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FORUM dello Shipping
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COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 13 February 2001



COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL

Reinforcing Quality Service in Sea Ports: A Key for European Transport



INTRODUCTION

The Commission's Green Paper on Seaports and Maritime Infrastructure sparked a lively and knowledgeable debate with stakeholders and European institutions.

This was not surprising. The Green paper was the first attempt by the Commission to move towards a coherent policy on ports and maritime infrastructure and could, for this reason alone, expect a wide audience. In addition, the perception was fast gaining ground that seaports played a key role in the operation of intermodal door-to-door transport chains, that their functioning was essential for both intra- and extra-Community trade and that, with the apparently inexorable growth of transport demand, maritime transport and hence seaports would have to be called upon to shoulder increasingly more of the burden placed on transport infrastructure.

The soon to be published White Paper on the Common Transport Policy will focus, inter alia, on the increasing role seaports will have to play in order to alleviate current land transport constraints and to ensure a better functioning of the Community's transport market.

Whilst it is understandable that stakeholders would place particular emphasis on areas of direct concern to them, the key issues emerging from the debate can be categorised as follows:

  • The inclusion of seaports in Trans-European Transport Network;
  • The systematic approach to regulate access to the market of port services; and
  • Public financing of seaports and ports infrastructures.



1. SEAPORTS AND TEN-T

Decision No. 1692/96/EC on Community guidelines for the development of the Trans-European transport Network (TEN) provides a broad framework for the establishment of an integrated, multimodal infrastructure network. Seaports obviously play an important role in such a network.

Although the TEN Decision set out the conditions for the categories of port and port-related projects of common interest, the specific aims of projects as well as the specific conditions to be met, agreement could not be reached on an identification, and inclusion in the TEN outline plans (maps), of the seaports in question, essentially because volume and/or type of traffic criteria could not be agreed.

In line with a previously made commitment the Commission re-assessed the situation. It was concluded that the position of seaports (and that of inland ports and intermodal terminals) needed to be specified more clearly in the guidelines in order to help achieve the multimodal objectives of the TEN.

In fact, since the TEN is intended as a multimodal infrastructure network, which should progressively combine and integrate the different transport modes and national networks, a continued exclusion of seaports would not be justified.

As a result, the Commission proposed the identification of, inter alia, some 300 seaports, using objective criteria, for inclusion in the outline plans and sought to improve the definition of relevant projects of common interest relating to seaports. Reactions to the Green Paper were unanimous in requesting that seaports be given their appropriate place in the TEN.

The Commission's proposal has not yet been adopted by Parliament and Council. At the moment an agreement is being sought by the institutions and a satisfactory solution appears close. The Commission has proved its willingness actively to work towards a solution and can be counted on continuing to do so.


2. ACCESS TO THE MARKET OF PORT SERVICES

'Port services' are services of a commercial nature that are provided, for payment, to port users, and this payment is not normally included in the charges collected for being allowed to call at or operate in a port.

It is self-evident that the quality, efficiency and price-performance ratio of port services are essential for the overall quality of service provided by the port. These factors have become key elements in the competition at play between Community ports in order to attract customers.

Historically port services have been provided within frameworks characterised by exclusive rights and/or legal or de facto monopolies of a public or a private nature. Discussions following the publication of the Green Paper have shown that the conventional structures are being eroded and that considerable developments are taking place in all Member States.

In the area of cargo handling the traditional structures have often been successfully challenged, with the result that restrictions have been gradually removed from many markets which have become more commercially oriented with increasing participation of the private sector and, as is generally recognised, increased efficiency accompanied by more market-oriented pricing.

This general development is welcome. It is, however, far from uniform in all Community ports. In addition, it has been pointed out on many occasions that it must be accompanied by clear and reliable procedural rules setting out the rights and obligations of current and potential service providers, as well as those of the competent national authorities involved in overseeing the ports and/or the selection of service providers.

Other port services have not experienced the same level of development; restrictions and private and public monopolies are still prevalent in particular in port pilotage and, albeit to a lesser extent, in towing and mooring. Ports are conscious of the fact that one of the consequences of this situation has been that the supply of these services often represents a disproportionate cost factor to port users and that this, in turn, has become an important element in competition between ports.

Despite the varying levels of market openness in Member States, and even between different ports within the same Member State, all Member States have opted for the principle of gradually opening up this sector to competition.

Nobody is contesting that all port services of a commercial nature are governed by the competition rules of the Treaty as well as the rules on the major freedoms: the freedom of establishment, the free movement of workers, of goods and services.

However, a number of port-specific facts cannot be ignored. Ports may only be able to offer limited space; they have a well-defined role to play in the Community's customs procedures. Ports bear specific responsibility for maritime as well as on-shore safety and environmental protection. These considerations may constitute legitimate grounds for restrictions in the access to the market for the provision of certain port services. However, no restrictions can be unconditionally justified. Furthermore, the diversity of the Community ports requires a differentiated approach. Since no two ports are identical, it has rightly been pointed out that a number of decisions with regard to the level of market access in port services will be influenced by the individual characteristics of the port in question.

The Commission has so far addressed problems in the application of the Treaty rules on a case-by-case basis and will continue to exercise this obligation. Consultations have, however, shown widespread support for the establishment of a regulatory framework at Community level aiming at more systematic rules on access to the port services market in ports with international traffic, while taking into due consideration the maritime safety and environmental requirements and, where appropriate, public service obligations as well as recognising the diversity of the ports in question. This framework should accompany and guide national measures which continue to further eliminate existing restrictions in the port services market whilst ensuring, on grounds of subsidiarity, that this process adequately respects local, regional and national port specificities.

