Commission launches Industrial Maritime Strategy for a competitive, sustainable and resilient EU maritime sector

Commission launches Industrial Maritime Strategy for a competitive, sustainable and resilient EU maritime sector

European Commission — 2026-03-04

News from Brussels

The European Commission has adopted a comprehensive Industrial Maritime Strategy to drive competitiveness, innovation and technological leadership in Europe’s maritime manufacturing and shipping industries. The Strategy sets out a vision and concrete actions to reinforce Europe’s industrial sovereignty, trade and economic security, while supporting the sectors’ clean and digital transition.

EU shipbuilding and shipping are vital to the Union's strategic autonomy, trade flows, mobility, defence capabilities, and for the protection of Europe’s Exclusive Economic Zones’ assets and resources.

In the face of intensifying global competition and growing dependencies on third-country ship production, the Strategy introduces measures to strengthen these critical industries, structured around three main pillars.

Key actions to strengthen EU shipping and shipbuilding

1. The first pillar, ‘Build, Equip and Repair’, focuses on reinforcing Europe’s maritime manufacturing capabilities and technological leadership to leverage the waterborne single market.
   • This pillar includes actions designed to foster EU industrial sovereignty and create synergies across the maritime value chain. To this end, the Commission will launch an EU Industrial Maritime Value Chain Alliance. It also aims to accelerate the digital and circular transformation of European shipyards, maximise public demand and funding and improve the global level playing field for the EU industry.
2. ‘Transport and Connect’ includes measures to strengthen the competitiveness, sustainability and connectivity of maritime transport.
   • It covers measures to simplify reporting and administrative procedures for shipping, support green and digital transition, promote quality shipping, and enhance agility and proactive stance in international relations. The Commission will, together with Member States, reinforce EU engagement at IMO on global maritime standards, to help achieve a level playing field. The Strategy also announces the continued use of current state aid guidelines for maritime transport to retain today’s market shares and encourage vessels to choose EU flags in the face of intense global competition.
3. The third pillar, ‘Secure and Protect’ seeks to bolster Europe’s naval, underwater, dual-use and military mobility capabilities to step up security and resilience.
   • It mobilises various instruments to support the naval production capacity, strengthen EU-level maritime domain awareness, and pursue a dual-use ferry construction support mechanism with enhanced military specifications.

These pillars are supported by horizontal initiatives, including research and innovation, finance and skills development. The Commission will advance EU technological leadership and innovation through policy, regulatory and funding frameworks, and ensure that EU-funded research projects are effectively deployed on the market.

The Strategy aims to mobilise EU, national and private funding to support investments in fleet decarbonisation, innovation and defence. This includes leveraging existing funds such as the Connecting Europe Facility, Innovation Fund, Horizon Europe, European Defence Fund programmes, national EU ETS revenues as well as risk-sharing instruments via InvestEU, pending adoption of the next MFF. The Commission seeks to identify skills gaps in maritime education, expand training and upskilling networks, and increase participation in maritime higher education.

To ensure effective implementation, the Commission will establish a high-level Maritime Industries and Ports Board, chaired by the responsible Commissioner and EVPs.

Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, said: "With our EU Ports and Industrial Maritime Strategies, we are equipping Europe’s ports, shipping and shipbuilding sectors to lead the clean energy transition, secure trade and defence, and remain globally competitive. They renew our ambition for European maritime leadership, reinforcing economic security, driving sustainable growth, and supporting quality jobs and territorial cohesion across Europe. Working hand in hand with industry and all relevant stakeholders, we will turn these Strategies into concrete results and anchor Europe as the leading waterborne continent."

Executive Vice-President for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy, Stéphane Séjourné, said: "Europe’s maritime manufacturing and shipping industries are fundamental to our sovereignty. They are key enablers of our strategic autonomy, security, and resilience. Our strategy will not only increase manufacturing capacities in Europe but also support ‘Made in EU’ leadership for specific vessels segments, technologies and innovation. The Industrial Maritime Strategies reflect our new method, based on a strategic dialogue and delivering a business-plan approach covering all strategic pillars for the value chain : from decarbonisation to digitalisation challenges, from boosting demand to ensuring a level playing field and integrating dual-use specificities, with simplification measures and new dedicated financing."