World Shipping Council responds to EU Ports and Maritime Industrial Strategies
Brussels, 04 March 2026 — The World Shipping Council today welcomed the European Commission’s focus on strengthening port security and advancing maritime decarbonisation in its EU Ports Strategy and Maritime Industrial Strategy.
On security, WSC supports the strong emphasis on tackling organised crime and protecting Europe’s trade gateways, backing stronger public-private partnerships and two-way information sharing between authorities, shipping lines and other industry partners.
WSC President & CEO Joe Kramek said: “European ports and maritime supply chains are only as secure as their weakest link. Without strong public-private partnership and consistent implementation across Member States, criminal activity will simply move elsewhere.”
“Recent events have again reminded us that European maritime and trade resilience extend far beyond its coastline. The strategies rightly recognise the importance of ensuring safe passage along key maritime routes to keep trade moving.”
WSC welcomes support for maritime decarbonisation in both strategies.
“Europe’s commitment to a global measure through the International Maritime Organization is essential, and we support action to review EU measures to avoid double payment,” said Joe Kramek.
WSC said the Port Strategy’s focus on renewable fuel availability, a multi-fuel approach and accelerated deployment of onshore power is a positive step.
“Liner shipping has invested more than €125 billion in over 1,100 dual-fuel vessels delivered or on order. Port infrastructure must match fleet investment with fuel supply and electrification,” Kramek added.
WSC also welcomed recognition in the Industrial Maritime Strategy of the need to simplify requirements under EU ETS and FuelEU Maritime.
At the same time, WSC said the strategies do not go far enough on trade simplification to support the EU competitiveness agenda. Liner services move around €2.5 trillion of EU trade each year, yet ships can still be required to submit up to 1,200 data elements for a single port call, much of it driven by national requirements. Full implementation of the EU Maritime Single Window, due last August, could save an estimated 2.2 to 2.5 million staff hours annually. Intra-EU maritime trade still faces external-border customs barriers, making trade within Europe harder than it needs to be.
“In a true single market, moving goods by ship within Europe should be as seamless as moving them by truck,” Joe Kramek said. “Reducing intra-EU customs barriers and administrative friction would be one of the fastest ways to strengthen Europe’s competitiveness, and we would welcome clearer action in this area.”
WSC looks forward to working with the European Commission and Member States to support effective implementation of the strategies.