Associations to which the Port of Lisbon Authority (APL) belongs and work developed
• RETE – Association for the co-operation between Ports and Cities
By the initiative of the Centro Internazionale Città d’Acqua, of Venice, RETE 2001 was founded through the celebration of a simple protocol between the Port of Lisbon Authority, the Metropolitan Area of Lisbon, the Puertos del Estado, the Stazioni Marittime Spa, of Geneva, and the Port Authorities of Barcelona, Geneva and the Balearic Islands, with the main objective of encouraging the co-operation between ports and cities of Mediterranean Europe and Latin America in the area of reorganisation of the urban-port riverfront areas and the port-city relationship.
The port of Lisbon was the venue chosen for the launching of RETE 2001, whose presidency was held, during the first year by APL, S.A., and then as of 2002, by the Puertos del Estado.
Following a year of consolidation, during which other port authorities and cities joined the organisation, an association of international nature and basically maintaining the same objectives was formed from this network in April 2004.
So as to promote the debate on issues that are currently placed to port cities, the Association organises training sessions, namely courses and seminars.
As APL deals regularly with issues connected to the integration of the port in the city and to the management of the areas with no operational port activity we feel that our participation in this organisation is important so as to benefit, in the best possible manner from the added values obtained from the exchange of information with experts in this issue.
This year, in addition to the participation in the Meeting of the Board of RETE, which took place in Leixões, APL organised together with the Metropolitan Area of Lisbon, the 3rd Course Port-City Relationship under the theme “Tourist Potentialities of the Riverfronts”. At this event, which took place at the Rocha Maritime Station in May, APL gave a lesson on “Integrated network of support to recreational boating” as well as a visit to the Belém Dock.
Still within the scope of RETE, the project for the integration of the port of Lisbon was started, together with the Metropolitan Area of Lisbon and the Institute for Space Dynamics of Universidade Nova de Lisboa, in the central nucleus that will constitute the “Advanced Node of Lisbon”, whose objective is to boost a set of activities (training sessions, disclosure, etc.), encouraging its presence and disclosing its activities at international level and affording training opportunities in the port-city relationships.
• ESPO – European Sea Ports Organization
ESPO - European Sea Ports Organization exists since 1993, and represents the maritime ports of the EU, having as intermediary the port authorities as well as the port-maritime associations of the European Union.
The main mission of the organisation is to positively influence the common policy of the UE with the aim of making the European port sector a key element within a safer, more efficient, environmentally sustainable transport chain and in conditions of operating within a liberalised market amidst a competitive industry.
ESPO is based on a fundamental principle: without the maritime ports the European Union would never become a world economic power, this is, the EU in economic terms without the maritime ports would simply not function it would merely aspire to be an average internal economic power.
Most of the external commerce of the community and half of the internal commerce passes through the over 1200 maritime ports of the 25 Member States of the European Union.
The maritime ports of the EU are represented at ESPO by members nominated by the actual port management entities and it includes in its structure, observers from other European countries which do not belong to the Union.
The organisational structure of ESPO comprehends the General Meeting that meets twice a year, the Executive Committee that meets 5 times a year and 4 technical Committees (transport, environment, maritime and statistics). The recommendations stipulated by any of these committees are sent to the Executive committee that uses them as support to the decision taken.
ESPO also has a secretariat responsible for the co-ordination, distribution of information, communication and financial management of the organisation.
The port of Lisbon is represented in ESPO both at the General Meeting and in the Executive committee by its Chairman of the Board of Directors, Manuel Frasquilho.
The last documents analysed within the scope of ESPO, were the following:
- Proposal for a European Unit of Intermodal Transport
- Code of Practice on Birds and Habitats Directive
- Maritime Passenger Rights
In addition to other requests of technical nature, the port of Lisbon co-operated in the organisation and hosted, in February, the GreenPort Conference, a workshop on the future port policy of the European Union and a meeting of the Environmental Committee of ESPO.
• AIVP – Association Villes et Ports
AIVP was founded in 1988 through the initiative of cities, ports and their institutional and economic partners to create a permanent structure of exchange of information, experiences and contacts that would allow the best development of its projects.
AIVP is an international network of executives, technicians and experts in development of over 100 port cities in the world.
AIVP is composed by an international Board of Director with 33 members and a Directorate-General responsible for carrying out the activity programme approved by the General Meeting and managing the operation of the network. The head office of AIVP is situated in Le Havre (France).
This year, APL participated in the General Meeting of AIVP that took place in Le Havre and has collaborated with this Association in the publication of the book “PORTCITIES 13.28 GMT” that AIVP is developing by giving photos of the port of Lisbon.
• MADRID PLATFORMA LOGÍSTICA
In 2007 APL became a member of the Association Madrid Logistics Platform.
Through the celebration of the collaboration agreement between APL and the Association Madrid Logistics Platform, in June 2006, the conditions that will outline the collaboration between both entities were established, aiming at promoting and incentivating the development of corporate activities connected to the transport and logistics sector.
APL acknowledged the mutual advantages in the co-operation of the two organisations as well as the importance that the port of Lisbon can have for the region of Madrid and bearing in mind that the importance that the partnership between the two entities can contribute towards the increase of the Iberian position and the commercial boost of the port of Lisbon, and therefore approved the enrolment as member of the Madrid Logistics Platform.
The Madrid Logistics Platform Association is a non-profit association, formed in February 2005 and amongst its founders are the Puertos del Estado, the Institute of Madrid for Development (IMADE), The Corporate Confederation of Madrid, Abertis and the Port Authority of Valencia, amongst others.
The Association constitutes a debate forum so as to promote the dialogue between the public and private sectors for the planification and optimisation of resources in the long term, with planned development adequate to the needs of each moment.
Its founders, aware of the strategical importance of Madrid created the Association “Madrid Logistics Platform” and encouraged the participation of all the relevant agents of the logistics community in the region, through this entity that aims at co-ordinating the logistics platform of the Madrid Community.
Foreign associations with whom APL has co-operated in 2007
• WATERFRONT EXPO LIMITED
APL co-operated, in partnership with the Lisbon Tourism Association, the Metropolitan Area of Lisbon, the Town Councils of Almada and Oeiras and the Portuguese Industrial Association with WaterfrontExpo Limited in the organisation of WaterfrontExpo 2007, the most important exhibition and international conference on the development of the waterfronts in the whole world, under the theme “Sustainable Riverfront Cities”, that took place at the Lisbon Congress Centre and had the presence of international experts, top market companies and the presentation of case studies of Lisbon, Vancouver, Valencia, Fremantle and Saint Petersburg, amongst others.
• GREEN AWARD FOUNDATION
In February 2007 during the GreenPort Conference, APL received the “Green Award Port” plate from the Green Award Foundation.
With this award the Port of Lisbon now integrates the international group of port-maritime facilities that have won the “Green Award Port”. This distinction acknowledges the effort of the Lisbon Port Authority in creating better environmental and safety conditions, exceeding the legal decisions of national and international scope.
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