Shipping set fo slower growth

THE European Community Shipowners' Association (ECSA) says forecast growth of maritime 3.8 % increase in 2008, down from 4.7% in 2007, “seems optimistic”. ECSA notes, as it releases it annual report, that European shipping maintained its leading position with an EEA controlled share of the global merchant fleet of over 40 %.

Commenting on the development of a maritime transport policy for 2008-2018, which was launched by Vice President Jacques Barrot, ECSA says EU states and senior shipping professionals are being consulted directly. ECSA recently had a “constructive” exchange of views with Vice President Antonio Tajani who has taken over the Transport portfolio from Jacques Barrot. The organisation says that it expects that the Communication that will be issued end 2008 will lay a good basis for the future.

It adds: “A future maritime transport policy will of course cover a variety of issues on which we touch upon in the ECSA annual report. A fundamental point of the maritime strategy is to have an appropriate structural operational framework to maintain the leading position that European shipping has today globally. European Community Shipowners' Associations. In this respect the State Aid Guidelines should be stable, long term and be applied in a flexible way for all relevant types of shipping and maritime services.

ECSA also says: “ The Communication on a European Port Policy published in October last year has overcome these challenges by adopting a soft law approach laying down sound principles. It is however indispensable that these are now properly applied and that their application is monitored at regular intervals.”