Day 2 of World Ports Conference Focusses on Decarbonisation and Digitalisation

The International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) World Ports Conference - Abu Dhabi 2023 concluded the second day of the three-day event, hosted by AD Ports Group, the leading facilitator of global trade, logistics, and industry.

The conference will conclude today at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), under the theme of ‘Reinventing Ports’.

Day 2 kick-started with an exclusive roundtable session which explored how innovative ports and their stakeholders can collaborate to develop real time intelligence, and facilitate just in time (JIT) arrival, emission reduction as well as Green Digital Shipping Corridors.

The conference continued with insightful panel discussions which saw leading global cargo owners list the priorities on their agendas in terms of what they need from port authorities, as they ultimately shape the reinvention of ports.

In another panel discussion, industry experts examined what framework and governance model is required for a port to successfully become a neutral, effective data exchange ombudsman between all community stakeholders. 

Dr. Noura Al Dhaheri, CEO of the Digital Cluster at AD Ports Group, while speaking at the session said: “The framework and governance model should be a robust one, and should ensure data security, transparency, and equitable representation for all stakeholders.

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"It is imperative to establish an independent, neutral oversight body responsible for managing the data exchange. This body should not favour any particular stakeholder and should have regulatory authority if required.

"The success of this approach depends on strong leadership, and a commitment to serving the interests of all community stakeholders.”

A key area of focus on day two continued to be the current pressure on operators to decarbonise and reduce emissions of their operations.

As port authorities across the world increasingly establish low or zero carbon, maritime end-to-end transport chains, one session exclusively looked at the major hurdles that need to be overcome to achieve a truly ‘green’ corridor.

In addition, the conference featured an in-depth one-on-one interview with Mikal Boe, Chairman and CEO, Core Power, around how a new small modular nuclear energy system for use on floating plants and on board ships can make way for economic benefits while ensuring safely, security and environmental care.

The day also included sessions that reviewed cyber threats to ports, recent cases, how they were dealt with and how ports and shipping are now coming closer together to deal with this existential threat.

Attendees were shown practical examples from member ports on how digital twins are created and how technologies such as artificial intelligence can be used to plan better.

The day concluded with a spotlight on the IAPH World Ports Sustainability Program which is now the industry reference database of ports integrating the UN Sustainable Development Goals into their own businesses.

Industry leaders also discussed what the leadership profile of the future port CEO will look like and how young talent can be attracted going forward.

The World Ports Conference is a major global platform for outlining the crucial role that seaports play in supporting the global trade sector. This marks the first time that the Conference is held in the Middle East and North Africa region.

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