VALENCIA SPAIN OCTOBER 2009
VALENCIA PORT AUTHORITY ENCOURAGES STAKEHOLDERS TO SHARE IN ITS SUCCESS AS BEST-IN-CLASS PORT COMMUNITY
Valencia Port Authority (VPA) has brought together its port stakeholders to share in its Global Institute of Logistics’ (GIL) Best-in-Class Port Community recognition. In excess of 120 port stakeholders gathered in the prestigious VPA conference rooms to hear GIL Chief Executive Kieran Ring explain the criteria for the Best-in-Class designation and why Valencia outshone other Port Community contenders. VPA Chairman Rafael Aznar went on to encourage the port stakeholders to take commercial advantage of this illustrious award, and to continue to work together to further forge the Spanish port’s culture of collaboration.
Among the port stakeholders present were representatives from shippers, including Mediterranean Shipping Company and Boluda; terminal operators and stevedores, including Dragados; and a number of high ranking officials from both local and regional government.
After the event, GIL’s Kieran Ring commented:
“To see the Valenciaport family of stakeholders gathered at this landmark event confirms the research that led to our designation of VPA as the best Port Community in the world. These port stakeholders are unique in that they pay more than lip service to the importance of collaboration; they understand the true worth of working together for the greater good of Valenciaport.”
Valenciaport was awarded the Best-in-Class Port Community accolade at the annual GIL European Chapter dinner in Bremen earlier this year. In recognition of the award, VPA’s Rafael Aznar was simultaneously appointed as Chairman of the European Chapter of the Institute’s Global Maritime Logistics Council (GMLC). As a working council within the Institute, the GMLC provides the global maritime logistics industry with a forum through which global shippers, 3PLs, carriers, port authorities and terminal operators can share knowledge to improve supply chain efficiency and security.
The Institute has developed a specific research and development module with Valenciaport for execution within the two year period of Mr Aznar’s appointment. This module will research global standards in port cluster governance and result in the publication of a guide to best practice Port Cluster Governance in 2011. The vision is that these best practices, once identified and agreed, are incorporated into independently auditable and certifiable international standards where it is practical to do so.