Support for such an approach is not unanimous. The view was expressed that access restrictions to the cargo handling market have been largely eliminated and that therefore no new regulatory framework was necessary. However, this assessment does not reflect the situation in the Community as a whole and, in any case, does not take into account the widely felt inadequacy of procedural rules in connection with the award of authorisations. The port pilots and, considerably less strongly so, towage operators oppose a regulatory framework; they wish to maintain the current structures on the grounds that it has in the past served well to ensure high safety standards . The boatmen, responsible for mooring services, maintain a neutral position. Whereas the pilots' and towage operators' contribution to port safety is appreciated, this in itself is not sufficient ground to exempt these services a priori from the application of the Treaty rules or a new regulatory framework at Community level, although this framework will have to ensure that due account be taken of safety and specific local considerations.

The challenge, therefore, is to combine maritime safety and environmental imperatives and, where necessary, public service obligations with a regulatory structure compatible with competitive patterns. On the basis of extensive consultations, the Commission proposes the enclosed (annex 1) legislative framework on access to the port services market.

In view of the complexity of Member States' port regimes and of the diversity of ports with regards to size, status and function and maritime safety and environmental protection requirements, a Directive is considered the most appropriate legal instrument leaving the implementation of the framework at the level of the Member States.


3. PUBLIC FINANCES AND SEAPORTS

The ownership, organisation and administration of ports vary between and within Member States, thus leading to great diversity in the port sector. While accepting that it should be left to the Member States to decide upon the ownership and organisation, a key issue from a competition point of view is the financial flows between the public authorities, the port operators and the users of the port facilities and services.

Whilst in the past, ports and ports facilities were expected to be paid for by the taxpayer, a discernible trend has developed towards greater private participation in their financing. As a result, financing of many port facilities is increasingly becoming the responsibility of the private sector, while the port authorities tend to restrict themselves more and more to their "landlord" role and the financing and operation of those facilities which are essential to the safe and efficient operation of the port as a whole.

At the same time, more and more ports are seeking to develop a more active commercial role, in cooperation with private partners inside and outside the port. Indeed, some ports are operating entirely on a commercial basis.

3.1. The Report on Public Financing and Charging Practices in the Community Sea Port Sectors ("Inventory")

Under these circumstances, it is not surprising that the competition between the ports, intensified by the completion of the internal market, is influenced by the implementation of Member States' port policies, varied as they are. This may or may not require initiatives at Community level. However, before the debate could be moved forward, it was felt, by all institutions alike, that a satisfactory level of information be established with regard to such key issues as the organisational and managerial structures in Community ports, the financial flows from the public sector to the various types of ports as well as charging practices in these ports.

The Commission therefore gathered, with the help and active involvement of Member States, information in the form of an inventory on public financing and charging practices in Community ports. The Commission committed itself to publish the findings; the inventory is found in annex 2.

Although Member States' information was on the basis of previous facts and data and considerable developments have since taken place, it is nevertheless considered that the information remains in substance valid and should be seen as a useful basis for further work.

The inventory is self-explanatory, its details need not be repeated here. Nevertheless it is appropriate to focus on some key conclusions.

  • Despite the growing role of private involvement in port developments, 90% of the Community's maritime trade is estimated to be handled in ports where investments and other policy and managerial decisions, e.g. charging, are, to varying extents, dependent or, at least, influenced by public bodies.
  • Public investments in port projects represent between 5 and 10% of all Community transport infrastructure investments. Throughout the Community the main emphasis of these investments varies: the Baltic region shows important funding in start-up investments, whilst the North Sea and Mediterranean regions register strong investments in modernisation schemes.
  • The transparency of public financial flows is unsatisfactory: the accounting tools cannot normally deliver aggregate information on public investments going into a port, nor can they retrace satisfactorily flows and use of public monies within ports which are, at the same time, engaged in public infrastructure management and commercial activities.
  • Charging and cost recovery systems vary considerably; cost recovery is not always the main objective.
  • The port services sector is developing and access possibilities to the market are clearly increasing. However, procedural rules which should ensure fair and open selection procedures where the number of service providers is limited are unclear and unsatisfactory.

3.2. Transparency

The inventory has confirmed the view previously expressed by the Commission and others that the current levels of transparency in the ports sector are inadequate to ensure information on aggregated public money flows going into the ports, where this is happening under national schemes, and to retrace flows and use of public monies within port entities, which are, at the same time, engaged in both port management, including port infrastructure management, and commercial activities within ports.

Readily available information on public money flows, from whatever source, would help the Commission in dealing with state aid cases. Under the Treaty rules, Member States are obliged to notify to the Commission any aid they grant and, where, for whatever reason, a state aid case has to be investigated, the Commission normally requests information on public money flows which, under national budget rules, should be readily available.

The principle of neutrality of Article 295 of the Treaty ensures that the Treaty in no way prejudices the rules in Member States governing the system of property ownership. Competition between private and public operators, however, must not be distorted by financial flows from public authorities which would allow the public operator to reduce its own costs. Currently, due to the complexity of the institutional and financial regimes for ports, port management and maritime infrastructure in the Community, the financial relationships between the public sector, the ports and other undertakings working within them are often not clear.

