Page 20 - ΝΑΥΤΙΚΑ ΧΡΟΝΙΚΑ - ΣΕΠΤΕΜΒΡΙΟΣ 2022

MARITIME POLICY

economy. Shipping is the means for Europe to trade ing with crew changes, as Ukrainian and Russian
with the rest of the world, grow, and create wealth seafarers make up a significant percentage of our
for its people. Shipping connects Europe with the vessels’ crew. Ensuring that seafarers, and in par-
rest of the world, and this is not always well-under- ticular Russian seafarers, have access to their paid
stood by all EU policy makers. wages is increasingly challenging due to the finan-
As I mentioned before, we are in a transition phase, cial restrictions. Seafarers are essential workers, and
and it will take a lot of hard work to make our voice it is key that they are not ‘’penalised’’ for performing
heard stronger and to make our sector more impact- their duties, irrespective of their nationality.
ful. A lot of policy initiatives are in the pipeline, which
will change the sector for good. It is a make-or-break ç What are your views regarding the
moment for the competitiveness of the industry. EU Coordinated Maritime Presence in
Africa? Are these costly European ini-
â Some critics suggest that European tiatives in the right direction for the
shipowners are divided in their envi- security of shipping in the Gulf of Eden?
ronmental goals and do not share the ECSA fully supports the EU’s activities in the Gulf
same collective aspirations. Does this of Guinea, including the Coordinated Maritime
criticism still ring true? Presence (CMP) mechanism launched in January
European shipowners are not divided. I would say 2021 and recently extended until 2024. Since its
they are united in diversity. ECSA has the privilege introduction, the CMP has been an effective tool
to represent associations from 19 EU/EEA countries to coordinate Member States’ resources in the
and all segments of shipping from bulk carriers to region, as well as to build cooperation and capac-
ferries, container ships, tankers, and cruise ships. ity with the coastal states. It is however key that
We are able to tap into our members’ diversified the Member States continue to allocate adequate
expertise and come up with workable solutions. assets to strengthen maritime security in problem-
There are always different views, different business atic areas. Regarding the Gulf of Aden, ECSA has
European models, and different working cultures. This is nor- welcomed the recent launch of the CMP in the
shipowners mal and it exists in other sectors of the economy North-Western Indian Ocean as we believe it can
are not as well as in the national public administrations. It improve coordination between the EU initiatives in
divided. is not an easy task to understand where everybody the area and with regional and international stake-
I would say comes from, bypass misunderstandings, and find holders. Importantly, when launching the NWIO
they are common ground. But this is exactly what happened CMP, Member States recognised the importance
united in in ECSA on the environmental files which are prob- of Operation ATALANTA and the role it continues
diversity. ably one of the most difficult to find consensus. to play for security in the region. European ship-
ECSA and its members discussed the proposed owners support the continuation of the operation’s
legislation line by line, examined the technical mandate as it is key to ensuring stability and deter-
details and their implications, and have come up rence in the region but also for information sharing.
with clear positions and a clear message address-
ing our requests to the policymakers. This message è Why do we still see a reluctancy in
has been supported by all members of ECSA. many young Europeans to pursue
Different approaches are often overplayed but the a career at sea? How can the social
fact is that the sector has been united in our main image of shipping be improved by all
positions towards policymakers. We have so much maritime stakeholders?
in common and also much to lose if we don’t stick The public’s lack of awareness about our industry is
together. ECSA is the focal point of the sector in still an issue, with maritime transport and shipping
Brussels, and this is reflected in our recent suc- often associated with adverse publicity. Promotion
cesses in the policy files. of the industry must highlight the vital, dynamic, and
far-reaching opportunities that careers in maritime
ã What have been the effects of the sector can offer and build advocacy tools to raise
ongoing conflicts in Ukraine for Euro- awareness with young people. Maritime careers
pean Shipping? need to be showcased in a way that is relevant to
The ongoing war has brought significant uncertainty the expectations someone has of a modern lifestyle.
for shipping operations, as European shipowners EU-funded projects developed by ECSA such as
strive to comply with the fast-changing EU and SkillSea (which aims to develop a sustainable skill
international sanction regimes. In particular, ECSA strategy for Europe’s maritime professionals for dig-
has been active at the EU level together with the ital, green, and soft management skills) and WESS
European Transport Workers Federation to high- (which supports the European shipping industry’s
light the challenges emerging concerning seafarers’ initiative to attract and retain the workforce) are
safety in conflict areas in addition to issues emerg- undeniably aimed at this purpose.
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