EMEC in the Maritime Cluster
EMEC stands for a strong European marine equipment industry. It optimises the interaction between the member associations and the European institutions, and drives the involvement of companies in all EU programs for increasing the quality of marine technology and the competitiveness and prosperity of the whole industry.
A strong maritime cluster in Europe is essential in creating the right environment for sound innovation, expanding exports and effective partnership working.
Intensive cooperation with the other sectors within the European maritime cluster, especially the shipowners and shipyards, to identify and anticipate their needs are essential for ensuring the well being of the whole maritime cluster.
The cluster comprises the whole European maritime cluster: ship building and repair yards, shipowners (seagoing, short sea, inland navigation, fisheries, dredging), offshore oil and gas, marine contractors, navies, service providers, ports, (mega) yachts etc. Marine equipment and services have a strong interest in the well being of the entire cluster.
Without the benefits of a strong home market no quick design-production feedback can be generated, therefore hampering innovation in the supply chain.
The shipbuilding industry generates highly integrated very complex products which require a remarkable amount of scientific knowledge as well as intelligent manufacturing technologies. Ships are the largest mobile objects under manufacture, and their long life-cycle together with their high level of safety and operating autonomy in a generally hostile environment make them one of the most sophisticated capital goods for investment. All this can be extended to the whole maritime industry which is clearly strategic for Europe, giving as a result the absolute need for a healthy and powerful marine equipment industry.
Growing globalisation is accompanied by increased seaborne trade, requiring an integrated, efficient and reliable transport system. Also the aggressiveness of non-European competitors is growing and the advanced exploitation of all kind of marine resources, including energy production, has increased. This makes the world more complex for the equipment industries.
In order to maintain the strength and critical mass of the European maritime cluster the initiatives of individual sectors (shipbuilders, shipoyards) towards the European Commission should be supported, and integrated into a sectoral approach where possible.