Work on the inventory has shown that at least three major accounting systems are being applied in ports.

First, port management may use an accounting system generally comparable to those used in the private sector and relying on generally accepted accounting principles of the respective Member State and audits through independent bodies. This system is being increasingly used, although its prime purpose is not to show up, as a general rule, the influx, or not, of public monies but rather as an operating tool for the port management and as a benchmarking instrument for its shareholders.

The second system can be described as the public accounting or 'budget' approach. It is intended to record the use of public monies.

The third type of accounting system is employed in certain ports which are part of a wider public body (e.g. at municipal level) and, as a consequence, do not maintain separate accounts. Expenditures such as investments are executed under the authority of the public body and are recorded as an integral part of the public accounting system of the municipality. This approach, termed as 'bundled' accounts, is designed to monitor and control the financial affairs of the wider public body as a whole.

When analysing these three key accounting models, it is clear that none is in a position, by its very nature, to provide transparent and clear information on the public money flows into ports and the use made of them by the port management in the accomplishment of its many tasks. This is not surprising because the systems used were simply not devised to record the information now required and to distinguish between commercial activities and public port and infrastructure management. Indeed, the public budget accounting system practised by certain municipal ports with its inherent principle of universality, i.e. the non-dedication of expenses and income, precludes a clear identification of money flows for specific activities.

The consultations following the publication of the Green Paper have pointed to this unsatisfactory situation. It gives rise to suspicion and recrimination between ports, be it justified or not. It does not allow satisfactory control, where warranted, of state aid rules by the Commission and generally risks to impede competition at a time when Member States and port authorities introduce more and more private initiative, competition and capital into ports.

The Commission believes that application of "Commission Directive 2000/52/EC on the transparency of financial relations between Member States and public undertakings as well as on financial transparency within certain undertakings" (the "Transparency Directive") combined with a legal requirement to keep separate accounts to be introduced as part of the proposed "Directive on market access to port services" will lead to considerable improvements.

3.2.1. Transparency Directive.

The Transparency Directive [article 1(1)] acknowledges that public undertakings continue to play an important role in the economies of the Member States, but requires that the financial relations between public authorities and public undertakings are transparent so as to help ensure fair competition between public undertakings and between public and private undertakings and an effective application of the Treaty's competition rules. The appropriate level of transparency should be achieved if the following emerge clearly:

  • public funds made available directly by public authorities to the public undertakings concerned;
  • public funds made available by public authorities through the intermediary of public undertakings or financial institutions;
  • the use to which these public funds are actually put.

and shall apply in particular to the following aspects of financial relations between public authorities and public undertakings:

(a) the setting-off of operating losses;

(b) the provision of capital;

(c) non-refundable grants, or loans on privileged terms;

(d) the granting of financial advantages by foregoing profits or the recovery of sums due;

(e) the foregoing of a normal return on public funds used;

(f) compensation for financial burdens imposed by the public authorities.

These rules apply to publicly owned ports. The legal structure of the port is irrelevant. Indeed, a public port does not even have to have a legal personality distinct from that of the state because otherwise Member States could decide whether or not a port is covered by the Transparency Directive by choosing a specific legal status or by not granting a port a legal status at all. It is observed in this regard that the fact that a body carrying out economic activities of an industrial or commercial nature is integrated into the state administration and does not have legal personality separate therefrom does not prevent the existence of financial relations between the state and that body. Through the mechanism of budgetary appropriations, the state has by definition the power to influence the economic management of the undertaking, permitting it to grant compensation for operating losses and to make new funds available to the undertaking. It may therefore permit that undertaking to carry out its activities independently of the rules of normal commercial management, which is precisely the situation which the Directive seeks to make transparent.

The Transparency Directive furthermore acknowledges [article 1(2)] that in certain sectors Member States often grant special or exclusive rights to particular undertakings, or make payments or give some other kind of compensation to particular undertakings entrusted with the operation of services of general economic interest which are common occurrences in the Community's ports sector. These undertakings are often also in competition with other undertakings and may be public, private or of a mixed public-private nature.

The appropriate level of transparency should be achieved if the following emerge clearly:

  • the costs and revenues associated with different activities;
  • full details of the methods by which costs and revenues are assigned or allocated to different activities.

and if the following is carried out:

(a) the internal accounts corresponding to different activities are separate;

(b) all costs and revenues are correctly assigned or allocated on the basis of consistently applied and objectively justifiable cost accounting principles;

(c) the cost accounting principles according to which separate accounts are maintained are clearly established.

As with Article (1), the obligations apply to undertakings irrespective of their legal structure or whether or not the activities in question are carried out by a distinct body.

The Transparency Directive does not apply without exceptions. It is of particular relevance for the ports sector that its obligations only apply to undertakings whose total annual net turnover for each of the last two years exceeded € 40 million. In cases where the compensation for the fulfilment of services of general economic interest has been fixed for an appropriate period following an open, transparent and non-discriminatory procedure the Transparency Directive does not require such undertakings to maintain separate accounts.

3.2.2. Proposed Directive concerning market access to port services.

The Commission proposes (in Article 12) that where the managing body of a port provides port services, it must separate the accounts of its ports services activities from the accounts of its other activities, in accordance with current commercial practice and generally recognised accounting principles. This should ensure that:

(a) the internal accounts corresponding to different activities are separate;

(b) all costs and revenues are correctly assigned or allocated on the basis of consistently applied and objectively justifiable cost accounting principles;

(c) the cost accounting principles according to which separate accounts are maintained are clearly established.

