Amid rising geopolitical tensions, cyber threats and the need to safeguard critical infrastructure, the European Tug Association (ETA) is calling for tugs to be classed as a strategic industry.
It wants the European Commission to introduce measures to strengthen Europe’s shipbuilding and maritime equipment industries under its forthcoming European Maritime Industrial Strategy.
In its response to the Commission’s call for evidence, the association says European shipyards remain leaders in maritime innovation but are increasingly losing vessel orders to lower-cost Asian competitors. To reverse the trend, it is calling for financial incentives, including easier access to finance, tax breaks and funding support, to encourage shipowners to invest in vessels and equipment built in Europe.
The ETA also wants the strategy to accelerate investment in cleaner propulsion systems, digital technologies and retrofitting programmes, saying upgrading existing tug fleets is one of the fastest ways to reduce emissions while extending vessel life.
Central to the submission is a call for towage to be recognised alongside military vessels, dredgers and icebreakers as a strategic capability. The association says harbour tugs play a critical role not only in routine port operations, but also in firefighting, pollution response, emergency vessel movements and maintaining port resilience during periods of geopolitical tension.
Other recommendations include creating strategic European inventories of critical tug spare parts to reduce dependence on overseas suppliers and improving workforce skills through greater investment in recruitment, training and upskilling.
Building resilience and competitiveness
According to the ETA, the proposed measures would strengthen Europe’s maritime industrial base while improving the resilience of ports and towage operations.
Supporting European-built vessels and equipment would help maintain the region’s technological leadership, encourage investment in advanced tug designs and accelerate the adoption of low-emission propulsion systems.
Funding for retrofits would also allow operators to modernise existing fleets more quickly rather than relying solely on newbuild programmes.
The association believes recognising towage as a strategic maritime sector would open access to wider European resilience and defence funding, reflecting the industry’s growing importance in safeguarding critical port infrastructure and supporting emergency operations.
Combined with more secure supply chains for engines, winches, control systems and other essential components, the measures would help ensure European tug operators can continue providing reliable services during both routine operations and periods of disruption, while supporting the long-term competitiveness of the continent’s maritime industry.
The EU has already had a Critical Entities Resilience Directive in place since 2023, which formally recognises an organisation as ‘essential to maintaining vital societal functions or economic activity and brings with it a framework of resilience, supervision and support’.
‘Critical Entities’ are supported through guidance, training, resilience exercises, information sharing and sometimes financial resources.
