ESC welcomes EC port liberalization move

ESC welcomes EC port liberalization move    The European Shippers’ Council Friday said it welcomes the revised, second proposal published by the European Commission last Wednesday on the liberalization port services in Europe.
   The shipper group believes the liberalization of port services is an opportunity to improve working practices and operational procedures within European ports, boost the role of ports as transport network hubs, and create competition within and between ports.
   “Greater efficiency stimulated by market competition in dockside activities such as cargo handling is essential in facilitating the rapid turnaround of ships in port,” the ESC said. It added that such changes would help give short sea shipping a competitive edge to increase its market share compared to that of other transport modes.
   “The ESC has taken note of the fact that the proposal would allow self-handling by sea-based crews only for short sea shipping journeys,” the shipper group said.
   Self-handling, meaning cargo-handling activities carried by the ship’s crew as opposed to by registered dockworkers, was one of the most divisive components of the EC’s first proposal on the liberalization of market access for port services in Europe. The first proposal was defeated by the European Parliament last November.
   The ESC considers the inclusion of cargo handling services in the scope of the EC directive to be critical. The Brussels-based shipper group said it will study the proposal in more detail and will publish a position paper soon.
   “European shippers are witnessing today serious problems in some of the largest ports in Europe,” said Nicolette van der Jagt, secretary general of the ESC. “Congestion has become a European problem and risks undermining the competitiveness of the European economy.”
   Since its publication, the EC’s second directive on port liberalization has been heavily criticized by organizations representing European ports, which said that the commission has failed to consult the industry.