• Published on 11 March 2026
  • 5 minute read

IMCA welcomes recognition of marine contracting industry’s pivotal role in EU Industrial Maritime Strategy

The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) has welcomed the publication of the European Commission’s EU Industrial Maritime Strategy, released on 4 March alongside the EU Ports Strategy.

The Strategy sets out a vision to strengthen Europe’s maritime industrial base and recognises the growing importance of specialised offshore and subsea capabilities in delivering Europe’s energy security, digital connectivity, and defence readiness.

Importantly for the sector, the Strategy identifies a range of offshore and subsea assets as strategically important, including submarine cable vessels, offshore wind installation and support vessels, specialised subsea vessels, underwater drones, and dual-use offshore support vessels.

This represents a significant shift in EU policy thinking, recognising marine contractors not simply as service providers, but as key enablers of critical offshore infrastructure and maritime capability.

Across the Strategy, several initiatives align closely with IMCA’s longstanding calls for stronger recognition of the sector’s role, for greater investment in maritime skills and port infrastructure, and with its concerns over the application of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) to the Offshore Sector.

Iain Grainger, Chief Executive of IMCA, said: “The European Commission’s recognition of the marine contracting sector as a strategic enabler of Europe’s energy security, digital connectivity, and maritime resilience is extremely welcome.

“We look forward to engaging with EU institutions to ensure the Strategy translates into practical support for the capabilities and investment needed to deliver Europe’s offshore ambitions.”

Key takeaways for the marine contracting industry

1. Strategic recognition of offshore and subsea capabilities

The Strategy explicitly identifies a number of specialised vessels and technologies as strategically important for Europe, including:
  • submarine cable vessels,
  • offshore wind support and installation vessels,
  • converter and floating platforms,
  • specialised subsea vessels,
  • underwater drones and surveillance systems, and
  • dual-use offshore support vessels.
These capabilities are directly linked to the protection of EU critical infrastructure, the development of offshore renewable energy, the security of submarine data cables and broader defence readiness.
This recognition signals a significant shift in EU industrial policy: marine contractors are now viewed as key enablers of Europe’s energy transition, digital infrastructure and maritime security.

2. Launch of the EU Industrial Maritime Value Chains Alliance

The European Commission will launch an EU Industrial Maritime Value Chains Alliance in 2026 to strengthen European industrial sovereignty in key maritime sectors.
The Alliance will bring together industry and public authorities to:
  • align investment priorities across Member States,
  • build coordinated project pipelines,
  • identify supply chain vulnerabilities, and
  • support European leadership in strategic maritime markets.
Early engagement will be important to ensure offshore service providers are properly represented in the Alliance’s work and future project pipelines.

3. ETS revenues to support maritime decarbonisation

The Strategy highlights the role of EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) revenues in financing maritime decarbonisation.
The Commission strongly encourages Member States to allocate ETS revenues to maritime transition projects and will explore the creation of a dedicated EU mechanism to support the uptake of sustainable fuels and clean propulsion technologies.
The Commission will also consider simplifying the monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) framework associated with EU ETS Maritime and FuelEU Maritime.
In parallel, the EU will continue working within the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to pursue global solutions, and avoid regulatory duplication.

5. Regulatory framework for autonomous and unmanned shipping

The Strategy also highlights the EU’s ambition to lead in autonomous maritime technologies.
The Commission will pursue a regulatory and technical framework for unmanned shipping at both EU and international levels, including guidelines and best practices for testing and trials at sea.
This could accelerate the development of remotely operated and autonomous maritime systems, including those used in offshore inspection and subsea operations.

6. Defence funding opportunities for specialised vessels

The Strategy links maritime industrial policy with Europe’s growing defence ambitions.
Under the ReArm Europe Plan, which aims to mobilise up to €800bn in defence spending by 2030, Member States may invest in dual-use maritime capabilities such as:
  • vessels for offshore and underwater infrastructure maintenance,
  • cable-laying and repair ships,
  • offshore support vessels, and
  • dredgers, tugs and other sealift assets.
Additional EU support is also being directed toward strengthening submarine cable infrastructure, including €347m allocated under the Connecting Europe Facility Digital programme to strategic cable projects and repair capacity.

7. Addressing maritime skills shortages

The Strategy identifies significant workforce challenges across the maritime sector.
To address this, the Commission proposes measures such as:
  • establishing a network of maritime higher education institutions,
  • expanding participation in Erasmus+ programmes,
  • strengthening labour standards and workforce mobility.
These initiatives aim to ensure the maritime workforce can support the digitalisation and decarbonisation of the sector.

Looking ahead

The EU Industrial Maritime Strategy firmly anchors the marine contracting sector within Europe’s energy, digital and defence policy frameworks.

The coming 18–24 months will be critical. Key initiatives such as the Industrial Maritime Value Chains Alliance and the upcoming ETS review will determine whether the Strategy’s recognition of the sector translates into concrete policy and investment support.

IMCA will therefore continue to engage proactively with European institutions and stakeholders to ensure the marine contracting industry’s capabilities and expertise are fully reflected in the implementation of the Strategy.

The European Parliament is also expected to produce an own-initiative report responding to the Strategy, providing an additional opportunity to engage with policymakers and help shape the political debate around Europe’s maritime industrial future.

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