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Competitive European Shipping key for Europe’s security and for strong maritime cluster

ECSA — 2024-09-16

News from Brussels

Last week’s Draghi report (September 2024) stressed the need to keep European shipping internationally competitive. At the same time, it found that shipping needs €40 bn annually to decarbonise. European shipowners release today their position paper on a European Maritime Industrial Strategy as part of the new Clean Industrial Deal.

European shipping is a geopolitical asset for Europe and a cornerstone of the energy, food and supply chain security of the continent. European shipping controls 39.5% of the global tonnage. European shipping makes Europe a leader in the global supply chains and contributes to the competitiveness of the European economy, which is heavily reliant on trade.

Maintaining and enhancing the international competitiveness of European shipping is essential for our continent’s security and a prerequisite for a strong European maritime industrial cluster.

The European Maritime Industrial Strategy must be a core pillar of the upcoming Clean Industrial Deal, which President von der Leyen committed to put forward in the first 100 days of the new Commission.

In the paper released today, 16 September 2024, European shipowners put forward recommendations to enhance the competitiveness of European shipping and of the maritime industrial cluster while delivering on the green and digital transition:

Keep European shipping internationally competitive: maintaining a level playing field between European shipping and its non-European competitors is crucial for retaining shipping companies in Europe, and for fostering a thriving European maritime cluster. A fit-for-purpose regulatory and taxation framework is crucial to ensure that EU shipping companies remain globally competitive.
40% production of clean fuels for shipping in Europe: scaling up manufacturing capacity for clean shipping fuels in Europe is crucial for the green and digital transition of shipping. At least 40% of the clean fuels needed for shipping to reach its FuelEU targets should be produced in Europe, aligning with the benchmark of the Net-Zero Industry Act.
40% of European industrial capacity for innovative shipping technologies: Europe is a leader in state-of-the-art innovating technologies for the green and digital transition of shipping. To retain and to capitalise upon a this leadership position, Member States should swiftly implement a manufacturing benchmark of at least 40% under the Net-Zero Industry Act for key technologies.
Ensure access to finance for key investments: enhancing access to public and private financing is crucial to unlock the investments needed for the green and digital transition. The revenues of the EU ETS should be spent on energy transition-related activities to decarbonise shipping. Different financing and funding tools involving banking finance, capital markets and private investors are needed to enable better risk sharing of innovative and transitional projects.
People-centred transition: a European Maritime Industrial Strategy must acknowledge the need to invest in new skills for the green and digital transition of shipping. 800.000 seafarers need to be reskilled for the green transition by mid-2030. The Commission and the Member States must support the joint efforts of the social partners, to make our workforce future-proof.

“The Draghi report firmly recognises the global leadership of European shipping and the need to maintain its international competitiveness. This is a prerequisite for the European maritime industrial cluster to thrive. The report names shipping as one of the most difficult sectors to decarbonise, requiring around 40 billion in annual investments. We strongly believe there is an opportunity to place European shipping and the whole maritime industrial cluster as a pillar of the upcoming Clean Industrial Deal. The energy transition of shipping can be the catalyst to invest in European manufacturing capacity for clean fuels and innovative technologies. We call for 40% of the clean fuels and innovative technologies we need for the green and digital transition to be manufactured in Europe, and we are ready to work with policymakers and with the maritime cluster to make this happen” said Sotiris Raptis, ECSA Secretary General.