Liner operators have called for further changes to the European Union’s emissions trading system (ETS) so that shipowners bear their share of the cost.

The World Shipping Council (WSC) acknowledged an “important milestone” after the European Parliament this week agreed to reforms of the proposed ETS as it applies to shipping.

But it added that the parliament’s position on the responsible entity “presented a loophole to shield shipowners with a mandatory contractual pass-through of costs to operators, delaying innovation”.