The first edition of the Green Med Forum took place
in Portrose, near Koper, Slovenia,
on 10-12 March 2008.

The topic was

"Fresh Produce Maritime Logistics in the Mediterranean".

The choice of Koper-Portoroz as location for 1st Green Med Forum was connected to Slovenia’s semester of EU presidency  (1 January-30 June) in 2008, as well as to the concrete activity in this field of Port of Koper (Luka Koper), that was actually co-organizer of the event being one of the most important Adriatic ports specializing in reefer logistics. As a conclusion of the event, a visit to the port was organized for all logistics experts that participated in the Forum.

Topics highlights

    * Analysis of Mediterranean fresh produce traffics
    * EU’s logistics strategies for Southern Europe
    * The shipping companies’ proposals
    * Port networking: debate on prospects
    * Forwarders and the industry confronting themselves
    * Mediterranean ports gateway to Europe: is it possible?
    * Drawing the future’s key actions

See the Concept 2008

See the Conference Programme 2008
with all the speakers

The final remarks

Fresh produce maritime transport is growing on a global scale by 6 per cent yearly, currently handling around 80 million tonnes per year, 13 of which involve the Mediterranean. The role of the Mediterranean within global traffics is increasing. A constant impressive rise of reefer sea freight is forecasted for the next years, even by over 7-10 per cent for some Med Countries according to estimates. That requires ports’ adjustment for what concerns both infrastructures and services; that also involves sea and land logistics operators, with shipping lines at the forefront. More shipping lines are necessary, having a frequency responding to the traffic’s needs; appropriate areas are needed inside ports, as well as swifter land services, significantly streamlining bureaucratic procedures; also, more direct connections between ports and with highway and railway networks are required. To give users more convenient services it is necessary a cost reduction, which will only be possible through a more efficient logistics system, by optimizing for instance cargoes of vessels that often come back empty. Spain, Italy and Turkey are more and more employing maritime transport for fruit and vegetable import-export. Spain exports by sea twice as much as Italy. Egypt’s and Morocco’s roles are growing as their exports grow, and both Countries have provided themselves in recent years with remarkable infrastructures in the ports of Alexandria, Damietta, Port Said and Tanger Med. However investments are underway throughout all Mediterranean, from Spain to Turkey, from France to - precisely - Morocco and Egypt. In the latter Country ports are undergoing pharaonic, definitely magnificent projects. The existing gap between Northern European ports on the Atlantic and Mediterranean ports is nevertheless still evident in terms of infrastructures and services. And a reflection has to be made also about modalities. We are facing a real container traffic booming, which will last for long; however the fresh produce sector also looks with interest at the Ro-Ro service and asks more lines of this kind within the Mediterranean.

See the PHOTO REPORT FORUM 2008