Writing a foreword for the annual report of the EUROPEAN SKIPPER’S ORGANISATION (ESO) VzW is and remains a great challenge for me as president. I am therefore very proud to be able to present this report to you again for the 2023 working year!
And speaking of challenges! The European inland shipping sector – and more specifically our independent inland skippers/inland shipping entrepreneurs – also face extremely challenging issues in the coming years!
Without the ambition to be complete, I will nevertheless venture a brief summary: energy transition, greening, (new) crew regulation, staff shortages, automation, digitalization, etc., etc.
Every company – even outside our sector – is confronted with this today!
More in the macro-economic sphere, I should certainly add the aspect of “modal shift” as far as inland shipping is concerned. The necessary attention to our ecological environment is of course of (over) vital importance. However, in my opinion, this should be accompanied by healthy, pragmatic economic growth and incentives. ESO will work tirelessly to achieve this!
It makes me hopeful that, from my daily practice as an accountant, I can conclude that our (European) supporters are increasingly delving into each of these issues. In this regard, a very strong awareness process has been initiated!
ESO 50 years
The ESO, founded in 1975, will celebrate its 50th anniversary next year. The necessary preparations for this are taking more concrete forms! You will be further informed about this in due course. This event is also a unique and fantastic challenge for our directors and myself. Perhaps this will also be a pivotal moment for many of us! We are looking forward to it!
I hereby invite you to read the more detailed explanation in this annual report, with thanks to our esteemed Secretary General Gerard Kester, and to carefully read his critical view on each of these topics.
Christiaan Van Lancker
president
Find the complete foreword and annual report (english/dutch) via this link.