In view of the disruption generated by the COVID-19 pandemic on the maritime networks, the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) and the MEDports Association co-hosted a webinar with key sectorial partners to discuss how to enhance the sustainability and resilience of ports and maritime transport in the Mediterranean region during and after the pandemic.
The virtual meeting saw the participation of the International Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH), the International Transport Forum at the OECD (ITF), the Institut Supérieur d’Économie Maritime (ISEMAR), the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), the United Nations Conference for Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the European Commission (EC), as well as port authorities from the Mediterranean region and other areas across the globe.
The participants stressed that the Mediterranean Sea has been a critical maritime and commercial route for millennia and today. It is home to 87 ports of various sizes and strengths, serving local, regional, and international markets.
The COVID-19 pandemic has showcased the vulnerability of maritime networks, port efficiency, and hinterland connectivity in the Mediterranean to crisis situations.
Hervé Martel, President of the MEDports Association and CEO of the Port Maritime de Marseille, stated that: “We must anticipate and monitor the consequences of this crisis and contribute to building the day after through the implementation of new and more integrated innovative solutions in the Mediterranean basin aimed at advancing the ecological transition, the organizational renewal of regional logistics chains -in particular through the development of Motorways of the Sea services-, the industrial transition -including through relocation and re-regionalization of certain productive systems- and, finally, improving skills and qualifications to deal with all these changes.”
For his part, UfM Secretary General Nasser Kamel highlighted that: “The maritime industry is playing an essential role in the short-term emergency response to the pandemic, by facilitating the transport of vital commodities and products, thus sustaining jobs, international trade, and the global economy. Today, the UfM encourages regional partners to share good practices in the recovery phase so, in the final analysis, we succeed in keeping supply chains open at all times ensuring a continuous flow of maritime trade, while safeguarding health, safety and the well-being of the maritime transport community.”
Hervé Martel, President of the MEDports Association and CEO of the Port Maritime de Marseille, stated that: “We must anticipate and monitor the consequences of this crisis and contribute to building the day after through the implementation of new and more integrated innovative solutions in the Mediterranean basin aimed at advancing the ecological transition, the organizational renewal of regional logistics chains -in particular through the development of Motorways of the Sea services-, the industrial transition -including through relocation and re-regionalization of certain productive systems- and, finally, improving skills and qualifications to deal with all these changes.”
It was concluded that, with due regard to the protection of public health, ports must remain fully operational with all their regular services in place, guaranteeing complete functionality of the supply chains. Also, governments were called upon to support shipping, ports and transport operators in view of best practices.
The participants reiterated that the maritime transportation system will only be sustainable when it delivers safe, secure, efficient and reliable transport of goods across the world, while minimizing pollution, maximizing energy efficiency and ensuring resource conservation.
It was underlined that, in the maritime sector, resilience means that ports, and the organizations that depend on ports, can adapt to changing conditions and, when disruptions occur, they can recover quickly and resume business stronger than before.
Furthermore, it was noted that the COVID-19 pandemic could be an opportunity for the maritime industry to change the way the industry operates so as to effectively contribute to broader systemic resilience.
IAPH Managing Director Patrick Verhoeven highlighted that the crisis has painfully demonstrated that many ports are still lagging behind in terms of electronic commerce and data exchange. Acceleration of digitalization must, therefore, be a top priority in the post-COVID-19 era.
Meanwhile, Julian Abril Garcia, IMO Head of Facilitation, called for governments’ attention stating that “as of mid-June, around 150,000 seafarers per month will require international flights to ensure that crew changeovers can take place”.
Paul Tourret, Director of ISEMAR, stressed that we need to first understand the effects of the lockdown to build the recovery plan of the sector in the next month.
Nelly Asteriou and Szymon Oscislowski informed the participants that the EC introduced various short-term relief measures to maintain the freight flows, preserve the supply chains, protect crews and relieve current financial pressures on economic operators, along with medium to long term recovery measures to address economic recovery and ensure the sustainable development of the EU maritime industry over the years to come.
