DAY I: Baltic ports met in Helsinki and celebrate BPO’s 25th Anniversary

Around 200 key representatives from the European port and related sectors gathered at the Grand Marina Conference Center in Helsinki to examine latest developments in policy, economy and trade. Participants also discussed Baltic’s leading example in clean shipping and green ports as well as methods of compliance with environmental regulations. Apart from the above discussions, members and guests of the BPO will gather in the evening to celebrate the organization’s 25th anniversary.

Reminiscing the past and exploring the future

The first day of the Baltic Ports Conference 2016 took the participants on a trip from the past straight into the future.

Christel Wiman, BPO’s former Chairman, delivered a touching anniversary speech and cast a look at the changes in the ports sector in the past 25 years, while at the same time considering its upcoming dynamics.

Session I saw the speakers dive deeper into the future. In their keynote speeches, Esko Aho, Chairman at East Office Finnish Industry and Lene Espersen, Chair of the Baltic Development Forum, considered Baltic Sea Region’s needs for future development and the significance of constantly strengthened regional cooperation.

It was all about the future again during Session II, when Henrik Hololei, Director-General at DG Mobility and Transport took the podium to examine the role of EU’s policy makers in creating a level playing field for all ports – a topic of utmost importance for the BPO.
Markku Mylly, Executive Director at EMSA, was up next to give the participants a rundown of environmental and safety challenges in front of the maritime transport sector, with an additional focus on relations between neighboring countries.

The journey into the future didn’t end during Session III, which concluded the first day of the event. Tuuli Koivu, Senior Analyst at NORDEA and Lars Jensen, CEO and Partner at SeaIntelligence Consulting, tackled the economic state of the game in the Baltic Sea Region and recent global movements in the shipping and port markets, presenting a future outlook for these sectors.

BPO Seminar on Comprehensive Ports

Even before the BPC 2016 officially kicked-off, a group of stakeholders from the shipping and port sectors assembled at BPO’s seminar dedicated to the topic of comprehensive ports, which took place on September 7th and was hosted by the Port of Helsinki.
BPO’s General Assembly approved the creation of the Working Group on Comprehensive Ports.
Look forward to our next week’s newsletter for a more detailed rundown of the seminar’s resolutions.

Happy 25th birthday, BPO!

25 years ago an idea of a strong and competitive Baltic region came to life. For a quarter of century, the Baltic Ports Organization has been actively involved in the development of the region, bringing together the Baltic countries and proving, that a great deal can be achieved through hard work and cooperation.

Today in Helsinki, we are celebrating our 25th anniversary. Looking back at our past accomplishments and confident, that together we can stand up to any challenges awaiting us on our path.

Members, friends and guests of the BPO will gather at a wonderful evening gala, full of surprises and delicious meals to share this special moment with each other. They are probably already there while you’re reading this!