In December, FEPORT Secretary General Lamia Kerdjoudj contributed to the European Maritime Space (EMS) Update 2025 through an interview highlighting the perspective of private port terminal operators on the future of Europe’s maritime transport ecosystem.
FEPORT underlined that terminals remain at the heart of European supply chains but continue to face practical operational challenges, notably a lack of predictability in vessel schedules, congestion and knock-on effects on rail and inland waterway connections. These issues complicate planning for operators and affect the reliability of multimodal transport chains across the Single Market.
The interview also pointed to persistent administrative and regulatory friction, including heavy reporting obligations and diverging national interpretations of EU rules. In parallel, the acceleration of port electrification is creating new challenges, with grid capacity constraints, connection delays and lengthy permitting procedures slowing down the deployment of onshore power supply and zero-emission equipment.
Against this background, FEPORT stressed that the European Maritime Space framework can help address these bottlenecks by fostering better coordination, interoperable digital systems and faster infrastructure deployment. Predictable rules and coherent investment signals were identified as key conditions for enabling terminals to invest and contribute to Europe’s competitiveness and resilience.
FEPORT welcomed the opportunity to share its views in the EMS Update and to continue the dialogue with the EMS Coordinator and stakeholders on building a more efficient and resilient European maritime logistics system.
