Brussels, 05/07/2004 (Agence Europe) - Short sea shipping increased 25% between 1999 and 2002 within the European Union, which is the same amount as road transport, states a European Commission communication adopted last Friday. In 2001, the share of short sea shipping represented 40% of total traffic in Europe, compared to 45% for road. In short, this is a sector in full expansion, said the communication, which nonetheless emphasises the obstacles which remain to the further increasing of this mode of transport, which is much better for the environment than road haulage: -complex administrative procedures; -the need for efficient and convenient ports for this mode of transport, which is not always the case; -the preconception that this is an outmoded form of transport; lack of integration into the supply chain. The Commission recommends boosting short sea shipping by developing "sea motorways", to be part of the new priority projects for the trans-European transport networks (EUROPE of 23 April, p.11).