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Europe is a maritime superpower and current European research in the waterborne transport sector is aimed at stimulating growth and contributing to the maintenance and strengthening of this global leadership position. This means setting the highest possible quality standards for safe and sustainable maritime operations as well as increasing the pace of waterborne transport innovations.
European companies understand that an integral cluster approach at a European level is a critical condition for achieving the ambitious objectives set out in the WATERBORNE Technology Platform's Vision 2020 document, an important step forward on the road to forging ties between European maritime companies, sectors and national authorities. The move towards pan-European unification is now spreading rapidly and will facilitate cross border co-operation, not only between leading firms, but also between small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) networks.
Research funding will focus on:
Safe, sustainable and efficient waterborne operations
Waterborne transport is the most sustainable transport mode from the economic and environmental points of view. In recent years significant reductions in accident rates and consequences have been achieved. The effect on some vessel types has been stunning; for example, bulk carrier losses have fallen to a third of the level they were in 1990. In tanker shipping the average number of large oil spills (>700 tons) during the 1970s was three times that during the 1990s.
The challenge for the marine industries is to sustain this achievement while seeing a massive increase in waterborne transport. This increase is now being driven by ever-increasing globalisation, increasing population demand for energy and food, shifting trade patterns and environmental pressures pushing freight from roads to rail and water in Europe. The waterborne transport industries need to ensure that continuous and cost effective improvements are made in competitiveness, as well as reducing risk and keeping the environmental footprint of waterborne transport and operations to a minimum.
A competitive European maritime industry
Constantly changing market, societal and environmental conditions create new opportunities and new challenges. The European maritime industry, based in an area of wealth and high social and environment protection standards, must address these challenges by means of technological and commercial research, development and innovation, to maintain leadership and competitiveness.
Waterborne transport research covers parallel development of the supply chains, equipment and materials, manufacturing and support infrastructure. It deals with all vessel types from high-volume and specialised cargo vessels, large cruise ships and ferries through special service supply ships, ice breakers, tugs and dredgers, research and coast guard vessels to super yachts, sailboats and powerboats.
The economic impact of the maritime industry cannot be overstated. More than three million people work directly in the European waterborne sector and generate a turnover of about €200 billion with an added value totalling about €100 billion. This represents more than 1% of EU GDP. Maritime transport continues to grow at twice the rate of global GDP, with between 80 to 90% of all goods imported and exported by Europe being transported by sea. Within the EU, more than 40% of goods are carried by water.
Managing and facilitating growth and changing trade patterns
World population is growing rapidly, from about six billion in year 2000 to an expected eight billion in the year 2020, mainly due to growth in Asia and Latin America. The demand for food and energy is growing accordingly. In 2020 an additional demand for primary energy of at least 50% compared to today's level is now expected. The consequence will be an increased need for waterborne transport. The changing distribution of population and industrial production, as well as rapidly growing global co-operation and outsourcing, are also adding substantial worldwide waterborne transport demands. Europe has the largest single share in global waterborne transport. Maintaining this position requires focused efforts.
Immense challenges must be faced to ensure that Europe's seaways and infrastructure remain capable of safely handling the increased number and size of ships. This infrastructure requires long lead times for development to accommodate increasing trade. A modern network of seaports and inland ports must constantly evolve to provide for the forecast activity increases of the order of 10% per year. Additionally, facilities for pleasure and sport boats must expand to meet the increasing public demand for waterborne leisure activities.