ESPO Conference – Gdańsk – 7-8 May 2026- Five good reasons to join us
On 7 and 8 May, the European Sea Ports Organisation is holding its Annual Conference in Gdańsk. This year’s conference can simply not be missed, for various reasons. It is time to book your seat. Let us help you decide!
24 March 2026|
Europe’s ports welcome the EU Ports Strategy
On 4th March, the European Commission launched its EU Ports Strategy, a 28-page document aimed at providing a framework for the future of European ports.Europe’s ports welcome the Strategy, which recognises the vital role ports are playing for Europe’s economy and society and departs from a good understanding of the changing and complex role of ports as well as the challenges this role implies. The Commission seems to acknowledge very well that, more than ever, ports need to combine their role as competitive trade hubs with their tasks as public service providers for the resilience of Europe’s economy and society. Based on this understanding, the Commission underlines the diversity of ports, which calls for a broad and flexible approach, which ESPO highly welcomes. 05 March 2026 | Read more
International Women’s Day: 2025 marks a slight drop in female participation in ESPO’s Board and Internal Meetings
Over the past year, taking all ESPO board meetings and technical committees together, 38% of port professionals participating in ESPO’s board and technical committees were women. This represents a slight drop compared to last year’s results, but is a clear progress since 2018, the first year when ESPO has been monitoring the gender balance of its internal meetings (in the first year the female representation was under the 20%).
06 March 2026| Read more
CER and ESPO join forces to strengthen Europe’s port-rail interface
The Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER) and the European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) today present a joint position paper outlining shared priorities to strengthen the connection between Europe’s railways and its ports and enhance the performance of hinterland logistics chains.
09 March 2026 | Read more
The ESPO Award 2026 will reward the port that succeeds best in developing port infrastructure and spatial planning projects serving both the port and the city
The ESPO Award on Social Integration of Ports is entering its 18th edition in 2026, and this year’s theme is “Dual-Use Port-City Projects. “Both the port and the city need space to develop and meet the challenges of their growing roles and changing responsibilities. On top of that, both ports and cities need each other to realise their ambitions. Beyond being multimodal hubs connecting Europe’s economy and society to the world, ports play a crucial role in Europe’s energy transition, energy security, and military preparedness, requiring state-of-the-art infrastructure, new investments, and additional space. Meanwhile, European cities are growing, facing housing challenges, needing new energy sources and supply, and seeking to provide citizens with sufficient space for culture, education, leisure, and nature.
23 March 2026 | Read more
ESPO commits to EU Charter for restoring oceans and waters
The European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) has officially joined the European Union’s ‘Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters’ Charter. This recognition highlights the central role European ports play in protecting marine ecosystems and driving the transition to a carbon-neutral, circular blue economy. By endorsing the Charter, ESPO aligns its actions with three core EU objectives for 2030: restoring biodiversity, eliminating pollution, and achieving a sustainable, carbon-neutral blue economy.
30 March 2026| Read more
Renewed PERS certification for the Port of Dover
ESPO congratulates the Port of Dover (United Kingdom) on achieving recertification under the EcoPorts environmental management standard (PERS). The Port of Dover has been a EcoPorts member since 2003 and has now been awarded the PERS certificate for the fourth time.
30 March 2026 | Read more
ESPO Good green practices database collects a diverse array of best practices from ports across Europe, demonstrating how every port, regardless of size or location—whether in the north, south, east, or west—can spearhead greening initiatives and serve as a model for others. The database highlights the continuous environmental efforts undertaken by port authorities and offers a resource for ports to inspire and promote further sustainability through the exchange of experiences and exemplary practices. This month, we gathered the following projects:
- Port of Antwerp-Bruges tackles PFAS with innovative water treatment (here)
At the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, new technologies are being piloted to remove hard-to-capture PFAS from water during construction. Three consortia are testing systems treating up to 120 m³/hour. If successful, these solutions could be scaled up, supporting more sustainable water management at the port.
- Port of Cork inaugurated Ireland’s first offshore energy development (here)
The Port of Cork has opened Ireland’s first dedicated quayside facility for offshore renewable energy. The 200 m CORE1 quay at Ringaskiddy East, next to the Cork Container Terminal, is designed for building large-scale offshore wind farms in the Irish and Celtic Seas.
- The Port of Tyne invests in electric foiling pilot vessel (here)
The Port of Tyne is advancing port electrification with the UK’s first fully electric foiling pilot vessel, the Artemis EF-12, aiming to improve safety, efficiency, and move toward a net-zero pilotage service.
- Port of Reykjavik a major step toward a cleaner, smarter future at Sundahöfn (here)
Veitur’s new Sundahöfn substation will deliver up to 16 MW to power ships and port operations, enabling electrification, reducing emissions, and supporting sustainable urban and port growth in the Faxaflói area.
CALENDAR
ESPO MEETINGS
The Economic Analysis and Statistics Committee Meeting, European Port House, 16 April
The Intermodal and Logistics Committee Meeting, Genova, 20-22 April
The Trade Facilitation, Digitalisation, Security and Geopolitics Committee Meeting, European Port House, 23 April
