The European Commission has launched the EU Maritime Industrial Strategy and the EU Ports Strategy, focusing on competitiveness, security, and decarbonization.

The European Commission has adopted the EU Maritime Industrial Strategy and the EU Ports Strategy, two documents aimed at strengthening competitiveness, decarbonization, and security in the European maritime sector, placing shipbuilding, shipping, and ports at the center of the agenda for strategic autonomy and economic resilience.

In short 1. The industrial strategy aims to strengthen maritime value chains and launch a dedicated industrial alliance for the sector.

2. The Commission announces measures for the renewal and decarbonization of the fleet, including through the use of existing financial instruments and non-price criteria in public procurement.

3. The ports strategy introduces security measures, including background checks for workers and assessments of ports in third countries.

4. EU ports handle 74% of external trade, 30% of intra-EU transport, and over 395 million passengers annually.

5. A high-level Maritime Industries and Ports Board will be created to coordinate implementation. The Commission positions the two strategies as an integrated response to the economic and geopolitical pressures affecting the European maritime sector, a sector described as critical infrastructure for trade, energy, and defense.

The Executive Vice-President for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy, Stéphane Séjourné, explicitly linked the package to the goal of economic sovereignty, stating that "European shipbuilding and shipping industries are fundamental to our sovereignty. They are key factors of our strategic autonomy, security, and resilience." He added that the strategy "will not only increase production capacities in Europe but will also support the 'Made in EU' leadership for specific segments of ships, technologies, and innovation," describing the approach as a "business plan" covering the entire value chain, "from decarbonization challenges to digitalization, from stimulating demand to ensuring a level playing field and integrating dual-use specificities, with simplification measures and new dedicated funding."

The maritime industrial strategy provides for the launch of an EU Industrial Maritime Value Chains Alliance, aimed at strengthening synergies between high-tech shipbuilding, offshore wind support vessels, underwater drones, and advanced port equipment. In parallel, a research and innovation call "Shipyards of the Future," under Horizon Europe, will support the testing of innovative technologies in real shipyards, with the goal of replicating and scaling viable solutions at the European level.

On the competitiveness dimension of shipping, the Commission announces a dialogue with member states to promote the EU flag and simplify administrative formalities, including the monitoring, reporting, and verification framework related to EU ETS Maritime and FuelEU Maritime. The strategy indicates the use of public demand and existing funding to stimulate private investments in digitalization and in the renewal and decarbonization of the fleet, including through the introduction of non-price criteria in the upcoming revision of public procurement directives.

The dual-use dimension is explicitly integrated. The document refers to increasing naval industrial capacity and developing a support mechanism for dual-use ferry construction, in the context of links with European defense instruments.

Regarding ports, the Commission defines them as the "backbone" of the European economy. The data presented shows that they facilitate approximately 74% of the EU's external trade, handle over 3.4 billion tons of goods, and nearly 395 million passengers annually, playing a central role in territorial connectivity, including for islands and outermost regions.

The Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms, Raffaele Fitto, emphasized the link to the geopolitical context, stating that "Ports, maritime constructions, and shipping are essential for the competitiveness, security, and cohesion of the European Union, especially in an increasingly volatile geopolitical environment." He pointed out that the strategies "aim to modernize, support, and, where necessary, protect the sector, mobilizing public and private investments in people, infrastructure, autonomy, and the security of the EU's maritime infrastructure and operations."

The ports strategy combines competitiveness measures with a security package. Economically, it promotes innovation, digitalization, integration with other transport infrastructures, and electrification, including improving connectivity to energy networks. A roadmap for small and medium-sized ports is also planned, with guidelines on access to funding and coordination of existing instruments.

On the security front, the Commission announces frameworks for background checks of port workers and for assessing ports in third countries, as well as the creation of a European forum for the exchange of best practices in cybersecurity among port authorities and relevant entities in member states. An EU-level assessment of cybersecurity risks will also be conducted.

The Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner, emphasized the dimension of combating crime, stating that "Ports are vital gateways to our internal market, but they are increasingly targeted by trafficking networks, organized crime, and corruption." He pointed out that the strategy enhances security "through improved background checks of port workers, deeper engagement with partner countries, and public-private partnerships within the Ports Alliance" and mentioned that "200 million euros have been mobilized for the modernization of customs scanning, container inspection, and risk analysis tools in major EU ports," highlighting the need to extend these measures to smaller ports as well.

To coordinate implementation, the Commission will establish a high-level Maritime Industries and Ports Board, chaired by the responsible commissioner and the executive vice-presidents, with a role in monitoring and ongoing engagement with sector stakeholders.

The strategies have been announced as key initiatives in the mission letter of the Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism and as flagship actions within the EU Competitiveness Compass and the European Ocean Pact. The accompanying documents indicate that implementation will mobilize existing financial instruments for the period 2026–2027, including the Connecting Europe Facility, Innovation Fund, and Horizon Europe, as well as links to defense-related instruments, in the context of the goal of reducing dependencies on non-EU suppliers and strengthening industrial resilience.