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EU transport, seaport and maritime policiesHeading towards the same goal ?

UN ECE Workshop - Barcelona, 4 October 2007

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Summary

1. Challenges of the port industry2. EU policy requirements of seaports3. EU maritime, transport and port policies4. Conclusions

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1. Challenges of the port industry

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Accommodating growthmTEUS/year 2005 2010 2015North Continent East Capacity

Demand

Utilisation

Capacity

Demand

Utilisation

Capacity

Demand

Utilisation 77.8 % 72.0 % 81.9 %

Scandinavia Capacity 5.13 6.56 6.51

Demand 3.63 4.35 5.05

Utilisation 70.7 % 66.3 % 77.5 %

East Baltic Capacity 3.13 6.51 8.89

Demand 2.17 4.59 7.18

Utilisation

12.95 21.70 23.80

11.42 17.06 23.63

88.2 % 78.6 % 99.3 %

North Continent West 24.18 45.64 51.14

18.52 25.41 32.89

76.6 % 74.5 % 64.3 %

British Isles 11.54 16.79 19.43

8.98 12.08 15.91

69.2 % 70.5 % 80.8 %

Forecast Container Handling Supply / Demand Balance to 2015

Source: Ocean Shipping Consultants

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mTEUS/year 2005 2010 2015

West Mediterranean Capacity

Demand

Utilisation

Capacity

Demand

Utilisation

Capacity

Demand

Utilisation

12.67 23.74 30.78

10.51 16.81 24.03

82.9 % 70.8 % 78.1 %

Central Mediterranean 15.53 24.42 29.37

12.06 18.18 26.32

77.7 % 74.5 % 89.6 %

East Mediterranean and Black Sea 13.37 25.50 29.21

12.30 21.22 32.83

92.0 % 83.2 % 112.4 %

Forecast Container Handling Supply / Demand Balance to 2015

Source: Ocean Shipping Consultants

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APM Terminals Rotterdam, Bremerhaven, Zeebrugge, Dunkirk, Aarhus, Algeciras, Gioia Tauro, Constantza, East Port Said, Tangiers

Eurogate Hamburg, Bremerhaven, Gioia Tauro, La Spezia, Livorno, Ravenna, Cagliari, Lisbon, Rijeka, Ust Luga, Tangiers

Hutchison Ports Felixstowe, Thamesport, Rotterdam, Gdynia, Barcelona, Alexandria

DP World Southampton, Tilbury, Shellhaven, Antwerp, Le Havre, Marseilles, Constantza, Yarimca

PSA Corporation Antwerp, Zeebrugge, Flushing, Genoa, Venice, Mersin

Presence of major container terminal operators in European and Mediterraneancontainerports early 2006 - Source: Ocean Shipping Consultants

Attracting investments

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Maersk (APM Terminals) Rotterdam, Bremerhaven, Zeebrugge, Dunkirk, Arhus, Algeciras, Gioia Tauro, Constantza, East Port Said, Tangiers

Evergreen Taranto

Cosco Antwerp, Naples, East Port Said

CMA/CGM Antwerp, Zeebrugge, Le Havre, Marseilles, Tangiers, Marsaxlokk

MSC Antwerp, Bremerhaven, Marseilles, Las Palmas, Valencia, Tangiers, Genoa, La Spezia, Naples, Venice, Ambarli

Dedicated terminals of major container carriers - situation for European and Mediterranean Containerports early 2006 - Source: Ocean Shipping Consultants

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Integrating ports in the logistics chain

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Anchoring the port in the local community

Notteboom paradox: “the more international the maritime and port industrybecomes, the more time port managers have to spend in embedding the port in the local community”

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A changing role for port management

• Port authorities share basic public functions but re-assess their traditional “authority” role in view of common challenges:– Mediating role of port authorities between commercial interests,

local stakeholders and government– Networking capabilities of port authorities– Port authorities as active players in the supply chain

• Institutional reform takes place in many EU ports – greater autonomy and more independence from (central / local) government

• Commercialisation, corporatisation or even privatisation of port authorities

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2. EU policy requirements of seaports

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Priority areas

• Stimulating growth by enhancing legal certainty:– Removing uncertainty caused by environmental legislation– Clarifying use of public financing (State aid)– Clarifying market access and competition rules

• Help solving operational bottlenecks both within ports and the hinterland

• Stimulating corporate social responsibility by encouraging self-regulation

• Promoting an attractive image of seaports• Ensuring overall competitiveness of EU ports:

– Fair competition with neighbouring ports outside EU– Exploiting the potential of available know-how and innovation

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3. EU transport, seaport and maritime policies

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European transport policy

• Mid-term review 2001 White Paper

• Realistic expectations transport growth and modal shift

• Follow-up through EC publications October 2007:– Common European

Maritime Space– Motorways of the Sea– Logistics Action Plan– Rail freight-oriented

network

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European seaport policy

• 2001-2006 Port services’ Directive saga

• 2006-2007 Consultation future EU port policy

• Broad range of themes aiming at a policy that promotesinvestments, sustainable growth and employment in the sector

• Communication expected 17 October 2007

• Focus on:– State aid guidelines– Ports and the environment– Social dialogue

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European maritime policy

• Maritime policy ‘Blue Paper’ • Expected 10 October 2007• Cross-cutting actions:

– Maritime spatial planning– Collective learning (port-city)– Maritime tourism– Climate change– Careers and employment– Socio-economic data– Regulatory obstacles

• Sectoral actions:– Maritime transport policy– Port policy– Ship emissions– Outermost regions and islands– European neighbourhood policy

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4. Conclusions

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• A European policy framework for seaports can help ports in facing complex challenges

• Current patchwork of existing EU measures needs more coherent vision

• Conflicting policy objectives must be addressed• Lessons must be learnt from past attempts (avoid

confrontation, fragmentation, interventionism and “one size fits all”)

• Current initiatives transport, port and maritime policies all have positive potential but may also contain some pitfalls

• Coordination at Commission level is essential – ports need only one policy, not three