The Baltic Ports Organization welcomed the European Commission’s proposed EU Ports Strategy, recognizing it as a vital step toward securing the long-term competitiveness, security, and sustainability of European ports. The alliance prepared a statement addressing all the opportunities, challenges and recommendations related to the proposed document.

BPO emphasized that ports are far more than logistical nodes – they are dynamic economic engines central to Europe’s prosperity, trade, and connectivity. In particular, the Baltic Sea Region plays a pivotal role in passenger mobility and tourism, making a robust and forward-looking strategy essential.

While welcoming the initiative, BPO cautioned that the strategy’s success depends on its practical implementation. Policymakers are urged to focus on facilitating growth, streamlining processes, and reducing bureaucracy, rather than imposing new layers of regulatory burden.

“Our collective motto for this strategy should be ‘Easier, not harder,’” the statement reads, underscoring the need for a framework that supports ports in meeting complex challenges without jeopardizing their efficiency.

Key priorities highlighted by BPO:

• Competitiveness & sustainable growth: Investment procedures must be simplified, financing opportunities widened, and the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF III) recognized as the primary tool for port development.
• Security & resilience: With the Baltic Sea’s proximity to geopolitical tensions, ports must be prepared for hybrid threats, requiring EU-backed cybersecurity standards, funding for resilience, and balanced integration of military mobility.
• Green transition & future energy hubs: BPO supports Europe’s climate ambitions while cautioning against disproportionate regulations that could disadvantage EU ports. Market-driven demand, flexible financing, and realistic infrastructure planning for alternative fuels are essential. Ports should be empowered to evolve into energy hubs through investments in smart grids, hydrogen, and alternative fuels infrastructure, guided by clear EU-level safety and regulatory standards.
• Workforce development: BPO highlights the need to train and retrain staff for new technologies, digitalization, and low-emission fuels. The organization proposes better access to education and training programs, initiatives to promote diversity and integration in port workplaces, platforms for dialogue and knowledge exchange across the region, and proportional staff screening rules to maintain workforce availability.

A call for transparent implementation

“BPO concluded by stressing that the EU Ports Strategy must come with a clear, transparent implementation plan, supported by adequate financing mechanisms and deregulatory tools. Without these, ambitious goals on security, sustainability, and competitiveness risk being undermined” – underlined Bogdan Ołdakowski, BPO Secretary General. 

The organization reiterated its readiness to work closely with the European Commission and stakeholders to ensure the final strategy is pragmatic, supportive, and truly beneficial for the European maritime transport sector.

Download the BPO Statement