International conference
The Port and Maritime Sector: Key Developments and Challenges
Department of Transport and Regional Economics, University of Antwerp
Antwerp, Belgium
11 – 12 May 2015
The significance of the port and maritime sector is increasing in a globalising world. Hence the need for knowledge concerning new and future developments to strengthen the competitive level as well in science as in society and business.
For this purpose on 11 and 12 May 2015, the Special Interest Group 2 (Ports and Maritime) of the World Conference on Transport Research Society (WCTRS), co-chaired by Prof. Eddy Van de Voorde (Department of Transport and Regional Economics – University of Antwer/TransportNET) and Prof. Enrico Musso (Department of Quantitative Methods – University of Genova/TransportNET), will host a two-day international conference under the title “The Port and Maritime Sector: Key Developments and Challenges”. It will be held at the Department of Transport and Regional Economics, University of Antwerp, Belgium.
The conference – which will deal with topics of interest that can be considered to be at current a key development in the port and maritime business, either at management, operational or policy level – will be open to interested academics or business responsibles in the maritime and port field.
Among the specific topics in the field of maritime, port or hinterland economics, environmental issues, maritime engineering, investment and finance, cost optimisation, chain optimisation, human resources and employment and legal issues.
The conference is a preparatory event to the 2016 WCTR conference, and is a follow-up of similar SIG2 conferences in 2009 and 2013. It will present a state of the art of scientific developments which are of use to academicians, business people and policy-makers. It features a rich selection of papers made after the abstract submission process. Selected submissions originate from both academic, business and policy responsibles active in the maritime and port field.
This conference has a number of specific features:
- Finished research and as well “research in process” can be presented and discussed;
- The objective is to make scientists and practisers meet;
- The stress lays on interdisciplinarity, i.e. all disciplines will be treated (engineering, economy, legal, mathematic, …);
- The subjects are about theory and empiry, secondly derived products;
- New research areas and business opportunities will be dealt with.
More practical details on the conference will be communicated upon registration first half 2015. Conference participation will include access to all sessions, a technical visit, all public conference catering and library and other facilities.
More information: