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European tug owners and pilots: safety is paramount for EU port strategy
A consortium of European tug owners and pilots has called on the European Commission to make safety the top priority of its future sustainable ports strategy
When the European Union formulates its next strategy for developing sustainable ports in the region, it should enshrine safety as the overarching goal of harbour services, according to the European Tugowners Association (ETA), European Marine Pilots Association (EMPA) and European Dredging Association (EuDA).
The three organisations ran a workshop in mid-March 2025, covering the pivotal role of human action in decarbonising the port services sector. One of the main outcomes from that workshop was that the upcoming European Port Strategy should be all-comprehensive, "addressing a number of issues that affect the environmental and social sustainability of the European port services community," the three organisations said in a joint statement.
“The European Port Strategy should adopt a sustainable approach that balances environmental considerations and social aspects,” they said. "Additionally, it should acknowledge the full complexity of the logistics ecosystem within ports. In this context, it is important to highlight that the main and most essential goal of port services is safety."
The approach to safety as paramount for ports encompasses protection of port workers and residents, navigational safety, protection of port assets, and safety for visiting vessels, the groups said. And these protections must all be undertaken while also ensuring operational efficiency and environmental protection.
EMPA, ETA and EuDA are calling for further investment in harbours and port services, such as pilotage, towage and dredging, to fulfil safety commitments and achieve climate goals.
This should involve targeting some of the revenue from the EU’s emissions trading scheme into innovation to facilitate decarbonisation in ports and port services.
“It is crucial that funding is directed toward ports and port services,” said the ETA, EMPA and EuDA. “Ports should be recognised as green energy hubs… and play an essential part in decarbonising the shipping sector.”
These organisations are calling on the European Commission to simplify policies and ensure regulation compliance is streamlined “to ensure a level playing field among ports.”
They want the European port strategy to address geopolitical risks impacting maritime operations, such as GPS jamming and spoofing, cyber attacks on navigation systems and damage to subsea cables, and to prioritise security as a fundamental factor.
“Within this unpredictable context, highly trained professionals, such as maritime pilots, are essential as they can override autonomous systems and safely navigate and manoeuvre ships keeping supply chains open and the environment clean,” said the EMPA, ETA and EuDA.
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