The largest port in Greece, Piraeus Port Authority, will host the 16th Greenport Congress from 20-22 October 2021.
The Port of Piraeus plays a crucial role in the development of international trade as well as the local and national economy. As one of the one of the largest ports in the Mediterranean Piraeus Port offers unique advantages because of its infrastructure and strategic position, at the crossroads of Asia, Africa and Europe.
Situated close to international trade routes, the port is a hub of international trade due to its status as the only European port in the East Mediterranean with the necessary infrastructure for the accommodation of transhipment cargo.
Piraeus Port connects continental Greece with the islands and is an international cruise centre with a commercial hub providing services to ships of any type and size. Situated on the outskirts of Athens it acts as the main gate for Hellenic imports and exports, and forms the perfect location for next year’s Greenport Cruise and Congress
Officials at Piraeus Port commented, “The Port of Piraeus, the Center of Mediterranean Cruise Experience welcomes GreenPort Cruise & Congress, which is expected to engage business, political, academic and other top experts in an effort to emerge sustainability issues, to influence the national and regional agendas and to promote socially responsible growth policies”.
The 2021 conference will cover a range of themes including the financial and technical challenges to onshore power supply, ports getting ahead for new fuels, collaborative community projects, sustainable transport and logistics in the hinterland connections of the port, eco-cruise ships and sustainable cruise initiatives in Europe.
Andrew Webster, Chief Executive of Mercator Media, organiser of the conference commented, “GreenPort Congress is an established and relied upon event among port professionals. We are pleased to announce the 2021 host of the Congress and look forward to the crucial insight and knowledge that such a busy and influential port such as Piraeus will be able to bring to the discussion”
GreenPort Cruise & Congress brings together the whole port community. In 2019 the conference welcomed 213 attendees from 28 counties in Europe, North America, Asia and Oceania. Conference attendees included 98 port authorities, as well as terminal operators, shipping lines, logistics operators and key cruise and commercial operators.
The Keynote session typically features a number of leading experts discussing high level policy developments, environmental legislation and emissions reduction milestones affecting professionals across the ports, logistics and terminals sector.
At the previous edition of the conference, the audience benefited from a joint opening session featuring the top issues facing both commercial and cruise ports. Speakers included local government, the Norwegian Maritime Authority, a shipowner’s association and a port director who were able to discuss the fine balance between legislation and cooperation. This led into an opening cruise panel featuring speakers from Royal Caribbean Cruises, Carnival, Hurtigruten and Viking Lines.
GreenPort Cruise & Congress provides a meeting place for attendees to both learn about and discuss the latest in sustainable development and environmental best practice to enable them to effectively implement the changes needed to reduce their carbon footprint and to be more sensitive to environmental considerations.