Port-city projects in the running for top award

The theme of this 12th edition of the ESPO Award is “Enhancing the port-city relationship by encouraging innovators and local start-ups to be part of the port ecosystem”.

“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,” said Isabelle Ryckbost secretary general, ESPO.

Innovation

The seven port projects that 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).

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 at the ESPO Award Ceremony and Dinner taking place on 10 November at Les Brigittines in Brussels.

The ESPO Award was established in 2009 to promote innovative projects of port authorities that improve social integration of ports, especially with the city or wider community in which they are located. In this way, the award aims to stimulate the sustainable development of European ports and their cities.

Previous winners of the Award include Guadeloupe Ports Caraïbes (2017), Port of Rotterdam (2018) and Port of Dover (2019).

The Port of Dover won the 2019 Award for its project, “Transparen-SEA (Socially Engaged Accountability)”, a comprehensive programme of consultative and social community engagement events alongside the cultivation of an internal network of port ambassadors whose advocacy ultimately permeates back into the local community.

This was all supported with a social media overlay that connects directly with the community and reinforces the aims of the project.

Look out for some reports on the individual projects up for the award in the coming weeks on GreenPort.