Filipino seafarers: European Commission acknowledges progress, but ban still pending

In a press release issued last Friday through the EU delegation in Manila, the European Commission confirmed that the Philippine authorities have made substantial efforts to bring their maritime education, training and certification system in line with the requirements of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping...

EU shipowners applaud European Parliament’s change of heart on monitoring of CO2 emissions

The plenary of the European Parliament (EP) adopted today its report on the Commission proposal for a Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) Regulation of CO2 emissions from ships calling at EU ports. Previously, the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) Committee of the EP had endorsed the decision of...

Europe and EU shipping: a two-way street

On the eve of its Board of Directors meeting, which took place today, ECSA organised a lunch in the European Parliament, followed by a high-level seminar to discuss the economic value of the EU shipping industry, as outlined in the Oxford Economics study commissioned by ECSA.

The lunch was hosted...

Europe’s shipping sector welcomes new facilitations for seafarers under the revision of the EU Visa Code

Brussels, 2 April 2014 – The European Community of Shipowners’ Associations, representing the interests of the national shipowners’ associations of the EU and Norway, and CLIA Europe, representing Europe’s cruise industry, welcome the proposal for a revision of the EU Visa Code as a first important development for visa facilitation...

EU - Africa summit an opportunity to highlight piracy

The social partners of the maritime transport sector, ECSA (European Community Shipowners’ Associations) and ETF (European Transport Workers’ Federation), have issued a joint statement ahead of the EU-Africa summit, which takes place in Brussels from 02 to 03 April.

ECSA and ETF seize this opportunity to highlight one of the...

Europe remains global fleet's flagship

“Although shipping has seldom been in the limelight, it never ceased to play a substantial role in Europe’s economy” commented Patrick Verhoeven, ECSA Secretary General on today's release of the Oxford Economics study on the economic value of the EU shipping industry. He added: “The EU shipping industry continues to...

Shipowners support Commission in extension of liner consortia block exemption

The European Community Shipowners Associations (ECSA), the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and the World Shipping Council (WSC)  replied on Friday 28 March to a public consultation launched by the Commission on its proposal to extend the period of application of the so-called liner consortia block exemption regulation (BER) by...

Maritime community calls for a more judicious approach on the circulation of 45-foot containers

The European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA), the European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) and the Federation of Private Port Operators (FEPORT) have issued today a joint letter urging the Council of the EU to adopt a sensible approach regarding the circulation of 45-foot containers in the EU.

In April last year...

EU Ports policy: time-out not an excuse to wind down efforts

MEP Knut Fleckenstein, the rapporteur on the European Commission’s proposal for a Regulation on Market access to port services and financial transparency of ports announced today that the legislative procedure for this particular file will be suspended.

Mr Fleckenstein stated three reasons for his decision, namely time constraints, a lack...

CO2 emissions from ships: a call to reason

The European Commission issued a proposal last June for a Monitoring, Reporting and Verification Regulation of CO2 emissions from ships calling at EU ports, which lays the foundation for a global measure to reduce CO2 emissions from international shipping.

It required ships above 5000 gross tons (GT) to monitor and...