The UIMP Port Week in Santander 2024 kicks off today, reaffirming its importance as a leading academic and professional event in the port sector. This year’s edition once again focuses on port-city integration, dedicating the session on Wednesday, September 4, to the theme “Ports Committed to Their Cities.” This forum, to be held at the iconic Palacio de la Magdalena, will be chaired by Teófila Martínez, president of RETE (Association for Collaboration Between Ports and Cities).
The 2024 Port Week, organized by Puertos del Estado, the Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo (UIMP), and the Santander Port Authority, will run from today, Tuesday, September 3, to Friday, September 6. Over these days, the challenges and opportunities facing the port sector will be explored with an eye on the 2030 horizon, within the strategic framework of the Spanish General Interest Port System. The event will feature participation from prominent experts and leaders in the sector, who will discuss key issues such as digital transformation, sustainability, and energy efficiency in ports.
This year’s edition is divided into four thematic sessions, each focusing on a crucial aspect of the modernization and development of the port sector. The session on Wednesday, titled “Ports Committed to Their Cities,” will explore the collaboration between ports and cities to achieve common goals such as sustainability and competitiveness. Municipal and port authorities from Málaga, Cádiz, and Santander will participate, highlighting the importance of the “Permanent Port-City Forum” as a vital platform for dialogue and cooperation.
The session will be structured into two blocks. The first, titled “Sharing Horizons” and moderated by Raquel Boy Prieto, Secretary General of RETE and Head of Communication, Protocol, and Institutional Relations at the Cádiz Bay Port Authority, will present the perspectives of distinguished municipal and port representatives. Participants will include Francisco Manuel de la Torre Prados, Mayor of Málaga; Carlos Rubio Basabe, President of the Málaga Port Authority; Bruno García de León, Mayor of Cádiz; Teófila Martínez Saiz, President of the Cádiz Bay Port Authority and President of RETE; Gema Igual Ortiz, Mayor of Santander; and César Díaz Maza, President of the Santander Port Authority.
The second block, titled “Building Commitments and Weaving Port-City Alliances,” will be led by Francisco Javier Álvarez García, Head of the General Administration and Legal Service Department at the Santander Port Authority. In this segment, Álvaro Rodríguez Dapena, President of Puertos del Estado, will present the “Permanent Port-City Forum,” followed by an interactive discussion between the speakers and the audience.
Teófila Martínez, President of RETE, emphasized that “ports and cities must work together to achieve common goals such as sustainability and global competitiveness, addressing diverse challenges. Close collaboration and a shared strategy are essential to tackle these issues. This forum, integrated into the UIMP Port Week, offers an excellent opportunity to delve into the Strategic Framework of the State Port Authorities and remains an ideal space for dialogue and cooperation, promoting the sustainable development of port cities.”
César Díaz, President of the Santander Port Authority, stated that “it is a great honor to organize the UIMP Port Week once again, which has rightfully become a reference in the sector. Furthermore, this edition places strong emphasis on port-city integration processes, in which Santander has been a pioneer, reclaiming over 75,000 m² for public use in recent years thanks to public-private collaboration.”
In addition to the session dedicated to port-city integration, the UIMP Port Week 2024 will feature the following thematic sessions:
- Tuesday, September 3: Women in Today’s Ports: Challenges and Opportunities.
- Wednesday, September 4: Ports Committed to Their Cities.
- Thursday, September 5: Energy Efficiency in Ports.
- Friday, September 6: Leadership School: Port Management. “Liquid” Ports.
