Fresh from adopting a new constitution – intended, in the words of the IAPH president, to ‘give the organization a relevant role in global maritime and transport affairs’ – IAPH convened in Southeast Asia in 2017 for its 30th conference. Amid discussions of emerging shipping lanes, special economic zones, and port innovation, further organisational and strategic changes were confirmed at the Indonesian edition of the event. It was announced that the scope of WPCI would be extended from climate action to cover a full range of sustainable port development challenges facing the industry, guided by the 17 UN Strategic Development Goals. The new initiative, known as the World Ports Sustainability Program (WPSP), was officially launched in Antwerp during a two-day international conference in March 2018 and was set to become a major facet of the association’s work programme. That September, following the approval of a strategy package at the IAPH mid-term conference in Baku, WPSP was implemented; the association’s existing award scheme was upgraded to become the World Ports Sustainability Awards before being opened to the industry. Some 60 entries from ports around the world flowed into the revised scheme, and the awards were bestowed at a gala dinner held during the following edition of the conference, held in Guangzhou, China in May 2019. This celebration was the capstone to an extremely well-attended conference, featuring a strong focus on trends in future global trade, including the effects of the Belt and Road Initiative and the leading role of the Chinese Internet economy. The stage was set for further changes, this time to the organisation and timing of the conference itself.
Her Majesty Queen Mathilde of Belgium in conversation with IMO secretary-general Kitack Lim during the launch of the World Ports Sustainability Program in Antwerp.
