The European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) has opened the registration period for the twenty-second edition of its annual conference, which will be held on May 7 and 8 in Gdansk (Poland). The meeting, organized in collaboration with the Port of Gdansk, the main Polish port, will be hosted at the Hilton Gdansk hotel, located in the historic center of the city. The chosen theme for this edition is "Competitiveness as a driver of resilience."
The choice of theme responds to the global operating environment in which European ports operate, marked by notable unpredictability. The port facilities on the continent are at the epicenter of geopolitical volatility, which causes changes and disruptions in the value chains, energy crises, hybrid threats, attacks, trade tariffs, and the use of raw materials as a geoeconomic tool. This is compounded by transformations resulting from energy and climate transitions, as well as the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence.
In this context, ports must find ways to navigate through the storm and reconcile their commercial role as multimodal nodes in the supply chain with their contribution, as mission-driven entities, to building a stronger, more sustainable, and resilient Europe for businesses and citizens. Additionally, given their strategic role in preparing the continent, they need to quickly elevate their protection levels.
Under this thematic framework, the ESPO conference aims to be once again a space for debate and exchange on global situations and the port operating environment, with the participation of experts and high-level speakers, port leaders, and representatives of the maritime and port community of the European Union. Top-level European political leaders will also join the discussions to analyze how public policies can support port strategies and address the main challenges they face.
Along with presentations and open round tables, the conference offers a unique environment for establishing professional contacts and exchanging ideas among peers on how to face uncertainties and turn challenges into opportunities. ESPO has indicated that the program will be adjusted until the last moment to incorporate the most current topics, and has invited interested parties to consult the official event website (www.espo-conference.com) to find out about updates regarding speakers and content.
As is customary, the ESPO conference will not be limited to working sessions. The Port of Gdansk, as the host, will offer a dinner at the historic Gdansk Shipyard, the place where the Solidarity movement emerged in the 1980s, which contributed to the fall of communism in Central and Eastern Europe and has become a symbol of contemporary European history.
For attendees, blocks of rooms have been reserved at advantageous rates in two hotels in the city center, the PURO Gdańsk Stare Miasto and the Radisson Hotel & Suites Gdańsk, both within walking distance of the congress venue. All information about the program, registration, and accommodation is available on the official conference website.