Shipowners and shipbuilding industry join forces to call on the Commission to place sector at the heart of future European Maritime Industrial Strategy
Joint statement by European Shipowners (ECSA), which represents European shipowners, and Sea Europe, the European shipbuilding and subsidiary industry association
The European Shipowners Association (ECSA), which represents European shipowners, and Sea Europe, the European shipbuilding and subsidiary industry association, have joined forces to call on the European Commission to include maritime sector in the announced European Maritime Industrial Strategy, as well as in the Sustainable Transport Investment Plan (STIP).
Through a joint statement, both organizations reaffirmed their commitment to EU's climate goals and to strengthening international European maritime sector competitiveness. In this regard, they call on the European Commission to adopt concrete measures to guarantee the key role of shipping, shipyards, and equipment manufacturers in the continent's industrial future.
"Both initiatives must guarantee the international competitiveness of the sector, which is key to a strong and competitive maritime cluster," said Sotiris Raptis, Secretary General of European Shipowners (ECSA). In his view, addressing "the growing innovation gap in Europe" is essential to strengthening European industrial base.
In this regard, the shipowners' organization reiterated its position on the need to secure more funding and allocate revenue generated by the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), both at the national and EU levels, to "promote the use of clean technologies and sustainable fuels," Raptis emphasized.
Sea Europe Secretary General Christophe Tytgat, on his side, stressed the need to strengthen strategic autonomy of the maritime industry. "Europe needs strong, innovative, and globally competitive shipyards and maritime equipment manufacturers. We have world leadership in the construction of complex ships and manufacturing maritime equipment, but we must be more resilient and reduce our dependence on third countries," he said.
In Tytgat’ s opinion, "a solid maritime industrial strategy will allow us to consolidate our global position, recover strategic markets, and seize new opportunities in emerging sectors, thus ensuring the competitiveness of the European shipbuilding industry and the continent's economic security," he noted.
RECOMMENDATIONS: REGULATORY, FISCAL, AND FINANCIAL FRAMEWORK TO PROTECT COMPETITIVENESS
In the declaration, both organizations put forward a series of concrete recommendations to strengthen competitiveness of the European maritime sector. Thus, they call for strengthening competitiveness, sustainability, and resilience of the European maritime industry, including shipyards and equipment manufacturers, through an ambitious maritime industrial strategy aligned with the EU and IMO climate commitments.
They suggest a fair international regulatory and fiscal framework; supporting European shipyards and maritime equipment manufacturers with financial incentives that encourage demand for low- or zero-emission vessels, infrastructure modernization, and the development of clean technologies; or establish binding obligations for the production of clean fuels in Europe, in line with the objectives of the Net Zero Industry Act, ensuring their availability through the Sustainable Transport Investment Plan.
Furthermore, they propose facilitating access to financing, combining public and private funds, to drive the energy and digital transition of the maritime sector. They insist that ETS revenues be used to promote clean fuels, low-emission vessels, and shipyards and industrial processes updated. Finally, they emphasize that only a solid and well-funded maritime industrial strategy will allow Europe to maintain its global leadership in maritime sector and move toward a more sustainable and competitive future.
(Source: Industrias Pesqueras)