abstract:The modern terms short sea shipping, marine highway and motorways of the sea refer to the historical terms coastal trade, coasting trade and coastwise trade, which encompass the movement of cargo and passengers mainly by sea, without directly crossing an ocean.The Development of Short Sea Shipping in Europe: A Dynamic Alternative in a Sustainable Transport Chain, COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS, Second Two-yearly Progress Report.