European Shortsea Network: Modular Shortsea Ships Alkis John Corres SPC GREECE

Shortsea shipping we call the maritime activity in and around the EU.. ....from which cross-ocean transportaion is excluded. Short sea Shipping is therefore the domestic shipping activity of the EU, the equivalent of the Jone’s Act in the US.

Shortsea Shipping therefore holds the EU together, although the EU keeps it disparate.

There are eighteen active shortsea promotion centres in the EU at the moment

These centres have formed an informal Network presided by a rolling presidency which changes every six months. Despite separate territorial waters – an anachronism which still persists – SSS still manages to hold its own. Internal cargo movements by sea still represent no less than using no less than 10,000 vessels in the process. The EU, just like every other regional economic power needs a dedicated fleet for the internal transport and distribution of cargoes. The split by sub-region is shown in the following slide. 27%

It is worth noticing the prportion of traffic represented by the Special Areas.

The ESN has answers to some of these problems.. ..and a proposal for the replacement of the shortsea fleet which uses.. ...production platforms for the creation of shortsea vessels in series.

The conceptual basis is quite simple.

The platforms have horizontal and vertical application Horizontally: Different types of shortsea merchant ships (freighter, tanker, gas carrier, containership etc) in each platform, and Vertically: Different size ranges featuring common bow, stern and accommodation. 3,000 dwt 2,200-4,000 dwt 6,000 dwt (5,000-7,500) 9,000 dwt ( απο 8,000- 11,000)

Our proposal was further checked by the research laboratory ICEPRONAV ..and these checks were culminated with a tank test of a ship model designed to our specifications with excellent results...

...reconfirming that our proposal with flexibility in length and – less so – in draft can cover he entire range from 2,000 – 11,000 dwt. The addition of further platforms can add sizes accordingly.

Now allow me to pre-empt an expected question from your side, if that is the proposed method can bring significant cost reductions to yards. The answer is ‘’yes’’ in view of significant savings in design, plan approval, speed of assembly and cost of ship equipment e.g. Engines, ontop of an up to 30% reduction in manhours.

Our proposal assumes longterm committment from all sides, i.e. Availability of loans from banks and owners’ participation. (This is the easier part.) EU funds’ participation in view of the Innovative/Green design of the ships in the spirit of the Athens Declaration (2014) and the subsequent Decision of the Council of Ministers.The entire EU Shortsea fleet can run on LNG in under 25 years with less than 200 billion euro investment. The EU must realize that capitalist systems need incentive policies in order to be controllable. Its present hybrid approach is leading nowhere. Minor changes in the Shipbuilding Directive.

Most of these vessels, unlike EU flag ships, are paying We need to move in this direction, Ladies and Gentlemen, as we are presently losing money. Under Regulation 3577/92 on cabotage a significant part of intra-EU shipping is carried by third flag vessels. Most of these vessels, unlike EU flag ships, are paying crew salaries, social security contributions, insurance cost and ship repairs in softer currencies while receiving freight income in euro. EU flag operators are at disadvantage as they are paying all the above in euro.

This anomaly only happens in the EU as all other trading blocks (Russia, US, India, Australia and China) reserve all domestic transportation to their own flag ships. I am asking therefore: Does the current regime offer to third flag operators free market access blatantly against the principle of reciprocity? Should we look into this matter ? Is the good quality and environmentally friendly European short sea ship operating under unfair competition? We all believe in open seas, free competition and in European Shortsea Shipping on condition however that competition is fair.

Open your national waters to EU flagged ships.. So, dear Russian, American, Chinese, Indian and Australian friends who have been working for many years in EU coasts for free.. Open your national waters to EU flagged ships.. ..so that we will not have to close ours to your tonnage.

Thank you very much for your attention. Ladies and Gentlemen, Thank you very much for your attention.