Tag: EU

The European Union is taking great steps towards sustainability and protection of the environment, through a variety of EU-funded projects; EU's effort in environmental protection includes research and innovation, to help achieve healthy, clean oceans and seas by 2030.

The board of the European Investment Bank (EIB) agreed on November 14 a new energy lending policy and confirmed the EIB’s increased ambition in climate action and environmental sustainability. The new energy lending policy sets out five principles that will govern future EIB engagement in the energy sector.

The blue economy of the EU Atlantic area is one of the largest in Europe as it amounts to €65 billion gross value and employs more than 1.2 million people. The European Commission reports that the Atlantic stakeholders are reviewing how they can help decarbonize the economy, reduce marine pollution and further promote a sustainable blue economy, looking at the new decade approaching with a new Commission and new funding instruments.

IEA launched its Offshore Wind Outlook 2019 noting an increase of 30% in the wind market between 2010 and 2018, which was achieved from technological developments and from the growth of offshore wind projects. The report highlights that Europe is leading the offshore wind development, with the UK, Germany and Denmark being the highlight of these developments. Yet, China added more capacity than any other country in 2018.

Waste has become a challenging issue that the shipping industry has to deal with, not only because it affects marine life and oceans, but because it is also a barrier to ports and their operations. Thus, the EU funded SAFEMED IV project will run on the ports of Arzew, Bejaia, Skida, old and new port and Algiers in Algeria.

UK's National Oceanography Centre has contributed to a new European Marine Board Position Paper, which provides an overview of the current European research vessel fleet and its capabilities. The report also recommends ways in which the fleet should evolve to meet future science needs.

As Yonhap reports, Hyundai Heavy Industries Group issued an application to the European Union, waiting for approval for its proposed takeover of local Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering Co. The company informed that the submission will be reviewed by anti-trust authorities at the European Commission, expecting the results of their call in 2020. 

The EU Council officially adopted the Commission's proposal to reinforce the European Border and Coast Guard, in a bid to respond to the challenges facing Europe in managing migration and its external borders. The European Border and Coast Guard Agency will have a standing corps of 10,000 border guards.

On 8 November, European social partners for the maritime technology sector, industriAll Europe and SEA Europe, met in Brussels for their annual plenary meeting. The parties reflected on the year since the launch of their joint manifesto: Maritime Technology: A Strategic Sector for Europe, expressing their disappointment about the lack of action from EU policy makers and missing sectoral strategy for the maritime technology sector.

Last week, the European Political Strategy Centre (EPSC) published a strategic note for Clean Transport at Sea, describing the course for European Leadership, including the confirmation of the European Commission's President, Ursula von der Leyen’s ambition to add maritime transport into the EU’s Emission Trading System.