EU launches new maritime strategy to boost shipping and shipyards

The European Commission has adopted a new European Union Maritime Industrial Strategy, alongside a strategy for European ports, aimed at strengthening the competitiveness, sustainability, safety and resilience of the bloc’s maritime sector.

The initiatives focus on shipping, ports and shipbuilding, as Brussels seeks to reinforce Europe’s technological and industrial base in an industry widely regarded as a key pillar of the EU economy.

Europe holds the largest collective maritime area in the world, while the sector accounts for more than one third of global shipping tonnage.

The maritime industrial strategy is intended to support jobs, innovation and international competitiveness, with the Commission outlining a series of actions to strengthen Europe’s maritime value chain.

These include the creation of a European alliance for maritime industries, support for high-technology shipbuilding, and the development of specialised vessels, including those serving offshore wind farms.

The plan also points to growing opportunities in new maritime technologies, such as unmanned underwater vehicles, while encouraging the development of advanced equipment for ports and shipyards.

As part of this effort, the Horizon Europe research programme will launch a flagship initiative called “Shipyards of the Future”, designed to test and develop innovative technologies in operational shipyard environments.

In parallel, the Commission will open discussions with member states aimed at strengthening European flags in shipping and reducing administrative burdens for operators.

This will include improvements to the monitoring and reporting framework under the EU Emissions Trading System.

The strategy also foresees the mobilisation of public funding to attract private investment, with a focus on digitalising European shipyards and supporting the decarbonisation of the EU fleet.

Brussels also signalled that it intends to strengthen tools to ensure fair global competition for European shipyards and maritime equipment manufacturers, including through improved export financing and trade policy measures.

At the same time, the strategy recognises the dual role of maritime industries, linking commercial capabilities with defence needs.

Among the measures considered are steps to increase industrial production capacity and the development of a support mechanism for dual-use ferries.

Another priority concerns skills and training, with plans to retrain shipbuilders and seafarers so they can adapt to new technologies and greener operating practices.

Alongside the industrial strategy, the Commission presented a new EU strategy for ports, which seeks to reinforce the competitiveness, sustainability and security of European port infrastructure.

Ports remain central to the EU economy, handling around 74 per cent of the bloc’s external trade, processing approximately 3.4 billion tonnes of goods each year, and serving close to 395 million passengers annually.

The strategy therefore focuses on innovation and digitalisation, stronger connections with wider transport networks, and the introduction of guidelines on foreign ownership of EU port infrastructure. It also looks at strengthening investment links with ports in third countries.

Particular attention is given to the energy transition of ports, including measures to electrify port infrastructure and improve connections with energy networks.

The Commission also pointed to the growing need to strengthen security and resilience, noting that European ports are critical entry points for trade but can also be vulnerable to criminal activity and external threats.

Proposals under consideration include background checks for port workers, the assessment of third-country ports, and the creation of a forum for sharing cybersecurity practices across the sector.

To oversee implementation, the Commission will establish a high-level Maritime and Ports Council, chaired by the responsible commissioner.

The strategies form part of the EU’s broader competitiveness agenda and are linked to the European Ocean Pact, following consultations with industry stakeholders during 2025.