22 May 2008

EU mulls maritime future

This article is excerpted from the 22 May 2008 edition of “The Journal of Commerce”.

The European Commission is preparing a strategic framework for the future of maritime transport in the European Union from 2008-18.

The EC said it has convened a think-tank of senior shipping professionals to discuss the strategic challenges and opportunities for European shipping and the maritime transport system over the next decade.

Maritime transport carries 90 percent of European trade and 40 percent of intra-EU trade, the bloc's executive office said….

"Europe needs to guarantee that maritime transport can accommodate the fast changes in the globalized world and look into a bright future. Europe needs also to maintain a competitive European maritime cluster with highly qualified seafarers and maritime professionals."…