The event took place in the context of DAPhNE’s Danube Ports Policy Day (2nd edition)and provided a formal opportunity to validate the key tenets of the DPN’s vision, mission and values to further strengthen the commitment of its strategic partners. Indeed, eight out of thirteen partner port organisations currently involved in the DAPhNE project, made a tangible commitment to continue working with and for the DPN - beyond its pilot action phase (June 2018 - June 2019). Their commitment has been formally expressed and recorded by the signature of the Danube Ports Network Letter of Commitment (LoC).
The following key strategic partners have signed the LoC and thus formalised their commitment to the DPN, namely: the Hungarian Federation of the Danube Ports (Hungary) - represented by Capt. Béla SZALMA President, Ennshafen OÖ GmbH (Austria) - represented by Werner AUER, General Manager, Rhenus Donauhafen Krems GmbH &Co. KG (Austria) - represented by Gerhard GUSSMAGG, Managing Director, the Bulgarian Ports Infrastructure Company (Bulgaria) - represented by Anguel ZABURTOV, Director General, the ICS Danube Logistics SRL/Giurgiulesti International Free Port (Moldova) - represented by Thomas MOSER, Director Business Development, the Port of Vukovar Authority (Croatia) - represented by Alen JAKUMETOVIC, Managing Director, the Public Ports Slovakia Jsc. (Slovakia), represented by Gabriel SZEKERES, CEO and Ing. Josef BODI, Director investment directorate, and Port Governance Agency (Serbia), represented by Vuk PEROVIC, Acting Director.
With the DPN strategic partnership formalised in the framework of the DAPhNE project, another key milestone was reached in the DPN's organisational life. Along with the operationalisation of the DPN Governance structure i.e. the formation of its 1st Advisory Group and the setting-up of the DPN Technical Secretariat - concrete steps have been taken in contributing to DPN’s institutional consolidation and growth. All these aspects, along with an overview of key initiatives and upcoming activities of the DPN as well as other specific thematic topics were further discussed during the official launch the event.