Božena Bulum, PhD, and Prof. Marija Pijaca were guest lecturers at the Université de Bretagne Occidentale, in the Master Droit des Espaces et des Activités Maritimes program. This year, the focus of their lecture was on the EU legal framework governing the tonnage tax system, as well as the challenges posed by the decarbonisation of shipping and the digitalisation of the economy.
Our gratitude goes to Prof. Thomas Leclerc and Prof. Nicolas Boillet for the ongoing collaboration.
The lecture highlighted the unique nature of shipping as a global economic activity, characterizing it as one of the most sensitive industries, shaped by geopolitical and macroeconomic developments. Shipping companies experience significant revenue fluctuations due to the highly cyclical and volatile nature of their operations. To mitigate such instability, the tonnage tax system has been introduced to ensure greater fiscal predictability for shipowners. The tonnage tax constitutes a flat-rate levy determined by fleet size, rather than on the basis of actual corporate profits. It is regarded as a form of indirect state aid, as the state foregoes part of its potential tax revenue.
