zoomImage Courtesy: DMA

In order to make the Baltic Sea Region a global frontrunner in terms of clean and safe shipping, there is a need to focus on cross-sectorial cooperation, education and training as well as enforcement of regulations.

Representatives from the European Commission, the European Parliament, the maritime industry and maritime Flagship Projects under the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR) met in Brussels on May 30, 2017, to discuss the potentials and future priorities for maritime safety and security and clean shipping in the Baltic Sea Region.

The region has strong competences in the maritime field, but cross-sectorial cooperation is needed to strengthen its position. This was highlighted by all panellists as being just as important as transnational cooperation.

In a region under great pressure from environmental regulation, it is necessary to focus on enforcement of existing regulations rather than on the adoption of new rules, according to the Danish Maritime Authority (DMA).

Another problem which was stressed by several speakers during the event was the need to maintain and develop high-quality maritime education and training institutions around the Baltic Sea. The competitiveness of the region’s global maritime industry depends on the ability to supply a highly skilled maritime workforce.

The EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR), which was adopted by the European Council in October 2009, is Europe’s first macro-regional strategy. The strategy aims at reinforcing cooperation and actions within the Baltic Sea Region, in order to meet major challenges by working together, as well as promoting a balanced development in the area.