by Caroline Pailliez (Reuters) - Tugboat captain Jean-Yves Lagarde should be only 10 years from retiring thanks to special benefits for mariners that date back to the 17th century. But President Emmanuel Macron’s ambition to simplify France’s Byzantine pension system may scuttle his plan. The weather-beaten 45-year-old spent a decade traversing the world’s oceans on cargo … [Read more...]
Abu Dhabi To Host HQ For European Safety Of Navigation Mission
by Sylvia Westall (Reuters) - A French naval base in Abu Dhabi will serve as the headquarters for a European-led mission to protect Gulf waters that will be operational soon, France’s defense minister said on Sunday. France is the main proponent of a plan to build a European-led maritime force to ensure safe shipping in the Strait of Hormuz after tanker attacks earlier this … [Read more...]
Cruise Ships Operators Agree to Pollute Less in French Waters
MARSEILLE, France, Oct 17 (Reuters) - The main cruise ship operators in French waters have agreed on measures to limit pollution caused by their vessels, including hooking up to the power grid instead of keeping their engines running during stopovers. The "Blue Charter" agreement signed in Marseille by Costa Cruises, MSC Cruises, Royal Carribean Cruises and Ponant also … [Read more...]
France Urges Tax on Ship and Airplane Fuel
By Leigh Thomas PARIS, Oct 15 (Reuters) - France wants the European Union to work on creating a tax on airplane and ship fuels as part of a push to rein in carbon emissions, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Tuesday. Le Maire said the tax would complement plans supported by France and Germany for a carbon border tax that would shield European companies from … [Read more...]
France’s Cannes to Ban Polluting Cruise Ships
By Michel Bernouin CANNES, Sept 23 (Reuters) - Mediterranean resort town Cannes, France's fourth-biggest cruise ship port, will ban the most polluting cruise ships from next year in a bid to boost air quality in the city. The ban will target ships that do not respect a 0.1% cap on sulfur in their fuel and could stop some passengers from disembarking in the city famous for … [Read more...]