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 was “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.
On 10 November 2020, the Port of Algeciras was awarded the ESPO Award 2020 in recognition of its successful strategy to attract innovation and local start-ups. Adina Vălean, EU Commissioner for Transport, announced the ESPO Award Winner during a dedicated ESPO Award Digital Ceremony.
The Port of Algeciras won the 2020 Award for its project, “The Journey of Innovation – Travesía de la Innovación”. Algeciras is on a transformational pathway from the port authority being landlord, operator and regulator to becoming a business and efficiency partner. They have an open innovation portal, organise innovation days, and seminars and innovation awards, a port data lab and real working port challenges are the key tools gifted to start ups, the port partners with the municipality and the regional government, and is developing a connected innovation centre with the university.
Out of the seven submissions received this year, the projects of Algeciras Port Authority (Spain), Port of Amsterdam (the Netherlands), Port Authority of Lisbon (Portugal) and Puertos del Estado (Spain) had been shortlisted for this 12th edition. All the seven submissions are summarised in the ESPO Award Brochure 2020.
WINNERS OF THE ESPO AWARD
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.
