Annual General Assembly 2004 - Tasmania

Session 7B

The Impact Of European Union's Port Policies On Maritime Transport

Nil Güler and Osman Kamil Sag
Istanbul Technical University Maritime Faculty, 81716 Tuzla Istanbul TURKEY
gulern@itu.edu.tr oksag@itu.edu.tr

ABSTRACT

The transportation policies of European Union have been objected at removing obstacles at the frontiers between member states as a way of contributing to the free movement of persons and goods. For many years, European Community (later the European Union) did not have a maritime transport policy. Starting from the year 1986, some common policies are formed. These policies can be classified in four axes:

• freedom to provide services competition, unfair pricing practices and free access to ocean trade,
• taking measures to improve the safety of international shipping and prevent marine pollution,
• conditions of transport of goods and passengers and navigation rules by inland waterway,
• requirements concerning seaports and maritime infrastructure, quality of services in seaports, market access to port services, and regulations related with port reception facilities for ship generated waste and cargo residuals.

As for a comprehensive maritime transport policy, the lack of a port policy created problems for the interpretation of the maritime policy since ports are natural focal points in the sea freight and shipping world. In 1997, the European Commission's Green Paper opened a debate on how to improve the position of ports in the European transport network and confirmed that the efficient functioning of ports as part of the intermodal chain is an essential prerequisite to stimulate the development of maritime transport. The union action for the seaports is described as an establishment of clear rules to increase the efficiency of ports and port services as well as the intermodal connections between ports and inland transport networks. On the other hand, there are some projects being carried out by European Union for the maritime transportation in Europe. Some of them are related with Pan-European Transport Corridors and the other is for renovating the ancient Silk Way, which is, called Traceca.

• The Corridor VII, the Danube, passes through 11 countries and the synergy effects of using its route together with upgraded transport via Black Sea ports can be significant.
• Corridor VIII, is an important link between the Black Sea and the Adriatic. Its development will be an important factor for economic development of the involved countries.

The whole discussions given above, confirmed that the efficient functioning of ports as a part of the door-to-door intermodal chain is an essential prerequisite to stimulate the development of maritime transport, in particular as a sustainable alternative to land transport. The European Union's key port policies can be summarized in 4 headings.

• quality services in sea ports: improvement and modernization of port's infrastructure and their inclusion in the trans-European transport network,
• pan-European maritime transport corridors,
• market access to port services: to increase the free and fair competition among ports,
• advance of research and development for ports.

Ports play an increasing role for transfer of goods and passengers to the environmentally less damaged, less costly and less congested maritime transport. They have an essential contribution to the efficient use of maritime transport infrastructure. By having the above- mentioned policies and measures the whole system is expected to be reinforced.

Back to Session Index