ESC FEARS AMENDED PORT DIRECTIVE WILL HINDER COMPETITION

ESC FEARS AMENDED PORT DIRECTIVE WILL HINDER COMPETITION    The European Shippers’ Council criticized amendments to the European port liberalization directive made by the European Parliament, saying that it will hinder potential competition from new cargo-handling operators.
   “This initiative now seems to have the sole objective of discouraging prospective service providers from being allowed to operate in competition with existing providers,” the Brussels-based council said.
   The ESC said that the European Parliament’s amended market access to port services directive excludes pilotage services from the scope of the directive and “severely restricts” self-handling. The parliament allowed seafarers to conduct cargo-handling operations in ports, but not land-based personnel from shipowners.
   “The market access to ports directive provides shippers with the best opportunity yet to improve working practices and operational procedures within European ports, boost the role of ports as transport network hubs and create competition in and between ports,” said Nicolette van der Jagt, secretary general of the ESC.
   The ESC also believes that the watered-down directive could jeopardize future opportunities for the development of short-sea shipping in Europe, an essential part of the European Union’s 10-year transport strategy.
   The European council of transport ministers, which had backed a wider liberalization of cargo-handling, will examine the port directive again in the next few weeks.