74 Interferry’s conferences include panels of ferry executives discussing key issues such as decarbonisation Photo: Interferry COMMENTARY Interferry is marking a historic milestone in 2026: our 50th year as the single voice of the global ferry industry. While this jubilee is a time for celebration, it also finds us at a critical regulatory and operational crossroads. From the headquarters of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in London, UK, to the shores and waterways across the globe, our mission remains clear: to ensure the ferry sector remains safe, sustainable and economically viable. One of our most important political issues in recent months has been climate regulation. The regulatory landscape for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is currently fraught with uncertainty. Following the non-agreement on the Net-Zero Framework (NZF) at the IMO, we find ourselves in a period of reflection of at least one year that must be used wisely – in particular with regard to European Union (EU) regulations. Interferry has always advocated for technical solutions over purely financial measures; we believe collecting money is a poor substitute for genuine green development. Therefore, our message to the EU is firm: a further implementation of the Maritime Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) must be paused. The ETS is scheduled to increase its scope from 70 per cent to 100 per cent in 2026, collecting €1.15 billion from the European ferry industry annually. However, with the NZF in limbo and the EU’s own postponement of the inclusion of road transport in the ETS until at least 2028, continuing the maritime phase-in creates a dangerous competitive imbalance. Ferries are a vital part of the European transport infrastructure, offloading Interferry at 50: stronger than ever, together Over the past five decades, the association has advocated for a safer, more environmentally sustainable and economically viable global ferry industry. In its milestone year, it will continue to spearhead further improvements in collaboration with partners MIKE CORRIGAN A Canadian former energy industry executive, Mike Corrigan joined Interferry as CEO in 2017 after 14 years with BC Ferries – among the world’s largest ferry operators – where he was president and CEO from 2012.
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