Categories: Dover, ESPO, EuropePublished On: 01.07.2020314 words1.6 min read

The following seven port projects will be competing for the ESPO Award 2020:

Port of Oulu (Finland),

Thessaloniki Port Authority (Greece),

Port Authority of Lisbon (Portugal),

Algeciras Port Authority (Spain),

Puertos del Estado (Spain),

Port of Amsterdam (the Netherlands)

Port of Rotterdam (the Netherlands) (in alphabetical order by country).

The theme of this 12th edition of the ESPO Award is “Enhancing the port-city relationship by encouraging innovators and local start-ups to be part of the port ecosystem”. The ESPO Award 2020 will go to the port managing body that has developed a successful strategy to attract innovation and local start-ups to the port and thus matches supply and demand for innovative solutions for the port and its stakeholders. The winning port will demonstrate to what extent this strategy has led not only to stimulating innovation in the port, but also making the port ecosystem an attractive place for innovative ideas and local young start-up talents.

ESPO members could send their applications until Friday 26th June. The ESPO Award winning port will be selected by an independent jury of international experts, under the Chairmanship of Pat Cox, former President of the European Parliament and TEN-T Coordinator. The winner will be announced at the ESPO Award Ceremony and Dinner taking place on 10 November at Les Brigittines in Brussels.

About the ESPO award

The ESPO Award was established in 2009 to promote innovative projects of port authorities that improve social integration of ports, especially with the city or wider community in which they are located. In this way, the Award aims to stimulate the sustainable development of European ports and their cities.

Previous winners of the Award are the Port of Gijón (2009), the Port of Helsinki (2010), the Ports of Stockholm (2011), the Port of Genoa (2012), the Port of Antwerp (2013), the Port of Koper (2014), Port of Dublin (2015), BremenPorts (2016) and Guadeloupe Ports Caraïbes (2017), Port of Rotterdam (2018), Port of Dover (2019 – picture).