European port authorities are ready to celebrate another edition of their annual conference and the PortEconomics team is ready to sit central stage, shaping the discusssions of stakeholders on port cooperation and synergies.
PortEconomics co-director, and newly appointed MedCruise secretary general, Thanos Pallis will orchestrate discussions on marketing and promotion of port regions. Theo Notteboom, PortEconomics co-director, will be among the keynote speakers of the conference providing a thorough insight on the economic outlook for ports. Theo will also moderate a highlight debate of the first conference day between European port CEOs on the ‘port development through regional cooperation’.
Michael Dooms, a member of the PortEconomics team will talk about the international strategies of port authorities, with PortEconomics associate member Larissa van der Lugt chairing the session on perpsectives on cooperative synergies.
Patrick Verhoeven, PortEconomics associate member and ESPO secretary general, will take the floor the second day of the conference introducing the work that has been done on port performance indicators in Europe. Patrick will present a populated database of indicators that has been developed by ESPO and several PortEconomics members in a presentation being in essence the prelude of the next phase of port performance measurement in Europe.
The 2013 ESPO Conference entitled “Port Development through cooperation-Towards new Synergies” will take place in 30-31 May in Varna, Bulgaria.
With ‘cooperation’ as overall theme, the conference will discuss ways in which port authorities, operators and stakeholders can foster development and improve performance by working together. Specific issues to be explored include integration of ports in infrastructure corridors, marketing and promotion of port regions as well as intercontinental strategies of port authorities. Continuing a long-standing tradition, the conference will also devote considerable attention to EU policy developments.
If all goes according to schedule, the ESPO 2013 Conference may well be the first industry platform to discuss the European Commission’s new proposals on market access and transparency in ports that are expected to be published in the months to come.
Prior to the conference, a special interest seminar will focus on regional port cooperation in the Black Sea. This will mark the occasion of ESPO’s first event held in the ‘youngest’ region of the EU.
Find all the information about the conference @ The 2013 ESPO Conference website
