It’s once again time to kick-off the event calendar of the year and there is no better way to do it than by attending the annual Transport Week conference. This year will see the series’ ninth edition head to Gdynia, Poland, on 5-7 March, 2019. Join us at the Courtyard by Marriott Gdynia Waterfront hotel and get the latest insights on port investments, environmental projects and more.

The event will start with a thorough overview of the current state of the port market and a forecast reaching as far as 2030. The presentation will be delivered by Bogdan Ołdakowski, CEO of Actia Forum and Secretary General of the Baltic Ports Organization. It will lay the groundwork for the next keynote speech, prepared by James Kyritsis from Drewry, tackling the impact of Chinese investment’s in European ports and the risks and opportunities they pose for the Baltic Sea region. We’ve also invited representatives from the Ports of Barcelona and Valencia to explore the ongoing process of urbanization and its influence on port development.

An overview of interesting port investment projects will be an important part of this year’s edition of the Transport Week. The delegates will have the chance to get acquainted with Port of Gdynia’s development plans and their 2020 vision and learn more about the 3-year expansion plan of the DCT Gdańsk.

You can’t really discuss port investments without talking about the money. We’ve invited representatives of the European Commission to share some thoughts on the place of port investment projects within EU’s 2021-2027 budget and financing opportunities such as the CEF programme. The topic, along with possibilities for improving the dialogue between ports and financial institutions will be discussed in more detail during a discussion panel involving panelists from the EC, port authorities and port organizations.

Digitalization is without a doubt a major topic for the transport industry, the port sector being no exception. Challenges and benefits linked to this process will be discussed in detail by Isabelle Ryckbost, the Secretary General at ESPO. Unlocking the value-generating potential of digitalization and the concept of smart ports will also be an important part of the agenda, with invited speakers from Wärtsilä and Royal HaskoningDHV sharing their views on the matter.

A deeper look into a few selected innovative projects will round up the event. Innovation is the driving force able to assure steady development of the port sector and the delegates will have the chance to learn more about a couple of truly groundbreaking ideas. AI as the driving force behind an automated terminal? Drones as container carriers? Autonomous vessels inspecting the seabed and assuring safe passage for ships? Invited speakers from the Port of Rotterdam, Container Logic and dotOcean will take you on a trip into the not-so far away future.

The main conference will be traditionally accompanied by multiple side-events. The participants will have the chance to gauge the impact of Brexit on the transport industry during a conference organized by Namiary na Morze i Handel (event available in Polish language only). Additionally, the Transport Week 2019 will offer the delegates the chance to take part in a seminar focused on the issues of air pollution in ports, prepared by the Baltic Ports Organization.