Transport Week '2011

04.03.2011

Ro-Ro and ferry shipping, the container shipping market in the Baltic Sea and the cooperation between ports and railways were traditionally the three main discussion threads during the Conference Transport Week '2011 held on 1-3 March of this year. The event represents Poland's major platform for sea carriers and is organized by Gdynia-based Actia Forum in conjunction with the Port of Gdansk Authority SA. The significance and merit of the Conference is determined by its participants representing all major transport centres operating in the Baltic region.

On behalf of the PGA SA, the guests were welcomed by President of the Board, Dr Ryszard Strzyzewicz, and conference moderator, Bogdan Oldakowski, Actia Forum CEO. Among those accepting the invitation to the Conference were Anna Wypych-Namiotko - Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Infrastructure, Pawel Adamowicz - Mayor of the City of Gdansk, Patrick Verhoeven - Secretary General of ESPO (European Sea Ports Organisation), Julian Skelnik - President of BPO (Baltic Ports Organisation), and Zbigniew Gniatkowski - representing the European Commission. Participants to the conference with great interest listened to reflections shared by such experts as Jeff Gosciniak of Maersk Line, and others representing European ports, operators, shipping carriers, authorities, international organizations and science institutions.

As in the previous years, the evaluation of commercial growth among the European Union member states was examined, as well as the growing importance of container sea shipping. It was emphasized that this dynamic growth gives particular rise to the urgent need for modernisation of seaports, providing them with better hinterland access, and also building the Trans-European Transport Network TEN-T. The Polish ports offer increasingly favourable conditions for handling intermodal container shipment, which in time should result in reaching the rank of major transport nodes.

PGA SA PR Officer