European necessity is the opportunity for Gdansk

06.03.2008

On 5-6 March 2008 Gdansk was playing host to the second edition of Baltic Container Conference - an international gathering of businesses and organisations relying on the expansion of container shipment in Europe. It was no coincidence that the organizers, Gdynia-based Actia Forum with the strong cooperation of the Port of Gdansk Authority SA, had been able to arouse interest among managers representing Europe's logistics service providers, freight forwarders, shippers and carriers, seaports and terminals, transport infrastructure administrators, financial institutions and economic authorities. Year by year, deep changes in the economic exchange, which had been launched alongside the Gdansk-initiated political transformation in Central and Eastern Europe, require increasingly improved transportation conditions. Yet another time in history, Gdansk along with its port have been presented with the opportunity of becoming a prominent trade centre of vital importance to the common growth. This is due not only to the highly advantageous, central location, but also to the investment plans.

In the early 1970s, a renowned geographer and economist Professor Jerzy Zalewski published his visionary concept called "Baltic Europe". Only the few, however, believed in its implementation. Nowadays, each of the participants in the discussion panels emphasized the importance of common ventures jointly undertaken by the Baltic countries in order to enable the rapid growth of the European economies. The Gdansk conference opens up one of the many platforms that are already operating and aimed at rationally developing a cross-border and non-political response to processes taking place in the international exchange of goods and in sea shipping. One of the western pioneers in the field of modern recognition of development perspectives for trade and transportation in this part of the world is the Baltic Ports Organization (BPO). It was established in 1991 in Copenhagen and a few months ago it appointed a Pole - Julian Skelnik, PGA SA Vice-President of the Board - to hold the Chairman position. He moderated the proceedings during the second day of the Gdansk conference since the participants included delegates of almost all 50 major seaports associated in BPO representing nine Baltic countries.

The significance of building platforms for communication among managers of the European countries' economies was additionally underscored by the attendance of Secretary General of the European Sea Ports Organisation ESPO, Patrick Verhoeven who also addressed the audience.

The first day of the conference was chaired by James Sutcliffe (representing Port of Evo Management) who, on behalf of the British party, had initiated the construction of the DCT container terminal in the Gdansk port. Now, he is supporting the assessment and evaluation of investments implemented and projected in the region of the Baltic Sea and aimed to address the increasingly urgent problem of congestion in seaports and on Europe's transportation routes. Therefore, the key issue of that day was the assessment and evaluation of the advance in the implementation of transport infrastructure development projects and hindrances in the progress.

It bodes well that the Conference drew the participation of representatives of the Ministry of Infrastructure and local governments from the Pomeranian Region alike. The speeches given by both Minister Anna Wypych-Namiotko as well as Deputy Mayor of Gdansk Marcin Szpak comprised not only a symbolic expression of the importance of the "Baltic communication" but also proved a strong belief in the necessity of undertaking joint action towards intensified economic growth in Europe.