Different modes of transport complement each other to satisfy the market's needs. It is therefore long-standing EU policy to shift freight from road to rail and sea. Short sea shipping can play an important role in curbing the growth of heavy goods vehicle traffic, rebalancing the modal split, and bypassing land bottlenecks. This ambition has been stated in the 2010 White Paper on European transport policy and has since then been restated in the sustainable and smart mobility strategy.
However, despite the numerous policy measures being discussed, the increase of short sea shipping in the modal split is still lacklustre. The comprehensive funds the EU has made available to improve the European infrastructure over the last decade have only to a small extent made their way into the maritime domain. With the inclusion of shipping in EU ETS, we will see even more funding being allocated to decarbonise maritime transport.
On Tuesday, September 19, we will address the questions "How do we learn from what worked and what didn't?" And, "How we can turn that knowledge into transparent, fair, and sustainable support mechanisms for Short Sea Shipping?"
Together with European Community Shipowners' Associations (ECSA), Royal Association of Netherlands Shipowners (KVNR), Interferry, Confitarma, the Spanish Shipowners' Association (ANAVE) and the Joint Cyprus Shipowners's Association (JCSA), we look forward to welcoming you in Brussels.
Interested parties may register through this link.
