The International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) World Ports Conference – Abu Dhabi 2023, hosted by AD Ports Group, officially concluded yesterday at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC).
The third and final day began with a roundtable on port innovation, where technology experts showcased a real-world example of a port cyber resilience centre.
Discussions then moved on to the economic outlook for global container ports from the analyst, academic and industry perspective, factoring in geopolitics, sourcing trends, emissions regulations and the breakup of shipping alliances.
Later in the morning, participants heard from the World Bank’s lead transport economist on the updates the Bank is making to its Port Reform Toolkit.
The theme of sustainability carried on into the last day, with a final panel session featuring Her Excellency Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, UN Climate Change Champion for COP28, and President of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
The session examined the tangible decarbonisation tools for shipping and ports and the benefits they can bring, a central focus for the Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC (COP28).
Bringing the conference to a close, Othman Khouri, Acting Executive Director, Corporate Authority, AD Ports Group, said: “At AD Ports Group, we see the transition to clean energy, and digital transformation, as opportunities rather than challenges, which is why sustainability and digitalisation lie at the heart of our business strategy. The past three days have offered a unique platform to discuss and gain insights into how the ports industry is addressing these themes, which will play a central role in the industry’s evolution. I would like to thank everyone who participated, and wish Hamburg Port Authority the very best of luck in hosting next year’s World Ports Conference.”