On 3 October, FEPORT Secretariat attended the European Ports Forum (EPF), where the European Commission and stakeholders exchanged views on the preparation of the forthcoming EU Ports Strategy. The Strategy will be adopted in early 2026 and is intended to provide a comprehensive framework for the competitiveness, security, resilience and sustainability of EU ports.
The Commission presented preliminary results of the Call for Evidence, which gathered over 200 contributions from 26 countries. Stakeholders strongly supported the development of a broad strategy recognising the evolving role of ports as gateways for trade, hubs for the energy transition, and strategic infrastructure. Key concerns raised included:
- Ensuring a level playing field for EU ports vis-à-vis third-country competitors;
- Defining clear criteria for “Green Maritime Corridors” to avoid fragmentation;
- Safeguarding against undue foreign influence while maintaining openness to investment;
- Addressing bottlenecks in military mobility and improving climate resilience of infrastructure;
- Tackling cybersecurity and criminal infiltration through stronger cooperation under the European Ports Alliance.
Discussions also covered ports as energy hubs, with calls to prioritise grid capacity for on-shore power supply (OPS) and support multi-fuel solutions including hydrogen and ammonia. Workforce and digitalisation issues were also highlighted, including the need to attract talent, support innovation, and scale up collaborative data sharing along logistics chains.
During the Forum, FEPORT underlined that the priority is not restrictions on EU companies investing abroad, but ensuring that Europe remains attractive for investment from global shipping and logistics players. FEPORT reiterated the urgency of securing funding for OPS and port electrification, ensuring ports’ inclusion in State aid frameworks (GBER), and strengthening dialogue on dual-use and security aspects. Participation in the EPF once again confirmed that competitiveness, resilience, and sustainability must be the three pillars of the future EU Ports Strategy.
