On July 1st, 2025, FEPORT President, Mr Gunther Bonz participated to the strategic dialogue initiated by Commissioner Tzitzikostas regarding the upcoming EU Port Strategy. The meeting was an opportunity to share FEPORT’s members’ views on the means to endow the sector with a real strategy for competitiveness.
Over the past decade, FEPORT members have invested more than €70 billion in European ports, enhancing their infrastructure, equipment, digitalisation, cybersecurity, automation, workforce training, renewable energy adoption, and intermodal solutions.
FEPORT strongly supports the continuation and renewal of the CEF-T initiative in the upcoming MFF but underlines the need to ensure that terminal operators can access the funding necessary to modernise and decarbonise their operations.
The Innovation Fund has so far offered very limited opportunities for terminal operators, despite the sector being among the most exposed to carbon and business leakage under the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS).
Even the newly adopted Clean Industrial Deal State Aid Framework (CISAF) does not explicitly mention ports although the EU climate objectives will require significant infrastructure development, including new terminals, fuel storage and bunkering facilities.
This is why FEPORT believes that the strategy should include an EU State aid framework for ports that lists all possible funding mechanisms, compensation measures and State Aid schemes that can be used by Members States to boost the competitiveness of the EU “glocal” port sector. The Port industry is the only transport sector which does not have a proper State Aid Framework.
FEPORT welcomes the European Commission’s increased focus on streamlining military mobility, recognising the critical role of ports in facilitating the rapid and efficient movement of personnel, equipment, and essential inputs for the European defence industry.
FEPORT stresses the importance of strengthening the fight against drug trafficking mechanisms for narcotics throughout the supply chain, including at sea, through an effective public-private partnership.
Adequate protection of the European economy and the supply chain, including Europe’s port operations, will require efficient cybersecurity measures not only in ports but also upstream and downstream ports.
The port ecosystem faces a significant electrification challenge as terminal operators and transport modes such as trucks and ships are all switching to electricity.
To accelerate this transition, FEPORT recommends providing tax incentives for terminal operators and transport modes, while ensuring sufficient public funding to invest in infrastructure and grid capacity, for example, by earmarking ETS revenues.
