Port of Liverpool owner Peel Ports will host a major two-day conference in the city in May that will discuss maritime freight networks and supply chains. Tony McDonough reports

A major maritime conference is coming to Liverpool in May.

Port of Liverpool owner Peel Ports will be the host for the two-day Coastlink conference. It will take place at the Royal Liver Building on the waterfront. Organised by Mercator Media, the conference will be held Wednesday, May 3, and Thursday, May 4.

Coastlink is a pan-European network dedicated to the promotion of short sea shipping and the intermodal networks through the ports that support the sector.

Short sea shipping refers to shipping freight routes within smaller areas, such as Europe, as opposed to global shipping. This year’s conference has the theme of Growing Sustainable Supply Chains: Short sea shipping & intermodal networks.

Claudio Veritiero, chief executive of Peel Ports Group, will deliver the opening address at the event. There will then be a number of sessions over the two days. They include:

• Market sector overview – the new normal in an adapting market.
• In a post-Brexit and post-pandemic era – are we where we need to be? Considering current challenges with port congestion; work-force shortages; skills gap; EU-UK trade flows; the need for frictionless trade; approach to border control; Future barriers & opportunities.
• How to promote growth and deliver resilient end to end supply chains.
• Freeports: Driving change for coastal shipping and the supply chain? Discussing the impacts and benefits of Freeports. How will supply chains adjust?
• Sustainability and the energy transition – a route to shipping freight sustainably. The journey and challenges for ports, shipping & logistics in achieving net zero.

Stephen Carr, group commercial director at Peel Ports Group, said: “This is a key pan-European event which will bring together port operators, short sea and feeder shipping lines, freight forwarders and other logistics specialists.

“It will showcase the Port of Liverpool and the wider maritime sector’s achievements over the last 10 years.

“The conference also represents an opportunity to profile Liverpool city region’s status as a Freeport and the trade and investment benefits this can bring to businesses in the sector.”

LCR Freeport went ‘live’ in January after Secretary of State for Levelling Up Michael Gove approved the business case.

READ MORE: ‘Maritime family helped make cruise terminal a success’

This triggers an initial £25m of Whitehall funding to get the project up and running. According to Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram the focus will be on sectors such as advanced manufacturing, pharmaceuticals and green energy.

Marianne Rasmussen-Coulling, events director at Mercator Media, added: “We are working closely with our host port – Peel Ports Group Liverpool – to deliver an exceptional event focused on growing sustainable supply chains.

“We welcome all those involved in the short sea shipping, ports, logistics, and supply chain industry to join us for two days of informative debate, knowledge sharing, and networking with fellow industry professionals.”