A. Introduction

41.001 Short sea shipping is, as its name suggests, the transport of goods or passengers by sea but over very short distances. It often has the attraction of diverting traffic which would otherwise be on land (e.g. by road or rail) to the sea. The European Union (“EU”) has been keen for various reasons (e.g. the protection of the environment) to divert cargo to short sea shipping. The EU has the aim of reducing 60% of the current level of greenhouse gas emissions generated by transport and by 2030 bringing about a shift of 30% of road freight carried over 300 kilometres to other modes. Shortsea Promotion Centres have been established in nearly all the coastal Member States. Moreover the European Commission has helped establish the European Shortsea Network.