From 2015 to March 2018, I was honoured to be the Director of EFIP and to amplify the voice of inland ports in Brussels. Even more now, when I pass by some inland ports during holidays with my family or for work in a totally different role, I still have deep respect for the crucial role inland ports fulfil in solving tomorrow’s economic and environmental challenges. I would regularly say to my kids “without inland ports, there are no fresh croissants in the bakery on Sunday morning”. For me, inland ports are crucial nodal points in the logistic chain and sometimes overlooked, I am happy to have been able to contribute in strengthening the position of inland ports in Europe.
The great visits I had in the various ports, my first visit to the beautiful port of Switzerland, the way I felt welcomed and the discussions with the people working on the ground made me feel part of a unique family. Behind those big cranes, docks and warehouses there is a whole world behind which I was privileged to experience and learn about. I became convinced that the future lies not only in physical containers or hard infrastructure but also in bits and bytes and virtual networks.
I was director in a pre-Ukraine wartime, a totally different period, where there was no Green Deal yet but the 20/20/20 targets. It was in a period when the GBER was finalised during nightly discussions with the Commission and the TEN-T Days of 2016 took place in my hometown Rotterdam with Commissioner Bulc boarding an electric vessel. I still remember the great actions with our partners in crime, EBU, INE and ISO to get inland ports – navigation in the final Ministers' declaration. And the successful event in Strasbourg with key EU decision makers on a vessel just right beside the European Parliament.
I witnessed the torch passing from President Hans Peter Hadorn to Rudolf Hoerner with his first action officially signing an AIVP memorandum and me desperately trying to drink as a sailor, during my first boat tour in Mannheim. Not to forget, the fruit of the hard work of the EFIP secretariat and EFIP board to make the network strongly expanding, covering more than 21 countries and the crown of the jewel, the launch of the new EFIP website. Without the support and contribution from the secretariat, especially the policy advisor and communication officer, those things could have never happened.
Last but not least, it was great experiencing the proximity of ESPO, especially the secretary-general and colleagues, as in the end, we are all in the same boat, although the size of vessel somehow differs. I truly felt being part of a wider port community.
I will keep remembering my time in EFIP-ESPO, asI learned a lot and met a lot of nice and interesting people. I feel more than privileged to have been able to contribute to EFIP´s history!
Thank you!
