Bilbao to be the venue again for the International Sustainable Port Conference

This pioneer event will be held on 6 and 7 February to advance in the field of port sustainability

On 6 and 7 February 2025, Bilbao will once again be the focal point of sustainability with the II International Sustainable Port Conference, a meeting point where representatives from government administration and public bodies, companies from the transport, logistics and port sectors, organisations from the energy, innovation, sustainability and circular economy sectors, academia and the general public will come together to pool their knowledge and experiences and draw up a common strategy for an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable future.

Organised by the Port Authority, in collaboration with the Bilbao Chamber of Commerce, the conference will address the role of ports, as generators of activity and economic impact, in sustainable development, in line with the goals of the UN Agenda 2030. In addition to spotlighting this role, the event will also showcase trends and good practice in sustainability, raise awareness of the need to adopt good practice in the environmental, economic and social fields, act as a meeting point for public and private initiatives, and promote innovation within the sector as a lever for boosting the sustainable competitiveness of ports, companies and regions.

The programme will be structured around five main subject areas, with sustainability as the common thread. The areas to be addressed are: Future Trends, to determine how competitive ports are to meet the challenge of balancing environmental and social sustainability with economic and financial stability; Environmental Transition, and the importance of properly assessing the potential impact of port activities on the environment and on human health, and thus be in a position to take measures to effectively mitigate that impact; Social Sustainability, looking at the positive impact of port activities on local communities and talent attraction; Economic Growth, focused on funding to improve the accessibility and sustainability of ports, sustainability regulations and the new costs derived from these policies; and Innovation, to create value and a competitive advantage through collaboration.

Speakers at the II International Sustainable Port Conference will include Ricardo Barkala, President of the Bilbao Port Authority; Jose Ignacio Zudaire , President of the Bilbao Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Services and Navigation ( Cámarabilbao ); Miguel Delibes, ad honorem Research Professor at the @CSIC and Full Member of the Spanish Royal Academy of Sciences; Eloy Revilla , Director of the Estación Biológica de Do?ana - CSIC ; and Peter de Langen , a lead consultant. Others who have confirmed their presence at the event include Antonio Aiz, Andima Ormaetxe Bengoa , Mago More , Olga Martín, Roberto Castilla, Ainara Martinez Rivera , Javier Franco, Asier Sopelana Asategui , Ales Padró , Ernesto Lluch Moreno , Rosario Soto, Eider Inunciaga Serna , José Llorca , EKAITZ LOPEZ AMURRIO , Itziar Sabas García-Borreguero , Nagore Ardanza Urtiaga and many more.

The conference will be held at two locations closely linked to the history and growth of the Port of Bilbao. The venue for the first day will be @Euskalduna Bilbao, a conference centre in the city centre on the banks of the River Nervión, built to resemble the shape and form of the vessels that used to be built in the shipyard that once occupied the site. Surrounded by parks, walkways and leisure amenities, and just a few minutes' walk from the Guggenheim Museum, this area was recovered for the general public thanks to the collaboration of the Port Authority and the relocation of port activity out towards the Outer Abra.?

Likewise, the venue for the second day will be the modern cruise terminal of the Port of Bilbao in Getxo, designed to cater for cruise traffic. The docks of the terminal will shortly be equipped with OPS technology for onshore power supply to vessels at berth, one of the many sustainability-related activities that the Port Authority is currently undertaking in its quest to drive its customers towards sustainable development. More precisely, the event will be held in the Olatua building, easily accessible both from Bilbao and from the international airport less than 20 kilometres away.

For further information, go to congresopuertosostenible.bilbaoport.eus