The European Commission found that the Chilean maritime carrier CSAV, the Japanese carriers "K" Line, MOL and NYK, and the Norwegian/Swedish carrier WWL-EUKOR participated in a cartel concerning intercontinental maritime transport of vehicles, and imposed a total fine of €395 million.

18. Welcomes the decision of 12 December 2011 by the Foreign Affairs Council to establish a regional maritime capacity-building initiative, known as EUCAP Nestor, in order to strengthen the maritime and judicial capabilities and training of coastal police forces and judges, in consultation with and with the consent of the local communities in five countries in the Horn of Africa and the western Indian Ocean; calls on all Member States to staff the new mission without delay with competent civilian and military personnel; calls for close coordination with other initiatives, including the EU’s MARSIC project, ...[+++]under the Critical Maritime Routes Programme sponsored by the Instrument for Stability and the regional Maritime Security Programme (MASE), initiated by the countries of the Eastern and Southern Africa and Indian Ocean region and supported by the EU, and aimed at tackling piracy on land and enhancing judicial capacities to arrest, transfer, detain and prosecute piracy suspects; believes that only by enhancing the coastal security capabilities of the riparian countries, addressing the root causes of piracy on land and encouraging adherence to the BMP4 Best Management Practices for shipping and improved standards for the maritime security industry, will the international community be able to achieve the wider goal of stability and security for the region and therefore reduce the need for naval patrols in the area;

(27) In this context, the development of the "Equasis" system has shown how important it is to encourage a "safe seas" culture, especially in maritime transport operators.

In particular, Parliament can count itself very fortunate that the Council has accepted its demand that the definition of self-handling should cover only the deployment of the shipping companies’ own seamen and not of its land-based staff as well.

Shipping companies have acquired more entrepreneurial room, which they need in order to secure a good return on investments.

The Council accepted Parliament’s definition of self-handling, which will only be allowed in cases where shipping companies deploy their own seamen and equipment.