The auditor's report on the annual accounts must indicate the existence or, of course, non-existence, of financial flows between port services activity of the managing body of a port and its other activities.

The same rules should apply where, in application of the rules of the proposed Directive, the managing body of a port is the sole supplier of a specific port service.

The Commission has considered whether the level of transparency should be enhanced either by an appropriate modification of the 'Transparency Directive' or by proposing a regulation similar to Regulation 1107/70 on the granting of aid to transport by rail, road and inland waterway, which contains certain information requirements.

An appropriate modification of the Transparency Directive would have been, and remains, a feasible option because prior modifications of it were made in order to take account of sectoral specificities, and there is no reason why a similar approach could not be made for the ports sector.

Equally, a regulation comparable to Regulation 1107/70 with appropriate transparency rules remains an option, all the more so since ports are, contrary to the land transport modes, not covered by specific legislation on aid.

However, the Commission believes that a combination of the application of the modified Transparency Directive and the introduction of accounting requirements in the port services sector will significantly increase the transparency levels in ports. Under these circumstances it has been decided not to propose a change of Directive 80/723/EEC (as amended). This option, and the other one described above, remain and recourse may be had to them if the levels of transparency in the sector are not enhanced as a result of the above measures.

3.3. State aids to ports .

The debate following the publication of the Green Paper and work on the inventory have confirmed that the financing of ports and maritime infrastructure in the Community continues to vary considerably, reflecting the considerable differences in the way in which their ownership and organisation has been approached.

The Commission has been requested to issue guidelines on port state aids for the construction of port infrastructures.

The key reason given to support this request is that in other sectors the Commission has issued a series of guidelines dealing essentially with the conditions under which state aid may be authorised. Equally, certain categories of aid exist which the Commission has said it will authorise and which, subject to exclusions, may well apply in the ports sector as well. The existence of guidelines in other sectors is not a sufficient reason for issuing formal Commission guidelines on state aid in ports, all the more since stakeholders in favour of state aid guidelines explicitly oppose state aid to ports.

On the other hand the Commission is fully aware that guidance and clarification of existing rules would be of help both to Member States, the port authorities and, indeed, the Commission itself. However, such clarification, apart from relying on the Treaty rules, has to be built up from case law. With regard to ports there is little case law. And as clarifications of the Treaty rules should not be built up from theoretical situations whilst reality is different and not always transparent, any attempt on clarification must be qualified, for the time being, as a theoretical exercise: the Commission will continue to carry out case-by-case examinations where the facts and specificities of each case alone determine the outcome.

State aid is defined by article 87(1) of the Treaty as "aid granted by a Member State or through State resources in any form whatsoever".

State aid can therefore take any one of a number of forms, e.g. grants; loans at less than a commercial rate of interest and guarantees; total or partial exemption from charges, taxes or social contributions; fiscal advantages resulting from accelerated or enhanced depreciation schemes; contributions to operating or training costs; benefits in kind such as free provision of services.

Article 87(1) further stipulates that only selective aid, i.e. aid given to specific undertakings or sectors of undertakings constitutes state aid; genuinely non-selective and non-discriminatory measures are outside the scope of state aid.

Any selective state aid which distorts or threatens to distort competition shall, insofar as it affects trade between Member States, be incompatible with the common market.

Article 87(2) lists three categories for aid which, as a matter of law, are considered as being compatible with the common market. Article 87(3) lists five categories which, on examination by the Commission, may be found to be compatible with the common market.

Not only private undertakings are subject to the state aid rules of the Treaty, but also public undertakings and undertakings to which Member States grant special or exclusive rights (article 86(1)) or which Member States entrust with the operation of services of general economic interest (article 86(2)).

Article 88 of the Treaty obliges Member States to notify any plans to grant or alter aid to the Commission to obtain approval.

Although in the port sector interested parties have come to distinguish between investments in port infrastructure, superstructure, mobile assets and operational services, this distinction cannot replace the key criterion set out by the Treaty for the definition of state aid, namely that of selectivity under Article 87(1). This criterion remains the only benchmark for deciding whether a concrete investment measure, no matter whether it is categorised as port infrastructure, superstructure, mobile asset or operational service, constitutes an aid or not.

As regards infrastructure a subdivision into 'public (general)' and 'user-specific' infrastructure is seen as helpful by interested parties.

'Public (general)' infrastructure is open to all users on a non-discriminatory basis. It includes maritime access and maintenance (e.g. dikes, breakwaters, locks and other high water protection measures; navigable channels, including dredging and ice-breaking navigation aids, lights, buoys, beacons; floating pontoon ramps in tidal areas); public land transport facilities within the port area, short connecting links to the national transport networks or TENs; and infrastructure for utilities up to the terminal site. Investments in such infrastructure are normally considered by the Commission as general measures, being expenditures incurred by the state in the framework of its responsibilities for planning and developing a transport system in the interests of the general public provided the infrastructure is de jure and de facto open to all users, actual or potential, in accordance with Community legislation. However, the characteristics of a specific case may show that such infrastructure benefits a specific undertaking and may therefore warrant the conclusion of aid despite its prima facie appearance as public infrastructure..

