By
Rebecca Lambert |
The European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Cruise Baltic, Cruise Europe, Cruise Norway and MedCruise.
While gathered in Barcelona for the Seatrade Med Cruise Convention, the five organisations have all committed to work together to strengthen the voice of the European cruise and ferry port sector.
As part of the agreement:
-ESPO will intensify its efforts as the official voice of the European cruise and ferry port sector
-A Cruise and Passenger port network will be set up within ESPO that will bring together Cruise Baltic, Cruise Europe, Cruise Norway and MedCruise and representatives of cruise and ferry port authorities. This network will meet regularly to discuss the latest developments at EU policy level relevant to the cruise and ferry port sector and will define which interests should be defended
-ESPO will engage when needed in a constructive debate with the associations representing cruise lines and other stakeholders involved in the cruise or ferry sector and investigate potential collaborative synergies
-ESPO will develop a Code of Good Practice for EU cruise and ferry ports together with Cruise Baltic, Cruise Europe, Cruise Norway and MedCruise. The network will build on the work of the ESPO passenger committee using the expertise of the participating cruise associations.
“Cruise and ferry traffic is an increasingly important market segment for European ports and faces port authorities with specific challenges,” said Isabelle Ryckbost, ESPO’s secretary general. “Cruise and ferry activities in ports can however not be isolated from the freight business. It is therefore important that ESPO looks at both and makes it possible to have an integrated approach when defining common positions of the port authorities on relevant policy issues.”