Europe’s ports get a free, tested roadmap to net zero
Five years of research came to a close on 17 September in Rotterdam (the Netherlands) with the “Ports in Transition” conference of the European PIONEERS and MAGPIE projects, dedicated to port decarbonisation. Among the speakers, Han ten Broeke, Head of Cabinet to European Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra, as well as Boudewijn Siemons, CEO of the Port of Rotterdam, and Rob Smeets, CEO of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, discussed the future and challenges facing ports. We also appreciate the presence on stage of Isabelle Ryckbost, Secretary General of ESPO; Joke Bamps, National Expert at DG MOVE; Thierry Vanelslander from the University of Antwerp; and Bo Cerup-Simonsen from the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping. To address the challenges they outlined, the conference presented two tools: PIONEERS’ Handbook Explorer and MAGPIE’s Green Innovation Compass. Free and open to all, the platforms give European ports access to the full range of solutions and good practices developed over their five years of work. The conference also featured sessions on the pillars of the new European port strategy: “Competitiveness, Innovation & Digitalisation”, “Energy Transition, Sustainability & Clean Industries”, “Protect & Secure Ports”, “Access to Finance & Investment”, and “Social Cohesion, Skills & Quality Jobs”. Finally, the two MAGPIE exhibitions, from Le Havre Port Center and Portlantis, were also on display at De Doelen for guests and attendees to visit.
