Association MEDPorts created in Marseille

We have received and published the following press statement:

Civitavecchia, 28 June 2018 - The first General Assembly that sanctioned the creation of the MEDPorts Association gathered at the port of Marseille on Wednesday 27 June. The initiative has been sponsored by the port of Marseille since 2016 through the first MEDPorts Forum and it is finally embodied with the formal establishment of the Association.

There were 20 Port Authorities that group the ports of 10 countries of the two shores of the Mediterranean.

The 20 founding members are: Algeciras, Arzew, Barcelona, Bastia, Bejaia, Beirut, Civitavecchia, Damiette, Luka Koper, Malta Freeport, Marseilles Fos, the Office of the Merchant Navy and ports that brings together the Tunisian ports, ports de l'Estado, Skikda, Tanger Med, Serport (which groups the Algerian ports), Tarragona, Toulon, Valencia and Venice. To these, in the coming weeks, should be added also the National Agency Port (which brings together a part of the Moroccan ports), Alexandria, Durres and Thessaloniki.

MEDPorts will collect, through its members, 70% of the tonnage handled in the Mediterranean and beyond the 50% of the traffic of containers. The aim of the Association is to establish an area of operational cooperation in the Mediterranean, also in terms of environmental sustainability, and give greater visibility to Mediterranean ports on the scene of the world maritime transport.

For this purpose, numerous technical committees were created, which must deal with training and competence at sea, environment, safety, international relations, statistics and market analysis, smart ports.

"The Mediterranean - says the president of the Port System Authority of the Northern Adriatic Sea, Pine Musolino - is returning to the center of the History thanks to the ungoing deep geopolitical changes that determine a reconfiguration of the trade routes at a global level. The ports of southern Europe and northern Africa - continues Musolino - are in first line to cope with change and today represent the point of privileged contact with Asia. China, through the Belt Road Initiative, pursues a specific strategy to reach our markets giving vent to their manufacturing surplus. It is up to us to decide whether to submit passively to the choices of Chinese power, or to exploit them to enrich and strengthen our economies.

"In order for the Mediterranean to get a starring role in the new scenario, it is necessary, however, that the actors involved cooperate more closely to define a coherent and sustainable common plan of infrastructural development. Regarding resources, Europe is preparing to update the Connecting Europe Facility program, which will provide more than 30 billion euros for infrastructure development of the TEN-T network from 2021 to 2027. We hope that the division of resources recognizes the current displacement toward the south of the economic-commercial Europe-World hub, as opposed to what happened with the first tranche of funds allocated in the 2014-2020 period. For all these reasons, - concludes the President of the AdSP of the Northern Adriatic Sea - the working group meeting in the context of the MEDPorts Association will play a key role in coordinating the activities of the various stakeholders and in drawing a route that will define the future of the Mediterranean".

"The creation of Medports, - declares the President of the Port System Authority of the North-Center Thyrrenean Sea, Francesco Maria di Majo - which opens up to the Southern ports of the Mediterranean, will allow the ports of Rome and the Lazio to coordinate knowledge and professionalism with the partners. The Italian port system and shipping is certainly at the forefront in managing passenger and cruise traffic, in managing the ecosustainability of ports, the security and the development of enviromental and energetic planification in the ports".

Regarding the last point, on Tusday 26 June -  continues di Majo - the sailing companies Grimaldi, Grandi Navi Veloci, Tirrenia and Moby gathered in Civitavecchia signed a the Civitavecchia Blue Agreement. This is a voluntary agreement that includes the use of fuel with a sulphur level not higher than 0,10% both at mooring and during navigation, from a distance not under 15 miles from the port clogs".

"The participation to the recently created Medports Association - points out the president of the AdSP di Majo - has to be seen as a way to strengthen the role of the Mediterranean in the European and International port overview. The participation will put the Med area in the foreground and it will cooperate, too, to pick up the threads of the creation of the maps of the Trans Mediterranean Network (TMN-T), that will link the European transport corridors to the main North African hubs".

In conclusion, the president of the AdSP of the North-Center Thyrrenean Sea, shows his satisfaction with the presence of two Italian ports within the Medports:

"In addition to my vicepresidency and the vicepresidency of President Musolino, we have gained further prestigious positions, including coordination together with the Port Authority of Marseille, of the General Secretary and the Presidency of the Enviromental Sustainability Committee by the AdSP of the North-Center Thyrrenean Sea and the Port of Venice has obtained the presidency of the important Committee "Relationship with international institutions".