'User-specific' infrastructure includes yards, jetties, pipes and cables for utilities on the terminal sites of a port; works that make the terminal site "ripe for construction" (i.e. rough levelling and - if necessary - the demolition of existing buildings and structures). In general, if public authorities prepare land in their possession for development and sell it or lease it at market rates (following the kind of procedures indicated in the land sales communication) the Commission would not regard such investments in infrastructure as state aid. This would be different if, for example, the development were done with a particular end-user in mind.

Two particular investment areas, namely docks and quay walls do not easily fit into either of the above-mentioned groups. Indeed, whereas for each of the above examples situations could be envisaged where the general conclusions would not apply , the specificities of any development and the variety of options make it impossible even to draw conclusions of a very general nature for works concerning docks and quay walls. It is therefore clear that the factual situation, potential and/or concrete beneficiaries, size and measurements of the installations and their actual and/or potential users will play a key role in any assessment by Member States and/or the Commission.

Investments in superstructures may include all types of buildings (warehouses, workshops, offices) and all types of fixed or semi-mobile equipment such as cranes and ramps. Such investments normally favour certain undertakings and thus constitute aid which may, however, where the conditions are fulfilled, benefit from the exemptions provided for in the Treaty.

It has been claimed that an investment in superstructure should not be considered a state aid where there will be full cost recovery from the user.

However, the Commission cannot accept such a general conclusion. An undertaking which is given the money for an investment in infrastructure or equipment or financed on favourable terms, or provided with the assets themselves for use by itself or its clients, is certainly advantaged in a number of ways. Its balance sheet will be improved (net assets, debt/equity) as will its profit and loss account and flow of funds by comparison with a port undertaking which has to finance the investment from its own resources or to borrow. Cost recovery from users does not remove these advantages which in themselves constitute a distortion of competition, unless the choice of the beneficiary and the terms on which it obtained the use of the facilities were reached as a result of an open and non-discriminatory procedure. However, in particular cases where the exemptions of the Treaty apply, such distortion may be considered compatible with the Treaty.

Public support to investments in mobile assets and operational services, e.g. those of individual port service providers, generally favours certain undertakings and it is difficult to foresee a situation where this is not the case.

Such support would be a state aid, again with the possible application of the exemption rules of the Treaty.

