Executive Vice-President Laurence Séjourné, Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto, and Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas presented the European Union’s new Industrial Maritime and Ports Strategies in Brussels. The initiative aims to address challenges facing the maritime industry, including increased global competition, security risks, and the need for sustainability.
Séjourné emphasized the sector’s importance for Europe’s sovereignty and security. He noted that “the European shipbuilding industry is essential not only for maritime transport but also for defense, offshore renewable energy deployment, fishing, aquaculture, submarine cable infrastructure, and ocean observation.” He highlighted that with 300 shipyards and 28,000 equipment suppliers, the industry supports over a million jobs and produces an aggregate value of €125 billion.
Recent geopolitical developments have underscored the strategic significance of maritime industries. Séjourné stated that Europe has lost competitiveness in some segments and faces growing dependence on third-country ship production. He outlined three main elements of the strategy: supporting European shipyards through public procurement and EU funds; enhancing the competitiveness of EU-flagged shipping while supporting decarbonization efforts; and introducing new financing tools to realize these ambitions.
Fitto focused on both international and local dimensions. He said: “Maritime transport is crucial for EU’s trade in goods and energy. Our ports are gateways for raw materials, energy supplies, goods, and exports from European industries.” Fitto also stressed that ports drive regional development by creating jobs and investment opportunities in coastal areas. He mentioned ongoing work on a territorial strategy specifically targeting islands.
Commissioner Tzitzikostas underlined Europe’s historical connection to maritime activities. He pointed out that ships carry three quarters of all EU imports and exports, accounting for 30% of intra-EU freight transport. According to Tzitzikostas: “The value of EU imports transported by sea reaches €1.3 trillion annually,” with ports supporting more than 423,000 jobs across the Union.
Tzitzikostas detailed actions aimed at boosting competitiveness while addressing security vulnerabilities linked to foreign ownership or control of ports. Measures include developing criteria for strategic infrastructure protection, combating organized crime through initiatives like the European Ports Alliance, conducting cybersecurity risk assessments across EU ports, streamlining permit procedures for energy projects at ports, and encouraging investment through programs such as Connecting Europe Facility and InvestEU.
The strategies emphasize innovation in clean energy technologies (such as wind propulsion), digital services in port operations (blue tech), workforce upskilling initiatives aligned with social partners’ input, fleet renewal support via state aid guidelines already available to Member States, fostering conditions for decarbonization through dedicated funding calls starting next year under the Innovation Fund program as well as leveraging revenues from Emissions Trading System allowances.
Tzitzikostas concluded by stating: “These strategies… are about preparedness… sovereignty… long-term prosperity… They reflect Europe’s unity of purpose in securing a resilient, innovative, competitive future.”
Member States are called upon to implement these frameworks locally to build strategic autonomy within their own shipyards and communities rather than relying solely on centralized action from Brussels.