As part of the EU's Maritime Industrial Strategy adopted by the European Commission on 4 March ( of 4 March 2026), on Wednesday the Brussels executive The call for applications for the EU Industrial Maritime Value has been published Chains Alliance (EMA), the industry alliance that constitutes the flagship initiative. The aim is to bring together in an alliance of public and private actors from the entire ecosystem of the maritime and waterborne transport - not only shipyards, but also suppliers of equipment, shipowners, ports, energy offshore, fisheries and aquaculture, ship recycling, institutes trade unions and academia - with the aim of identify and develop industrial projects capable of strengthening maritime industrial sovereignty and leadership technological development of Europe in the primary markets identified, i.e. in the segments with the potential to increase capacity maritime production and to serve strategic interests of the EU.

The alliance's mandate is to map demand and priority segments by identifying bottlenecks and unfair trading practices, to foster cooperation between stakeholders through action plans and the construction of an aggregated multi-year portfolio of public orders and build a pipeline of strategic projects that strengthen the synergies along the value chain, also in connection with the Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI), the EU industrial policy instrument that allows Member States to to jointly fund research, development and first large-scale industrial application, by way of derogation from the normal state aid rules.

The six priority areas identified for the initial phase are: short-sea shipping, coastal and inland vessels, including dual-use vessels; special high-tech ships (icebreakers, tugboats, dredgers, research vessels, cable-layers, fisheries); ocean observation technologies, including drones and underwater robotics, with the aim of conquering 35% of the global market by 2035; net-zero emission technologies relevant to the maritime sector; manufacturing processes smart, circular and modular; maritime circularity, from ship recycling to the secondary metals supply chain.

The EMA alliance is divided into three bodies: a general assembly, convened at least once a year and composed of a representative of for each member organisation, which adopts opinions and recommendations; a Steering Board of up to 20 Representatives, chaired by the European Commission, which coordinates work and prepares assemblies; various thematic working groups, (market monitoring, financing, circularity) or dedicated to specific segments (ferries, inland navigation, ocean observation, wind propulsion). They can join as Member States all public bodies of EU Member States and countries EEA-EFTA (Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein), as well as active in the EU - companies, associations, NGOs, investors, research centres - that share the strategic objectives initiative. The Commission will evaluate the applications on a case-by-case basis by chance and may, for discussions on issues strategically more sensitive, reserve the participation of only to organisations not controlled by third-country entities.

The call for expressions of interest in joining The initiative provides for a first deadline set for the next 16 October. The alliance will have an initial duration of three years the first general assembly, renewable by mutual consent, and Finally, it will feed into the work of the High-Level Council to maritime industries and ports, the establishment of which by the European Commission is envisaged by the Industrial Strategy and will be chaired by the EU Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and the Executive Vice-Presidents, in order to maintain a continuous exchange on the implementation of the actions outlined in the maritime industrial strategy and in the EU port strategy, and to collect feedback on market developments.