The European Commission has started preparations for an EU Ports Strategy and EU Industrial Maritime Strategy and is inviting stakeholders to participate in the process.
On July 1st, Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, Apostolos Tzitzikostas is hosted a two high-level Strategic Dialogues in Brussels. The meetings brought together representatives from port, shipbuilding, shipping, inland waterway and related industries to help jointly define priorities, opportunities and actions to feed into the development of the EU Ports and Industrial Maritime Strategies. Executive Vice-President for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy Stéphane Séjourné also joined the EU Industrial Maritime Strategy Dialogue.
With our upcoming EU Ports and Industrial Maritime Strategies, we aim to ensure that Europe’s ports and waterborne industries are equipped to lead the clean and digital energy transition, support defence and trade, and remain globally competitive. Broad stakeholder input is essential – we are committed to listening to the sector’s needs and ambitions to help shape a future-ready Europe
… said Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, Apostolos Tzitzikostas.
According to the Commission, as gateways for trade, logistics, energy and military mobility, ports must be fit to support Europe’s future economic and strategic needs. A comprehensive EU Ports Strategy will aim to support the long-term competitiveness of ports in terms with a focus on security, energy transition, and sustainability.
At the same time, Europe’s shipbuilding, maritime manufacturing and shipping sectors are under growing pressure from global competition and rising security risks. The EU Industrial Maritime Strategy will aim to reinforce the sector’s competitiveness and resilience, while driving forward its green and digital transition.
As part of our industrial recovery plan, the Commission is committed to supporting sectors where Europe leads globally. The maritime industry and our ports are vital for Europe’s sovereignty. Our priority is to strengthen their competitiveness while driving their decarbonisation. Today’s dialogue is the first step towards a renewed ambition for our European maritime leadership
… commented Executive Vice-President for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy, Stéphane Séjourné.
To remind, in March 2025, European Shipowners ECSA and Sea Europe issued a joint statement for the Commission on the matter of a European Industrial Maritime Strategy. The joint statement had recommended:
- Reinforcing the international competitiveness, sustainability and resilience of Europe’s maritime manufacturing sector (i.e. European shipyards and maritime equipment manufacturers) through an impactful European industrial maritime strategy, as mentioned in the Mission Letter of the Commission President to the Transport Commissioner. A more competitive European maritime manufacturing sector will also benefit the whole European maritime cluster and will be key for the achievement of the EU and IMO climate targets.
- Maintaining an internationally competitive European shipping sector through an international regulatory and taxation level playing field.
- Supporting European shipyards and European maritime equipment manufacturers through financial incentives that boost by encouraging demand through voluntary schemes, low- and zero-emission ships, retrofits, and clean technologies in Europe, and by incentivising investments to upgrade shipyards’ and maritime manufacturing processes to further enhance the efficiency of shipyards and maritime manufacturing processes.
- Introducing binding obligations for the production and manufacturing of clean fuels in Europe in line with the Net Zero Industry Act objectives, through the Sustainable Transport Investment Plan. Certainty on clean fuels will also promote investments in Europe’s maritime manufacturing industry.
- Facilitating access to finance – through both public funding and private financing – for maritime investments in support of the energy and digital transition. In particular, EU ETS revenues – both at European and national levels – should be better channelled to the energy transition of the maritime sector, but also to support investments in clean fuels, in boosting demand for low- and zero-emission ships and technologies in Europe, and in supporting the upgrade of the shipyard and maritime manufacturing processes. Different financing and funding tools i.a. involving banking finance, guarantees, capital markets and private investors should facilitate better risk sharing of innovative and transitional projects.
