As part of the completion of the “Ports as Driving Wheels of Entrepreneurial Realm – PoWER” Project, the Final Event “From Ports to Hubs, from Hubs to Network” was held online on 26–27 November 2020 via the Zoom digital platform.
The purpose of this event was to present the project’s achievements and the establishment of the Innovation Hubs Network, as well as to facilitate discussions—through roundtable sessions among key experts from the Adriatic-Ionian Region—on topics such as the evolution of ports following the COVID-19 outbreak, the strengths and challenges of transition paths identified by the PoWER project for the development of ports into Innovation Hubs.
The first day of the PoWER Project Final Event was a closed-door meeting attended only by the project partners. The meeting began with a welcome address by Marco Padula, Project Coordinator, Institute for Construction Technologies – National Research Council of Italy, followed by a presentation on the PoWER project, its objectives, and results by Francesca Picenni, Institute for Construction Technologies – National Research Council of Italy.
The specific results of the pilot plan and the expected outcomes were presented by representatives of the PoWER project’s pilot ports – Bari, Brčko, Durrës, Igoumenitsa, Ravenna, and Rijeka – specifically: Ms. Valentina Santoliquido, Institute for Construction Technologies – National Research Council of Italy; Ms. Aida Čeljo, CETEOR d.o.o., Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina); Mr. Fotis Stergiopoulos, Centre for Research and Technology CERTH (Greece); Ms. Saveria Teston, CNA Ravenna (Italy); and Ms. Floreta Kërtusha, Municipality of Durrës (Albania). Following this, Roberto Malvezzi, ITC-CNR (Italy), continued the event by leading a workshop aimed at defining joint future actions related to the IHN Strategy and identifying other potential topics to be addressed through the PoWER Methodology.
The second day of the event, which was open to the general public, was opened by Prof. Eng. Antonio Occhiuzzi, Director of the Institute for Construction Technologies of the National Research Council of Italy, followed by Ms. Adela Franja, Project Manager of the ADRION Programme, who spoke about the future prospects of the ADRION Programme. The PoWER Project and its objectives were then presented by Mr. Marco Padula, PoWER Project Coordinator.
Meanwhile, Dr. Adrian Hackaj, Director of Research at the Institute of Cooperation and Development (Albania), moderated the expert roundtable “Evolution of Ports after the COVID-19 Outbreak: Issues, Challenges, and New Opportunities,” with the participation of: Mr. Pirro Vengu, Director of the Durrës Port Authority (Albania); Mr. Mirsad Čustović, Port of Brčko (Bosnia & Herzegovina); Mr. Tvrtko Tomljenović, Port Authority of Rijeka (Croatia); and Mr. Sabbatino Catani, Confcommercio Study Center of Pescara (Italy). Dr. Fotis Stergiopoulos, Centre for Research and Technology (Greece), moderated the second expert roundtable, “Ports as Logistic, Digital, Sustainable, and Economic Hubs: Strengths and Challenges of the Four PoWER Transition Paths for the Evolution of ADRION Ports,” with the participation of: Prof. Osman Metalla, University of Durrës (Albania); Mr. Eners Čovrk, IPSA Institute Sarajevo (Bosnia & Herzegovina); Mr. Tvrtko Tomljenović, Port Authority of Rijeka (Croatia); Mr. Andrea Bardi, Institute of Transport and Logistics (Italy); and Mr. Francesco Magnanoli, Port Authority of Ravenna (Italy).
The PoWER Project, implemented under the Interreg VB Adriatic-Ionian Programme 2014–2020 and co-financed by the European Union with €1,220,944.42 to support the evolution of port areas into Innovation Hubs and the creation of the Innovation Hubs Network, was successfully carried out in collaboration with project partners from six countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, Italy, and Serbia.
For more information about the project, please visit:
https://www.facebook.com/PoWERAdrion/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/power-ports-as-driving-wheels-of-entrepreneurial-realm/
https://twitter.com/PoWERAdrion
https://power.adrioninterreg.eu/
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