{"id":11018,"date":"2025-05-22T10:02:21","date_gmt":"2025-05-22T10:02:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/circularports.vlaanderen-circulair.be\/?post_type=publication&p=11018"},"modified":"2026-04-03T13:18:46","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T11:18:46","slug":"shipping-waste-mananagement-in-flanders","status":"publish","type":"publication","link":"https:\/\/demo.sidekick.be\/circularports\/publication\/shipping-waste-mananagement-in-flanders\/","title":{"rendered":"Shipping Waste Mananagement in Flanders"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A world without shipping is simply unthinkable. Every year, more than 11 billion tons of goods are transported by ship, accounting for more than 90% of world trade. For the European Union, 80% of total imports and exports are done by ship. In 2019, the total value of world trade by ship exceeded US$14 trillion. Ships transport huge volumes over long distances. Consequently, it is the most energy-efficient way to transport cargo in terms of energy use per ton-kilometer. Yet shipping has an environmental impact: the seventeen largest container ships together emit as much sulfur oxides as all the cars driving around the world. Shipping accounts for about 3 percent of global CO2 emissions.<\/p>\n

Regarding the transport of waste (as cargo) via shipping (sea and inland waterways), the same rules apply as for the transport of waste via road or rail. For more info on the transportation process, see our webpage “Producing, transporting and trading waste”.<\/p>\n

Shipping also faces challenges in waste management. Notwithstanding frequent quotes that 80% of marine litter worldwide originates from land-based sources, research shows that in the North Sea, shipping can be considered a major source of litter that washes up on our beaches. In particular, waste from fishing appears to be an important source at sea of marine litter. Taking into account increasing activities at sea and the growing use of plastics, targeted policy measures such as the application of Directive 2000\/59\/EC on port reception facilities for ship-generated waste and cargo residues have probably helped stabilize the amount of marine litter, but have not led to a decrease. In 2019, this Directive was replaced by Directive 2019\/883\/EU on port reception facilities for ship-generated waste.<\/p>\n

On this website, OVAM offers an overview of the Flemish regulation and legislation in regards to shipping waste.<\/p>\n

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Source and photocredit OVAM<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>

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