EMSA Recommendations to EU Member States After Fremantle Highway

The European Maritime Safety Agency does not bind directly, but its recommendations to member states have a high uptake rate — particularly after a high-profile casualty in EU waters. After Fremantle Highway off Ameland in 2023 and the Dutch Safety Board investigation that followed, EMSA published a coordinated recommendation set that is now in active member-state implementation.

What EMSA recommended

• Enhanced detection coverage in enclosed vehicle spaces, prioritising newbuild contracting cycles.
• Improved crew evacuation procedures specific to vehicle-deck fires.
• Coordinated PSC focus on RoRo and PCTC tonnage at EU ports.
• Better data sharing across member states on vehicle-deck incidents — not just casualties.

What member-state uptake looks like

The Netherlands, Germany, and the Nordics have moved fastest on PSC focus and incident reporting. Mediterranean states have moved more slowly. The asymmetry creates a forum-shopping risk that EMSA is now working to close through coordinated PSC inspection cycles. Operators on EU coastwise routes can expect more consistent inspection posture across ports through 2026–2027.

What this means for non-EU operators

EMSA recommendations bleed into Paris MoU detention criteria within roughly two years. Non-EU flag operators calling EU ports inherit the inspection posture without inheriting the regulatory drafting. The practical effect is the same.

Sources

• EMSA — "Guidance on the Carriage of Alternative Fuel Vehicles in RoRo Spaces" (2023, updated 2024).
• Dutch Safety Board — "Fremantle Highway" investigation report (2024).
• Paris MoU on Port State Control — Annual Reports 2023, 2024, 2025.
• EMSA — "Annual Overview of Marine Casualties and Incidents 2024."
• [VERIFY: Member-state-by-member-state PSC uptake characterisation — Paris MoU publishes aggregate; breakdown by RoRo segment per member state requires custom extraction.]