The European Commission has launched a new maritime industrial alliance to steer investment into European shipbuilding, vessel retrofits and marine technologies, according to the European Commission.
The EU Industrial Maritime Value Chains Alliance, or EMA, was formally launched on 2 September and will bring together maritime manufacturers, shipowners and other users, EU member states and regions, investors and social partners.
Its remit covers shipbuilding, repair, maintenance, conversion and retrofitting, as well as dismantling and recycling of seagoing and inland vessels, floating platforms and specialised surface and underwater units.
Maritime and port equipment and technologies are also included. EMA will develop business cases, map supply and demand and build a pipeline of strategic projects intended to help manufacturers scale production and technology deployment. It will also support the EU and member states in identifying and aligning investment priorities and additional incentives.
Initial areas include sustainable short-sea, coastal and inland vessels, high-tech special-purpose ships and workboats, ocean-observation equipment, clean propulsion and other net-zero technologies, green retrofitting, automated manufacturing and industrial-scale ship recycling.
The programme could also support a multi-year pipeline of aggregated public orders involving shipyards, maritime equipment manufacturers, technology providers, shipowners, fuel suppliers, ports, financial institutions and investors.
Membership will remain open, with the first cut-off date set for 16 October 2026. The launch followed an announcement at a SEA Europe workshop during SMM Hamburg on 1 September.
EMA is a flagship measure of the EU Industrial Maritime Strategy presented on 4 March. The strategy sets an ambition for Europe’s maritime manufacturing industry to supply or retrofit 7,000 to 10,000 sustainable and digitalised vessels by 2035.
SEA Europe is the industry association representing European shipyards and maritime equipment manufacturers.