Welcome Letter

Welcome to the Coastlink 2022 Conference

- we are delighted to finally meet you all.

Firstly, I would like to extend our sincere thanks to the Port of Antwerp for hosting this long-awaited Conference event. The Port House is an award winning and dynamic venue, reflecting the innovative nature and sustainable values set out by the port. I am sure that this prestigious venue will add to your Coastlink experience and overall enjoyment of the event.

As Europe’s second largest seaport, the Port of Antwerp has an excellent inland location and an extensive reach into the hinterland. Antwerp’s short sea terminal facilities link to multimodal rail and barge transport networks which deliver the seamless movement of freight – naturally aligning with Coastlink’s focus for this year. Taking a step forward from our inaugural event in 2019, the 2022 conference will focus on: Building Connectivity between Short Sea Shipping and Intermodal Networks.

Over the 2-day event we will be covering pertinent topics: starting with a market sector overview looking at both the industry challenges and new opportunities for short sea and feeder shipping. Michiel Vermeiren, Manager Maritime Business & Market Intelligence, will provide you with the Port’s Welcome Address before we move onto the informative presentations and panel discussions. The opportunities for growth and expansion within the short sea shipping sector are now more notable than ever taking political, social and environments considerations into account.

In the afternoon of Day 1 we will debate the topic of Building Connectivity & Networks for the Future – linking short sea shipping to intermodal transport routes. In this session we will look how partnerships with multimodal links at the ports are key to driving efficiency and providing a sustainable future for the movement of freight.

For Day 2, we will move onto the key topic of digitalisation and innovation within the shipping and port sector, and how this is now improving efficiencies in the end-to-end supply chain. Once again, partnerships, connectivity, and new technologies are driving the future to benefit the industry as a whole.

I would like to thank the Port of Antwerp for hosting the technical visit at the Port in the afternoon of Day 2, where attendees will be provided with a tour of the ATO short sea and DP World deep sea terminals. It is an opportunity to see how Antwerp manage their short sea proposition, as well as their growing rail and barge intermodal connections at the Port. I am sure that you will find the tour insightful.

Coastlink is a pan-European network focussed on the promotion of short sea and feeder shipping – and how they form part of the logistics supply chain. I hope that the sessions and networking opportunities on offer provide you with the forum to engage with key stakeholders and industry professionals to drive forward partnerships that will provide a sustainable future.

I am delighted that Nick Lambert, Co-Founder and Director at NLA International will be your Chairman at Coastlink in 2022. I know that Nick will promote active debate and discussion throughout the event, whilst introducing you to our schedule of expert speakers.

Finally, I would like to give a thank you to Navtek Naval Technologies for being our Gold Sponsor, to the Port of Tyne for also sponsoring, and to all the supporters and speakers who have helped to make Coastlink 2022 possible. Last, but not least, to you our delegates for joining this long-awaited conference.

On behalf of the Coastlink team I hope that you enjoy the Conference. We look forward to meeting you all throughout the 2 days.

MARIANNE RASMUSSEN COULLING

Events Director, Mercator Media Ltd

MICHIEL VERMEIREN

Maritime Business and Market Intelligence Manager, Port of Antwerp-Bruges

BIOGRAPHY

After a 10 year career within the Maersk Group in different (management) roles (trade & commercial), Michiel started at the port of Antwerp in 2016 as business development manager. In 2018 he took up the position of shipping lines manager, and since 2022 Michiel is now responsible for the department Maritime Business & Market Intelligence.

In this role he leads the commercial department focusing on the shipping lines, agents, bunker companies and market intelligence. On the one hand, the goal is to detect what is required in the market to keep the port’s products towards carriers future proof.

Sustainability, innovation and digitalization are crucial drivers. In this perspective, the department is involved in strategic projects as ‘on shore power supply’ and ‘multifuel port’. On the other hand, the team gathers market intelligence basis quantitative and qualitative research focusing on all relevant segments, customer, sectors etc… This knowledge feeds the organization to make the best possible (commercial) decisions.