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Londra
Evidenziata la complessità della misura adottata dall'IMO e l'inusuale procedura da cui sono state escluse le organizzazioni non governative
Nel primo trimestre del 2025 impennata degli attacchi dei pirati alle navi
Nel primo trimestre del 2025 impennata degli attacchi dei pirati alle navi
Londra
Accentuata crescita degli incidenti negli Stretti di Singapore
Interferry accoglie positivamente l'accordo IMO sulla decarbonizzazione dello shipping, ma ritiene la strategia troppo complessa
Victoria/Pireo
L'associazione degli armatori greci delusa per il mancato riconoscimento del ruolo essenziale dei combustibili di transizione come il GNL
L'International Labour Organization riconosce i marittimi come lavoratori chiave
Londra
ITF e ICS: momento storico
CMA CGM acquisirà il 35% dell'egiziana October Dry Port
Il Cairo
La società gestisce un porto secco nella zona industriale e logistica nei pressi del Cairo
Alla TiL del gruppo MSC l'intero controllo dei terminal di Hutchison Ports
New York
Lo scrive “Bloomberg”, specificando che i terminal panamensi sarebbero gestiti congiuntamente con BlackRock
La bozza di regolamento sulla decarbonizzazione dello shipping approvata dal MEPC include uno standard obbligatorio per il fuel e una tariffazione delle emissioni di gas serra
Londra/Washington/Bruxelles
Prevista l'istituzione di un Fondo per raccogliere le risorse derivanti dalla prezzatura delle emissioni
Task force di cinque associazioni per il rilancio del cargo ferroviario italiano
Roma
Iniziativa di Agens, Assoferr, Assologistica, Fercargo e Fermerci
Il MIT indica Matteo Paroli quale nuovo presidente dei porti di Genova e Savona-Vado
Roma/La Spezia
La community portuale spezzina sollecita un nome anche per l'AdSP della Liguria orientale
Le Aziende informano
Il retrofit ibrido-elettrico di ABB guida i traghetti dei laghi italiani verso un futuro più sostenibile
Confitarma sottolinea l'importanza che la strategia di decarbonizzazione dello shipping sia definita in sede IMO
Roma
La Confederazione italiana precisa di condividere alcune preoccupazioni degli USA
Il WSC ribadisce che le misure di Trump per l'industria marittima nazionale non fanno bene all'economia americana
Washington
Kramek: pronti a supportare l'amministrazione con proposte costruttive
Fincantieri e Accenture istituiscono la joint venture Fincantieri Ingenium
Trieste/Milano
L'obiettivo è di guidare la trasformazione digitale del prodotto nave e della logistica portuale
Meyer Werft ha consegnato la nuova nave da crociera di lusso Asuka III alla NYK Cruises
Papenburg/Emden
Ha una capacità di 744 passeggeri e 470 membri dell'equipaggio
Mentre Trump ufficializza le misure per rivitalizzare l'industria marittima americana, per i porti nazionali si prospetta un drastico calo del traffico
Washington/Ginevra
Okonjo-Iweala (WTO): con l'escalation delle tensioni commerciali tra USA e Cina lo scambio di merci tra le due economie potrebbe diminuire fino all'80%
CK Hutchison respinge le accuse di violazione del contratto di concessione dei porti panamensi di Cristóbal e Balboa
Panama
Panama Ports Company sottolinea di aver rispettato tutti gli obblighi di legge e gli impegni contrattuali
Gli USA non partecipano ai negoziati IMO sulla decarbonizzazione dello shipping e minacciano misure reciproche
Londra
Espressa contrarietà a qualsiasi tentativo di imporre misure economiche sulle navi basate sulle emissioni di gas ad effetto serra o sulla scelta del fuel
T&E sollecita il MEPC a concordare misure chiare e ambiziose per la decarbonizzazione dello shipping
Bruxelles
È necessario - sottolinea l'associazione - fissare obiettivi vincolanti
Meyer Yachts costruirà un mega yacht residenziale ultra-lusso per Ulyssia Residences
Miami
La nave sarà lunga 320 metri e verrà realizzata nel cantiere di Papenburg
Commessa da 1,3 miliardi di dollari del gruppo partenopeo Grimaldi per la costruzione di nove navi ro-pax
Commessa da 1,3 miliardi di dollari del gruppo partenopeo Grimaldi per la costruzione di nove navi ro-pax
Helsinki/Napoli
Ordine al cantiere China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Weihai)
Viking ordina a Fincantieri due navi da crociera con opzione per ulteriori due unità
Los Angeles/Trieste
Le due navi in costruzione ad Ancona per il marchio americano saranno le prime al mondo alimentate a idrogeno stoccato a bordo
Antonio Ranieri è il nuovo direttore marittimo della Liguria
Genova
Subentra all'ammiraglio Piero Pellizzari congedatosi dal servizio per raggiunti limiti d'età
Nel primo trimestre del 2025 la cinese CIMC ha registrato un incremento del +12,7% delle vendite di container
Hong Kong
I ricavi sono cresciuti del +11,0%
Lo scorso anno i ricavi del gruppo cinese CMPort sono aumentati del +3,1%
Hong Kong
Nei primi tre mesi del 2025 i terminal portuali hanno movimentato 36,4 milioni di container (+5,6%)
Approvati i rendiconti delle AdSP della Liguria Occidentale e del Tirreno Centro Settentrionale
Genova/Civitavecchia
Nei primi tre mesi del 2025 i ricavi di Konecranes sono aumentati del +7,7%
Helsinki
343 milioni di euro di nuovi ordini di mezzi portuali (+37,5%)
Primo trimestre di crescita per Kuehne+Nagel
Schindellegi
Il fatturato netto del gruppo logistico è ammontato a 6,33 miliardi di franchi svizzeri (+14,9%)
Istanza della TDT (gruppo Grimaldi) per la costruzione e gestione del 50% del Terminal Darsena Europa di Livorno
Livorno
La società ha chiesto l'estensione della durata dell'attuale concessione
Nel 2024 investiti 58 milioni per l'ammodernamento dei porti di Livorno, Piombino e dell'isola d'Elba
Livorno
Approvati il bilancio consuntivo e la relazione annuale dell'AdSP
Consulenza della BEI per rafforzare la resilienza climatica dei porti di Volos, Alessandropoli e Patrasso
Lussemburgo
Assisterà le autorità portuali nell'individuazione e nella gestione dei rischi climatici
