Coastlink to stage its 2010 Annual Conference in the
port city of Antwerp
Port of Antwerp 14/15 September, 2010
Coastlink is to return to the port city of Antwerp in
September for its 2010 Annual Conference. Reflecting its close cooperation with
the Antwerp Port Authority, the event will be held in the Havenhuis, the
authority's headquarters building on Entrepotkaai.
The conference programme is now being prepared and
will reflect the ever-growing geographical range covered by Coastlink, which
can today be considered as extending from St Petersburg to Istanbul.
At its 2009 Annual Conference in Dunkerque,
significant emphasis was placed on the shortsea trades linking Northern Europe,
the Mediterranean and North Africa and on the growing importance of reefer
traffic in these trades. These two themes will be revisited with specific
attention being paid also to Iberia.
Naturally, being in Antwerp, attention will also be
directed at the Benelux ports and the various shortsea and feeder activities
that serve them. Despite the global downturn in trade, ports such as Antwerp,
Rotterdam and Zeebrugge have recorded a number of successes and investment
continues, especially in the provision of better hinterland links.
Discussing developments in and around Antwerp, a port
authority spokesman stated:
"Within the intermodal landscape, major
investments are taking place. This is enabling the transfer of more cargo to
barge and rail modes so as to achieve significant environmental and cost
savings without sacrificing reliability.
"Existing rail terminals are being expanded
and new facilities are being built. Better communication and the opening of the
rail market create interesting opportunities for rail while barge operators are
restructuring their services and looking into the possibilities to improve the
performance of their product.
"Port organisations have always recognised
the importance of good intermodal links. The Antwerp Port Authority is no
exception and is investing in realising masterplans for rail and barge in order
to improve the modal split in favour of these modes of transport."
The spokesman continued:
"Inland waterway links have always been
important for Benelux ports, especially with their central location in Europe.
What is the future for intermodal transport by barge? What efforts are
necessary to create an ideal modal split? Serious issues for ports and shortsea
operators alike, rail and barge operators and inland terminal operators will
discuss these at Coastlink's Annual Conference."
Other topics to be discussed include the changing
route patterns taking place in North Europe, including the growth of Rotterdam
as a hub for the Baltic, a trend which has impacted on the North German ports
of Hamburg and Bremerhaven. Is this reversible? And as port congestion fades
into distant memory, Coastlink will ask how shortsea and feeder operators have
benefited and whether, if port congestion returns, we might learn from past
experience.
Regrettably Coastlink decided to cancel its Spring
Conference in Bilbao on 2 & 3 June but some of the presentations planned
for Bilbao will now be incorporated into the programme for this year's Annual
Conference in the Port of Antwerp.
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