EFIP in Serbia

The European Federation of Inland Ports held its annual Executive Committee meeting in Belgrade on October 20th. The event was hosted by the Port Governance Agency. The meeting brought together ports and port authorities from Germany, Austria, Romania, the Netherlands, France, Denmark, Poland, and Belgium. In addition, the event was attended by the Assistant Minister of Construction, Transport, and Infrastructure, Predrag Petrović, the Director-General of the Danube Commission Secretariat, Manfred Seitz, the Chief of the Human Resources Development Section of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Mark Assaf, and the Director of the Directorate for Inland Waterways, Aleksandar Pantelić.

The Director of the Port Governance Agency, Vuk Perović, emphasized that it is a great honor for this institution to have hosted the event. He stated, "I am proud that Serbia is recognized as a country actively working on the development of ports and port activities. We had the opportunity to showcase the development projects and activities carried out by the Government of Serbia and the Agency to European ports and port authorities, with the aim of further improving the port sector and enhancing transportation connectivity. In this way, we are approaching European and global trends and standards in the port sector," Perović stated.

The President of the European Federation of Inland Ports, Antoine Berbain, praised the organization of the event and congratulated the PGA on ten years of successful work. He stated, "Serbian ports are of great importance for the Danube region as well as the European transportation system. The projects and investments we learned about today speak of Serbia's dedicated work in harnessing the potential of rivers for the transportation of goods and passengers. The success of the Agency is the best example of how long-term government support for inland ports yields good results," Berbain concluded.

During the meeting, a panel discussion was held on the topic of further development of inland ports and waterway transport. The panel included Antoine Berbain, Manfred Seitz, and Mark Assaf, who provided their insights on the significance of digitalization in the port sector and the role of ports in decarbonization. The discussion also revolved around the upcoming expansion of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). After the panel, the speakers were presented with certificates of appreciation for their long-standing support of the Agency's work.

As part of the event, a visit to the Port of Novi Sad was organized. During the tour, the most significant investments by DP World in the Novi Sad port were presented, particularly the newly opened vertical quay. The investment by this port operator will amount to a total of 30 million euros, according to the Contract for the Performance of Port Activities signed with the Agency. It was emphasized that these substantial investments are expected to contribute to an increase in cargo handling volumes and the development of industries in the hinterland of the Port of Novi Sad.

The meeting in Belgrade provided a platform for the exchange of initiatives and experiences, aiming to find optimal solutions for achieving green logistics goals. Considering the significant role of inland ports in the energy transition, it was concluded that the gathering was a valuable opportunity for these discussions.