Statement of EU VicePresident Antonio Tajani on 31/08/2012 “Industry is at the heart of Europe and indispensable for finding solutions to the challenges of our society, today and in the future. Europe needs industry and industry needs Europe. We must tap into the full potential of the Single Market, its 500 million consumers and its 20 million entrepreneurs.”
In this era of intensifying globalization, the concept of national sectors and industries is obsolete. Coordinated European policy responses are needed. Europe also needs an approach that looks at the whole value chain, from infrastructure and raw materials to after-sales service. Promoting the creation and growth of small and medium-sized enterprises has to be at the core of EU industrial policy.
The global container port industry
is forecasted to boom by 2017
Global container port throughput is forecast to surpass 800m teu by 2017, but port capacity growth will remain 6% below demand growth, according to the latest port sector report from Drewry Maritime Research.
The Global Container Terminal Operators Annual Review and Forecast 2011 states that the economic uncertainty remains a key challenge for the global industry however, capacity expansion and the number of terminal operators will vary significantly from region to region with Europe expected to remain flat, North America to show a little growth and Asia to continue to dominate.
