On 26 September, Tallinn hosted the international maritime conference “New Reality in Shipping”, bringing together shipowners, policymakers and experts from Estonia and across Europe. The discussions highlighted how growing regulatory pressure, the green transition and economic uncertainty are shaping the sector’s future.
In his opening remarks, Minister of Infrastructure Kuldar Leis underlined that shipping is of critical importance for Estonia’s economy and security. He stressed that the development of the sector requires close cooperation between the state, businesses and educational institutions. Elise Nassar, President of the Estonian Shipowners’ Association, pointed out the need to safeguard Estonia’s competitiveness in a context where European rules are becoming increasingly detailed and investment needs are rising.
Sotiris Raptis, Secretary General of the European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA), emphasised that European shipping must remain a strategic asset. According to him, the key challenge is to balance climate policy goals with labour shortages and competitiveness. “If Europe wants to lead on climate action, it must also ensure that shipping companies have the real possibility to invest in new technologies,” Raptis said.
Tarmo Ots, Maritime and Aviation Counsellor at Estonia’s Permanent Representation to the EU, provided an overview of regulatory developments in Brussels and stressed the role of shipping in achieving the Union’s climate objectives. Swedbank’s Chief Economist Tõnu Mertsina added an economic perspective, noting the impact of interest rates and freight costs on exporters and investment decisions.
Panel discussions explored how shipowners are adapting to this “new reality,” what the green transition means for daily business operations, and the role of innovation and digitalisation in maintaining resilience. The future of maritime skills and how to ensure workforce renewal were also among the key topics.
According to the organisers, the conference received very positive feedback from participants, and proposals for next year’s topics and speakers are already being collected. A recording of the event is available on www.maritimeconference.eu
with the password maritime2025, and the photo gallery can be viewed on Flickr.
The conference was organised and supported by the Estonian Shipowners’ Association, Tallink Grupp, Port of Tallinn, Port of Kunda, DNV, Tallinn University of Technology Estonian Maritime Academy, and Corpore Conferences.