Thirteen ports in the running for the ESPO Award 2017

July 5, 2017 - The ESPO secretariat received 13 submissions for the 9th edition of the ESPO Award. Focusing on “Art and Cultural involvement of the port”, the ESPO Award 2017 will go to the port that succeeds best in societal integration of the port with the city or wider community in which they are located, through involvement in art or culture. The jury will assess the level of engagement of the port, the innovative character of the involvement and/or cooperation and will look into the impact of this involvement in terms of bringing the port closer to the citizens and the local community. The jury will not assess the artistic value of the project. ESPO members could send their applications until last Friday. The following 13 port authorities have applied for the ESPO award 2017: Antwerp Port Authority, Port of Naestved, Port of Brest, Guadeloupe Port Authority, Port of Tallinn, North Adriatic Sea Port Authority, Port of Oslo, Szczecin and Świnoujście Seaports Authority, Port of Koper, Port Authority of Málaga, Santander Port Authority, Associated British Ports (South Wales) and DP World London Gateway Port. To promote the efforts made by different European ports to enhance the city-port relations through innovative projects, ESPO decided in 2009 to give out an annual ESPO Award on Societal Integration of Ports. After the two first editions, it was decided to focus each year on one different aspect of societal integration. The winner is selected by an independent jury of international experts, under the Chairmanship of Pat Cox, former President of the European Parliament and TEN-T coordinator. The winner will be announced at the ESPO award ceremony and dinner taking place on 8 November in Brussels.