European Parliament Strengthens EMSA for Safe Maritime Traffic

The updated mandate of the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) was agreed upon by the negotiators of the Council and the Parliament in June 2025 and confirmed by the Council in October 2025. It will enable the agency to assist EU countries in improving their maritime situational awareness in light of new geopolitical challenges such as the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, its shadow fleet, suspicious ship-to-ship transfers, and the deactivation of ship-based automatic identification systems.

(Brussels) EMSA will focus on ensuring a high level of safety and risk prevention in maritime traffic, reducing greenhouse gas emissions from ships, and preventing pollution from ships. The agency will continue to support EU governments in decarbonizing the shipping sector and will report every three years on the progress made, according to the new mandate.

Digitalization and reducing administrative burdens for the maritime sector will be additional tasks for EMSA. The MEPs succeeded in reaching an agreement that the agency will provide training for EU countries, e.g., on conducting safety inspections and digitalizing maritime registers.

The rapporteur of the European Parliament, Sérgio Humberto (EPP, PT), stated: “We live in times of great geopolitical instability. The seas, which were once merely trade corridors, have become the scene of hybrid threats, environmental risks, and challenges to the security of sea routes. For this reason, the European Maritime Safety Agency based in Lisbon plays a crucial role in strengthening monitoring and cooperation among member states.

With this regulation, the mandate of EMSA is strengthened, and three main objectives are pursued: ensuring a high and uniform level of safety in maritime traffic, supporting digital and ecological transformation, and enhancing vigilance and emergency response capacities. We are now on our way to the next challenge, always defending the interests of Europe.”

Next Steps and Background

The updated EMSA mandate will come into force on the twentieth day after its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. The review of the mandate of the European Maritime Safety Agency was part of the package on maritime safety presented by the Commission in June 2023 to modernize and strengthen EU regulations on safety and pollution prevention. Four of the five proposals to enhance maritime safety were adopted in April 2024.