Nel primo trimestre il porto di Valencia ha movimentato 1,3 milioni di container (+3,4%)
Valencia
Calo del traffico di transhipment
Il Comitato di gestione dell'AdSP del Tirreno Centrale ha approvato all'unanimità il bilancio consuntivo 2024
Napoli
SOS LOGistica acquisirà la qualifica di Ente del Terzo Settore
Milano
L'associazione conta oggi su 74 soci
Nei primi tre mesi del 2025 in calo il traffico delle merci nei porti di Barcellona e Algeciras
Barcellona/Algeciras
Hupac trasferisce su Novara il servizio intermodale con Padova
Chiasso
Sinora l'altro terminal era quello di Busto Arsizio
PSA SECH ha operato il primo treno da 400 metri al Parco Ferroviario Rugna
Genova
Capacità sino a 20 coppie di treni al giorno
Approvato all'unanimità il rendiconto di esercizio 2024 dell'AdSP della Liguria Orientale
La Spezia
In ultimazione la bonifica bellica propedeutica all'ampliamento del Terminal Ravano della Spezia
La Spezia
L'AdSP vi ha investito oltre 600mila euro
Francesco Rizzo designato alla presidenza dell'AdSP dello Stretto
Roma
Ha più volte denunciato l'inutilità della costruzione del ponte sullo Stretto
Aerei statunitensi hanno attaccato il porto yemenita di Ras Isa
Tampa/Beirut
38 morti e oltre cento feriti
Nel 2025 Stazioni Marittime prevede un rialzo del traffico dei traghetti e delle crociere nel porto di Genova
Rapporto del MIT sulla mobilità evidenzia un aumento della domanda sia passeggeri che merci
Roma
Nel primo trimestre il traffico delle merci nei porti russi è diminuito del -5,6%
San Pietroburgo
In calo sia le merci secche (-5,3%) che le rinfuse liquide (-5,8%)
Andrea Giachero è stato confermato presidente di Spediporto
Genova
Rinnovato anche il consiglio direttivo dell'associazione degli spedizionieri genovesi per il triennio 2025-2028
Studio per il monitoraggio del traffico veicolare nei porti di Venezia e Chioggia
Milano
Commessa aggiudicata a Circle e Arelogik
In Italia il settore del trasporto ferroviario delle merci è in profonda sofferenza
Ginevra
Fermerci invita a rendere strutturali e aumentare gli incentivi al traffico e a rifinanziare l'incentivo per l'acquisto di locomotive e carri
Rapporto del Global Maritime Forum sull'ottimizzazione degli scali delle navi per ridurre le emissioni
Copenaghen
Proposti gli approcci dell'arrivo virtuale e l'arrivo just-in-time
Nel primo trimestre di quest'anno il traffico dei container nel porto di Gioia Tauro è cresciuto del +15,5%
Gioia Tauro
Avviata la costruzione della “casa del portuale”
GNV ha preso in consegna in Cina la seconda di quattro nuove navi ro-pax
Genova
“GNV Orion” potrà ospitare 1.700 passeggeri e trasportare fino a 3.080 metri lineari di carico
Dopo dieci trimestri di flessione il traffico dei container nel porto di Hong Kong torna a crescere
Hong Kong
Nei primi tre mesi di quest'anno movimentati 3,39 milioni di teu (+2,1%)
Fincantieri acquisisce una quota in WSense
Roma
Consegnata alla Marina Militare italiana la nona unità FREMM “Spartaco Schergat”
Presentata la nuova edizione del Manuale pratico dei traffici marittimi
Genova
Redatto da Assagenti, compie cinquant'anni
Nel primo trimestre il traffico dei container nei porti di Long Beach e Los Angeles è aumentato del +26,6% e +5,2%
Long Beach/Los Angeles
Prossimo l'impatto dei dazi introdotti da Trump
Nei primi tre mesi del 2025 il porto di Singapore ha movimentato 10,5 milioni di container (+5,8%)
Singapore
In peso il traffico containerizzato ha registrato un calo del -1,4%
Firmato il regolamento per il bunkeraggio di GNL presso lo stabilimento Fincantieri di Genova
Genova
Definite le modalità di trasferimento del carburante da nave a nave
Gli storici marchi cantieristici Uljanik e 3.Maj verso l'estinzione
Zagabria
Lo Stato conferma l'intenzione di cedere le attività navalmeccaniche nei due siti di Pola e Fiume
Cambiaso Risso ha concluso l'acquisizione della francese Somecassur
Genova
L'azienda transalpina è specializzata nell'assicurazione di super e mega yacht
Nuovo servizio ferroviario settimanale tra il porto di Gioia Tauro e Verona
Gioia Tauro/Verona
Operato da Medlog per il trasporto di merci refrigerate
LA BERS alla ricerca di un partner strategico per lo sviluppo del porto fluviale moldavo di Giurgiulesti
Londra
Lanciata una gara internazionale
PROSSIME PARTENZE
Visual Sailing List
Porto di partenza
Porto di destinazione:
- per ordine alfabetico
- per nazione
- per zona geografica
I porti turchi hanno segnato il nuovo record di traffico delle merci relativo al primo trimestre
Ankara
Picco storico dei carichi importati dall'estero
Nel primo trimestre del 2025 il traffico delle merci nel porto di Taranto è cresciuto del +37,6%
Taranto
Aumento di 854mila tonnellate delle rinfuse solide e di 265mila tonnellate delle merci convenzionali
DEME compra la Havfram, società che installa parchi eolici offshore
Zwijndrecht/Washington
Transazione del valore di circa 900 milioni di euro
Avviati da Reggio Calabria i trasporti ferroviari dei convogli per la Metro di Roma
Roma
Commessa aggiudicata da Hitachi Rail a Mercitalia Rail
Nel 2024 i volumi movimentati da Magli Intermodal Service sono diminuiti del -2%
Rezzato
Stabile il fatturato
A marzo Yang Ming registra la prima flessione del fatturato dopo 14 mesi di crescita
Keelung/Taipei
Prosegue l'aumento dei ricavi di Evergreen e WHL
La Commissione Europea ha approvato l'acquisizione della tedesca Schenker da parte della danese DSV
Bruxelles
L'impatto sulla concorrenza nei mercati in cui le due aziende operano è ritenuto limitato
Accordo Fincantieri - Kayo per promuovere lo sviluppo dell'industria cantieristica e navale in Albania
Trieste
Possibile creazione di un polo per la costruzione e il refitting navale nella regione
Recente lieve riduzione dei costi della logistica degli autoveicoli nuovi di fabbrica
Bruxelles
Montaresi (AdSP Liguria Orientale) premiata con l'“Oscar dei Porti”
