergies cited lower LNG prices and sales, and said its gas trading operation "did not fully benefit in markets characterised by lower volatility than during the first half of 2023." A bright spot was the Exploration & Production business, where adjusted operating profit rose by 14pc on the year to $2.67bn. This was mainly driven by higher oil prices, which were partially offset by lower gas realisations and production. The company's second-quarter production averaged 2.44mn b/d of oil equivalent (boe/d), down by 1pc from 2.46mn boe/d reported for the January-March period and from the 2.47mn boe/d average in the second quarter of 2023. TotalEnergies attributed the quarter-on-quarter decline to a greater level of planned maintenance, particularly in the North Sea. But it said its underlying production — excluding the Canadian oil sands assets it sold last year — was up by 3pc on the year. This was largely thanks to the start up and ramp up of projects including Mero 2 offshore Brazil, Block 10 in Oman, Tommeliten Alpha and Eldfisk North in Norway, Akpo West in Nigeria and Absheron in Azerbaijan. TotalEnergies said production also benefited from its entry into the producing fields Ratawi, in Iraq, and Dorado in the US. The company expects production in a 2.4mn-2.45mn boe/d range in the third quarter, when its Anchor project in the US Gulf of Mexico is expected to start up. The company increased profit at its Integrated Power segment, which contains its renewables and gas-fired power operations. Adjusted operating profit rose by 12pc year-on-year to $502mn and net power production rose by 10pc to 9.1TWh. TotalEnergies' cash flow from operations, excluding working capital, was $7.78bn in April-June — an 8pc fall from a year earlier. The company has maintained its second interim dividend for 2024 at €0.79/share and plans to buy back up to $2bn of its shares in the third quarter, in line with its repurchases in previous quarters. By Jon Mainwaring Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Mercado mexicano de turbosina evalúa cambios de Pemex
Mercado mexicano de turbosina evalúa cambios de Pemex
Mexico City, 24 July (Argus) — La cadena de valor del mercado de turbosina en México podría sufrir cambios drásticos, luego de que la empresa estatal mexicana Pemex eliminara su programa de descuentos por volumen para las ventas de turbosina. Los precios de turbosina a partir del 1 de julio se determinan bajo el esquema de "precio único" anunciado por Pemex mediante un aviso oficial el 28 de junio, según una nota de Aeropuertos y Servicios Auxiliares (ASA), el mayor cliente de turbosina de Pemex y el principal proveedor de combustible de aviación en México. Pemex afirmó en su aviso del 28 de junio que el cambio tiene como objetivo mejorar su oferta para el consumidor final y proporcionar "un precio competitivo" para todos sus clientes. La empresa no ha respondido a una solicitud de comentarios de Argus desde el 12 de julio. El programa de descuentos por volumen, activo hasta junio, permitía a los grandes participantes del mercado reducir los costes de la turbosina a través de grandes volúmenes de compra. Este cambio, junto con un peso mexicano más fuerte frente al dólar estadounidense, probablemente provocó una disminución considerable de los precios de turbosina en los principales aeropuertos de México, a pesar de la subida de los precios internacionales. El precio promedio de la turbosina en los cinco principales aeropuertos de México cayó en 5pc a Ps13.23/l ($2.75/USG) durante la semana del 2 al 8 de julio, desde Ps13.87/l la semana anterior, según cálculos de Argus basados en las tarifas de ASA. Sin embargo, el 1 de julio, los precios de la turbosina entregada en la costa este de México desde la costa del Golfo de EE. UU. habían aumentado en 6pc. Los precios cayeron aún más en esos aeropuertos durante la semana del 16 al 21 de julio, alcanzando su punto más bajo en cinco semanas, con un promedio de Ps12.96/l. Los precios al mayoreo de Pemex no incluyen costes logísticos ni impuestos. Los principales aeropuertos de México por número de pasajeros son Ciudad de México, Cancún, Guadalajara, Monterrey y Tijuana. Los principales distribuidores de turbosina en los aeropuertos, incluyendo a ASA y algunas empresas del sector privado, ya no mantendrán su ventaja competitiva como grandes compradores bajo el nuevo régimen de precio único, lo que podría abrir de forma abrupta el mercado mexicano de turbosina a una mayor competencia. El nuevo régimen de precios podría favorecer a la empresa militar Gafsacomm, que comenzó a vender combustible para aviones en algunos aeropuertos menores este año. Los volúmenes de ventas de Gafsacomm no cumplían los requisitos para recibir descuentos, lo que colocó a la compañía en desventaja frente a los competidores más grandes. Gafsacomm se creó en abril de 2022 y está a cargo de la secretaría de defensa (Sedena). La empresa también opera una docena de aeropuertos y la aerolínea comercial Mexicana de Aviación, que comenzó operaciones a finales de diciembre. La creciente implicación de Sedena y la marina en el sector de aviación bajo el presidente Andrés Manuel López Obrador ha puesto en desventaja a otras empresas, incluidas las aerolíneas comerciales, según Cofece, el vigilante de la competencia de México. Gafsacomm comenzó a vender turbosina en el nuevo aeropuerto de Tulum este año y en el aeropuerto internacional Felipe Ángeles (AIFA) en mayo. Por el contrario, el refinador estadounidense Valero, la única empresa del sector privado que tiene un permiso válido de importación de turbosina en México, podría ampliar su negocio, ya que el nuevo esquema de precios de Pemex podría abrirle oportunidades en algunos aeropuertos. Mientras tanto, la eliminación del régimen de descuentos podría obstaculizar a las tres principales aerolíneas comerciales de México, que ya no recibirán descuentos por volumen y perderán competitividad frente a las aerolíneas regionales más pequeñas, además de las aerolíneas extranjeras. Pero el impacto en las aerolíneas podría no ser significativo, ya que algunas tienen contratos de suministro directo con Pemex, según fuentes del mercado. El gobierno tiene un monopolio sobre el mercado de turbosina de México, con Pemex suministrando gran parte del mercado. La turbosina fue el último de los productos petrolíferos en abrirse a una mayor competencia en México después de los cambios constitucionales en 2014, pero el progreso de la reforma se detuvo bajo la administración de López Obrador, que ha impulsado una política de soberanía energética. Por Antonio Gozain Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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