Our events

ESPO award ESPO conference

ESPO AWARD

To promote the efforts made by different European ports to enhance the city port relations through innovative projects, ESPO decided in 2009 to give out an annual ESPO award on Social Integration of Ports. After the two first editions, it was decided to focus each year on one different aspect of social integration.

The themes addressed so far are: Creative Strategies to Communicate the Port to the Wider Public (2011), Youth (2012), Heritage (2013), Innovative Environmental Projects (2014), Relationship with Schools and Universities (2015), Nature in Ports (2016), Art and Cultural involvement of the port (2017), Ports as a good work environment for everyone (2018), and Transparency and the role of social media in reaching out to the local community (2019).

The 2020 theme is “Role of the port in encouraging innovators and local start-ups to be part of the port ecosystem”.

Innovation is key for European ports if they want to prepare for a zero-carbon and digital future. Most European ports are situated in or near big urban agglomerations where innovation and start-up businesses are at their best.

The ESPO Award 2020 will go to the port managing body that has developed a successful strategy to attract innovation and local start-ups to the port and thus matches supply and demand for innovative solutions for the port and its stakeholders. The winning port will demonstrate to what extent this strategy has led not only to stimulating innovation in the port, but also making the port ecosystem an attractive place for innovative ideas and local young start-up talents.

The following seven port projects will be competing for the ESPO Award 2020: Port of Oulu (Finland), Thessaloniki Port Authority (Greece), Port Authority of Lisbon (Portugal), Algeciras Port Authority (Spain), Puertos del Estado (Spain), Port of Amsterdam (the Netherlands) and Port of Rotterdam (the Netherlands) (in alphabetical order by country).

The projects of Algeciras Port Authority (Spain), Port of Amsterdam (the Netherlands), Port Authority of Lisbon (Portugal) and Puertos del Estado (Spain) have been shortlisted for the ESPO Award 2020. The ESPO Award winning port will be selected by an independent jury of international experts, under the Chairmanship of Pat Cox, former President of the European Parliament and TEN-T Coordinator. The winner will be announced during a special virtual event on 10 November.

REGISTER HERE

WINNERS OF THE ESPO AWARD

2009 Port of Gijón (Spain) | Gijón Port & City Together
Special mentions: port of Genoa (Italy) Genoa Port Center –Breaking Down the “Social Distancing” of the Port. Port of Ghent (Belgium) Project Ghent Canal Zone -Working Together on the Sustainable Development of the Ghent-Terneuzen Canal Zone
2010 Port of Helsinki (Finland) | Port as Part of the City
2011 Ports of Stockholm (Sweden) | Hamnvision 2015 (Portvision 2015)
2012 Port of Genoa (Italy) | Citizens of the Port – Knowing and Living the Port of Genoa
2013 Port of Antwerp (Belgium) | Heritage: The Breadcrumb Trail between City and Port
2014 Port of Koper | No waste, just ressources
2015 Port of Dublin (Ireland) | Port Communities Educational Support Programme
Special mention for Port of Guadeloupe Discovering my port
2016 bremenports (Germany) | LUNEPLATE
2017 Guadeloupe Port Caraïbes (France) | Port’Art
2018 Port of Rotterdam Authority (The Netherlands) | The Port of Rotterdam creates a good working environment for everyone
2019 Port of Dover (United Kingdom) | Transparen-SEA (Socially Engaged Accountability)

7 ports projects for the ESPO Award 2020 Pictures 2019 Winner 2019 Booklets with previous submitted projects

2019 ESPO Award | Albert Hall, Brussels

Port of Dover | Wins the ESPO Award 2019!

ESPO Conference 2019 - Livorno | 23-24 May, Goldoni Theatre

ESPO Conference 2019 - Livorno | Closing Roundtable Session on new policy and policy makers with Wim van de Camp, Zeno D’Agostino, Magda Kopczynska, Eamonn O’Reilly, Pawel Wojciechowski and Lieselot Marinus

ESPO Conference 2019 - Livorno | Fireside chat between between Pino Musolino, President of the North Adriatic Sea Port Authority and Kurt Bodewig, TEN-T Coordinator for the Motorways of the Sea

ESPO Conference 2021 | Oslo to host the next ESPO Conference on 27-28 May 2021

ESPO’S ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Every year, one of ESPO’s member ports hosts the annual conference.
Following 16 successful editions, ESPO’s annual conference has become a meeting point for European port industry and transport policy makers. The conference features very high quality speakers, allows for open debates on topics that are high on the ports’ agenda and includes multiple networking events in beautiful settings. It is a unique opportunity for industry, stakeholders and European political scene to meet, discuss and learn from each other.

To consult the pictures and presentations of previous editions, click here.

We felt obliged to cancel the ESPO Conference 2020, which was due to take place in Oslo, due to the spread of the COVID-19 in Europe.

Our annual event has been postponed to 2021, same place, same period! Pin the date in your calendar: 27 – 28 May 2021! With the Port of Oslo, we are really in good hands to make the 2021 edition of our Conference an even stronger version.

If you have any questions regarding the 2020 or 2021 edition of the Conference in Oslo, you can contact Mrs Braekke from the Port of Oslo: ESPO2020@oslohavn.no.

The theme, programme and practical information for next year’s edition will be disseminated in early 2021 through the official conference website.

Speakers' presentations 2019 Pictures 2019