Driven by the importance of enhancing the safety, resilience, and sustainability of supply chains between Asia and Europe, the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities conducted a two-day field visit to the Port of Valencia for seaport experts from Azerbaijan (port of Baku), Georgia (port of Batumi), Kazakhstan (ports of Aktau and Kuryk), and Turkmenistan (port of Turkmenbashi). The visit took place from 14 to 15 February.
This initiative helped raise awareness and enhance the capacity of these ports to adopt environmentally sustainable and energy-efficient practices, thereby supporting them in their efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of their operations. It also focused on utilizing cutting-edge technologies, such as paperless port, 5G and artificial intelligence, to foster the ports' competitiveness and their ability to facilitate trade in a sustainable and cost-efficient manner.
"Seeing first-hand the forefront of sustainability and digitalization practices at a leading port was truly an enriching experience. This field study visit has equipped me and my peers with insightful lessons to foster environmentally-friendly initiatives and embrace connectivity measures in our ports," said Andrew Danilov, Head of the Integrated Management System and Standardization Department from the Port of Batumi.
The field visit engaged participants in expert-led lectures, hands-on training sessions and on-site visits, facilitating a collaborative environment for the exchange of best practices, learning and networking among the beneficiary ports and the host port. It was organized within the framework of the OSCE project "Promoting Green Ports and Connectivity", implemented with financial support from Germany.
