Brussels, 04/03/2015 (Agence Europe) - Seven organisations representing maritime transport professionals launched a message to the European Commission on Wednesday 4 March, during European Maritime Transport Week (see EUROPE 11265). The organisations involved include: the European Community Shipowners Association (ECSA), the European Community Association of Ship Brokers and Agents (ECASBA), the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA), the European Tug Owners Association (ETA), the European Dredging Association (EuDA), Interferry and the World Shipping Council (WSC).
The signatories point out that maritime transport is facing “increasingly fierce competition” and underline the challenges they want the European Commission to examine. The first involves training: sector professionals point out that their profession appears less attractive and want to recruit more young people to the profession. Secondly, they highlight the fact that the “internal market has not yet delivered its full potential for shipping” because too many customs and administrative barriers persist. They also say that this opening up of the internal borders must be accompanied by free trade agreements with the rest of the world. The third subject highlighted by the organisations involves vessel security and the threats posed by piracy. They are calling on more efficient port reception facilities and sound the alarm regarding the question of shipwrecked migrants in the Mediterranean: they promise to meet their humanitarian obligations that say that “crews are not trained in humanitarian operations”. (Jean Comte)