On 15 October, FEPORT Secretariat took part to a conference at the European Parliament organised by Ports of Normandy, in partnership with MEPs Stéphanie Yon-Courtin (Renew, FR) and Thomas Pellerin-Carlin (S&D, FR). The event gathered EU policymakers, the European Commission, port representatives and stakeholders from the maritime sector to debate the role of regional and territorial ports in the ecological transition and the financing of maritime infrastructure after 2027.
Discussions in the first panel addressed the transition and resilience of the maritime sector, with a focus on the decarbonisation of ports (shore power, sail propulsion, alternative fuels) and the importance of recognising regional ports in the forthcoming EU Ports Strategy. The Commission reiterated that from 2030, new requirements under FuelEU Maritime and the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation will make shore power mandatory for ships at berth.
The second panel examined funding needs for territorial ports. CINEA reported that €3.5 billion has been mobilised for port projects since 2014 under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), but only one in three applications from smaller ports could be supported. Speakers called for a strengthened budget and a dedicated envelope to ensure medium-sized and regional ports can invest in electrification, rail access and infrastructure supporting the energy transition.
The exchanges showed broad consensus: while often less visible than core network hubs, regional ports are indispensable to Europe’s sovereignty, resilience and competitiveness. Their successful integration into the future EU budget and strategy will be essential to achieving the Green Deal objectives.