Miami
L'evento è giunto alla diciottesima edizione
Nei primi tre mesi del 2025 i container trasportati dalle navi della OOCL sono aumentati del +9,3%
Hong Kong
Ricavi in crescita del +16,8%
L'AdSP dei Mari Tirreno Meridionale e Ionio vince in appello contro la Zen Yacht
Gioia Tauro
L'azienda condannata al pagamento dei canoni arretrati
Nel porto di Livorno è stato sequestrato un ingente carico di cocaina
Livorno
Due tonnellate di droga individuate dal personale delle Dogane e della Guardia di Finanza
Navantia rinnova l'accordo con il gruppo crocieristico americano Royal Caribbean
Miami
Sinora il cantiere di Cadice ha effettuato lavori di manutenzione, riparazione e ristrutturazione su 45 navi del gruppo
Quest'anno è atteso un traffico record delle crociere nei porti italiani
Miami
Cemar ritiene che la crescita non si arresterà neanche nel 2026
Accordo HII-HHI per accelerare la produzione navale americana e sudcoreana
National Harbor
L'obiettivo è di rafforzare la base industriale navale delle due nazioni
La Panama Ports Company accusata di aver violato i termini del contratto di concessione
Panama
Il revisore generale dei conti panamense ha annunciato la presentazione di accuse penali
È diventato operativo il Colombo West International Terminal
Ahmedabad
Ha una capacità di traffico pari a 3,2 milioni di teu
Lunedì a Genova si terrà il convegno “I nuovi combustibili marini sostenibili - Decarbonize Shipping”
Genova
Completata nel porto di Gioia Tauro la nuova struttura polifunzionale di controllo frontaliera PCF - Punto PED/PDI
Gioia Tauro
Venerdì a Roma il convegno “L'Intelligenza Artificiale arriva in porto”
Roma
È promosso dall'Unione Nazionale Imprese Portuali
Inaugurato a Miami il nuovo terminal crociere del gruppo MSC
Miami
Può ospitare in contemporanea tre navi di grandi dimensioni
A febbraio il traffico nel porto di Ravenna è cresciuto del +2,1%
Ravenna
Aumento delle rinfuse e calo delle merci varie
Nel 2024 Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane ha registrato una perdita netta di -208 milioni di euro
Roma
Ricavi in crescita del +11,7%. In aumento le merci trasportate dal gruppo grazie all'acquisizione di Exploris
Porto di Genova, Ente Bacini chiede nuovi spazi e il rinnovo della concessione
Genova
Convegno per celebrare il centenario della società
Il 19 giugno a Roma si terrà l'assemblea pubblica dell'Associazione Italiana Terminalisti Portuali
Genova
VARD costruirà una nave per operazioni subacquee offshore per Dong Fang Offshore
Ålesund/Trieste
Il contratto ha un valore di 113,5 milioni di euro
PORTI
Porti italiani:
Ancona Genova Ravenna
Augusta Gioia Tauro Salerno
Bari La Spezia Savona
Brindisi Livorno Taranto
Cagliari Napoli Trapani
Carrara Palermo Trieste
Civitavecchia Piombino Venezia
Interporti italiani: elenco Porti del mondo: mappa
BANCA DATI
ArmatoriRiparatori e costruttori navali
SpedizionieriProvveditori e appaltatori navali
Agenzie marittimeAutotrasportatori
MEETINGS
Lunedì a Genova si terrà il convegno “I nuovi combustibili marini sostenibili - Decarbonize Shipping”
Genova
Si svolgerà nella sede della Capitaneria di Porto di Genova
Venerdì a Roma il convegno “L'Intelligenza Artificiale arriva in porto”
Roma
È promosso dall'Unione Nazionale Imprese Portuali
››› Archivio
RASSEGNA STAMPA
Proposed 30% increase for port tariffs to be in phases, says Loke
(Free Malaysia Today)
Damen Mangalia Unionists Protest Friday Against Possible Closure
(The Romania Journal)
››› Archivio
FORUM dello Shipping
e della Logistica
Relazione del presidente Nicola Zaccheo
Roma, 18 settembre 2024
››› Archivio
La settimana prossima i porti italiani parteciperanno alla Seatrade Cruise Global
Roma
Marchio dell'iniziativa: “CruiseItaly - One Country, Many Destinations”
Inaugurato ufficialmente il terminal crociere del gruppo MSC nel porto di Barcellona
Barcellona
Nel 2027 sarà dotato di un impianto di cold ironing
Marcegaglia e Nova Marine Carriers costituiscono la joint venture NovaMar Logistic
Lugano/Gazoldo degli Ippoliti
Una general cargo trasporterà le materie prime agli stabilimenti del gruppo siderurgico
Liebherr registra un fatturato annuale record nel segmento delle gru per il settore marittimo-portuale
Bulle
Forte domanda di mezzi per l'industria offshore e per la movimentazione dei container
A Genova il convegno annuale “Programmazione, Esercizio e Gestione di Reti di Trasporto”
Genova
È dedicato al settore dei trasporti e della mobilità
Lo scorso anno sono state 656 le navi sottoposte a lavori di riparazione in Grecia
Il Pireo
Incremento di cinque unità rispetto al 2023
Porto della Spezia, completate le simulazioni di accosto delle navi da crociera al molo Garibaldi Ovest
La Spezia
Convegno di Assagenti sul futuro della professione di agente e mediatore marittimo
Genova
Si terrà domani a Genova
Stena Line presenta il progetto di una nave ro-ro in grado di ridurre il consumo di energia di almeno il 20%
Goteborg
Introdotte gran parte delle tecnologie innovative attualmente disponibili
Francesco Beltrano è il nuovo segretario generale di Uniport
Roma
Subentra a Paolo Ferrandino, che continuerà a collaborare come consulente
Saipem si è aggiudicata nuovi contratti in Medio Oriente e in Guyana
Milano
L'importo complessivo delle commesse è di circa 720 milioni di dollari
Convegno a Genova per il centenario di Ente Bacini
Genova
La società è stata istituita il 19 febbraio 1925
Rinnovato il consiglio di amministrazione di Interporto Bologna
Bentivoglio
Stefano Caliandro nominato presidente. Perdita di 1,7 milioni di euro nel 2024
NYK investe 76 miliardi di yen nella NYK Energy Ocean Corporation
Tokyo
La newco ha rilevato le attività della ENEOS Ocean
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Registrazione Stampa 33/96 Tribunale di Genova
Direttore responsabile Bruno Bellio
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