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Sailing Ahead - April 2008
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Please note that in order to get a visa for P.R. China, as well as to attend the AGA and seminar, you should first get an invitation from the local organizing committee. In case you haven't received the invitation yet, please send the following data to PIANC HQ: name, title, passport number and nationality.
Veuillez noter qu'afin d'obtenir un visa pour la RP Chine, ainsi que d'assister à l'AGA et au séminaire, il vous faut d'abord une invitation du comité organisateur local. Si vous ne l'avez pas encore reçue, nous vous prions d'envoyer les données suivantes au QG de PIANC: nom, titre, numéro du passeport et nationalité.
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As the AGA in Beijing is getting closer every day, registration is now in full progress. Don't miss this opportunity and sign up for this event! There will also be additional tours for accompanying persons, but please be aware that they need to register separately for these tours.
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- News from ProCom
- News from HisCom
- News from CoCom
- News from YP-Com
- Dutch YPs visit the Port of Rotterdam
- News in the PIANC Community
- Good results for PIANC-COPEDEC VII
- Séminaire sur les barrages de navigation intérieure
- De Paepe-Willems Award 2009 - Call for papers
- 2009 Jack Nichol Marina Design Award - Call for Applications
- Gulf Coast Hurricane Preparedness, Response, Recovery and Rebuilding Conference - Call for papers
- New PIANC EnviCom report "Dredged material as a resource, options and constraints"
- IAPH toolbox for port clean air programs launched
- Joint Statement on guiding principles for the development of inland navigation and environmental protection in the Danube River basin
- Publications
- Just shipped
- Publications pipeline
- On the calendar
- ESPO 2008 conference
- Impacts of Climate Change on the Maritime Industry (ICCMI) 2008
- 6th ASEAN Ports and Shipping 2008
- CEDA conference on dredging and land reclamation
- A new water-way to go south
ProCom had a very fruitful meeting on 4 April 2008 in Brussels. The meeting learned that so far, a huge progress has been made by Hill&Knowlton and HQ regarding the improvement of PIANC's promotional material. PIANC intends to have a new brochure and leaflet at the AGA in Beijing, as well as an improved website around summer, in order to show the new look and feel of the association. HQ will stimulate all national sections to translate this brochure into their own language and include the contact information of the national section. Furthermore, a toolbox with backgrounders (fact sheets) on the major PIANC topics, an events calendar and a presentation on PIANC will be developed to support PIANC members in promoting the association.
PIANC's focus has been reconsidered, resulting in a new mission statement: "PIANC is the global organization providing guidance for sustainable waterborne transport infrastructures for ports and waterways". Until the AGA of 2009, Procom will continue to develop a promotion and marketing plan for 'Positioning PIANC as a thought leader on waterborne transport'. Also, a media protocol will be developed for PIANC's major events. Writing press releases should become a habit for PIANC at the level of both HQ and the national sections. HQ will provide guidelines to the national sections on how to do this. Moreover, all national sections will be asked to support new member countries, to start using the new format for the website and to keep HQ informed about news items and events.
Procom was set up on 18 June 2007 as a temporary commission that was founded to follow up on the PIANC strategic plan 2006-2010 regarding promotional activities. Procom has fifteen members coming from twelve different countries and it is chaired by Louis van Schel and Hubert Fiers. Alice Clijncke, representative from YP-Com in ProCom, acts as secretary of this commission.
Alice Clijncke
Secretary of ProCom
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"Times are changing", the period between 1970 and 2000, was subject of the fourth meeting of the History Commission (the so-called "HisCom"), which was held on 11 April 2008 in Brussels.
In the period 1970-2000, PIANC changed drastically: one president instead of two, the appointment of vice-presidents, the establishment of Permanent Technical Commissions and working groups and the formation of the Permanent Commission for Developing Countries. The untimely death of Gustave Willems in the build-up to the Centennial Congress shocked PIANC. The president-elect, Robert De Paepe, was forced to suddenly take over the presidency. Under his rule, the character of PIANC altered from primary a congress organizer to a publisher of high-ranking technical reports. Symbolic for the new orientation was the moving of the Headquarters from the familiar art deco Residence Palace to the steel-and-glass World Trade Center and eventually to the new Graaf de Ferraris Building. PIANC also showed an interest for the environment and for developing countries. There was a new logo and there were revised and more democratic rules, limiting the period in office and imposing a maximum age for functionaries. When President Robert De Paepe reached the age-limit of 72, a young tandem took over: Eric Van den Eede as president and Louis Van Schel as secretary-general.
"HisCom" will now start to describe the 21st century. The new management started with a lot of ambition and wanted to reform PIANC to a modern association, able to attract new members and to play a prominent role in the digital era. First of all, the Statutes and Rules & Regulations and the Congress Rules had to be transformed. At the same time, the presentation of PIANC to the outside world was improved by developing a new house style and a new logo and entered the digital era by launching a website. A third and important step was the drafting of a Strategic Plan. Part of the plan is extra attention for young professionals, which eventually resulted in the establishment of a Young Professionals Commission.
The history book will eventually be presented at the 2010 Congress in Liverpool, when PIANC will celebrate its 125th anniversary.
The five vice-presidents in 1981. From left to right: P. Savey, R. De Paepe, C. van der Burgt, Sir William Harris and LTG E. Heiberg III. |
Jolke Brolsma
"HisCom"
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CoCom had a meeting in Dubai before the PIANC-COPEDEC conference in February. Thirteen members were present, as well as one observer, Eric Marcone of YP-Com and two guests: Professor Sundar and Doctor Sannasiraj, both working at the Indian Institute of Technology of Madras in India. They will become member of the Working Group (WG) on Training and made use of the occasion to familiarize themselves with CoCom. For Trygve Isaksen of Norway and Ali Dastgheib of Iran this was the first meeting.
The parallel discussions of Subcommittee (SC) 1 and 2, and of the Joint SC CoCom-YP-Com proved to be very fruitful. SC1 discussed the start of WG3 on Training and the options for new WG's. SC2 came with some very constructive ideas on how to improve and accelerate the work on Qualifying Members (QM). The Joint SC discussed the immediate actions during the conference, but promised to submit a plan for further actions soon.
It was decided to have the next meeting (the 76th) on 6 October 2008, in connection with the Mediterranean Days (7-9 October 2008) in Palermo, Italy. This venue was chosen, as there will be many delegates from the countries around the Mediterranean, which are not yet member of PIANC.
Dubai also proved to be a good venue for CoCom's meeting, as the commission met many professionals from non-PIANC countries during the conference. CoCom was able to create interest of individuals from Colombia, Ecuador, Libya, Iran and many other countries. Moreover, during a YP-event organized by Bas Wijdeven, Ali Dastgheib and Eric Marcone, twenty-two new YP's from all over the world signed up.
Han Ligteringen
Chairman of CoCom
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Dutch YPs visit the Port of Rotterdam
Thirty Dutch YP's visited the Port of Rotterdam on 12 February to attend a lecture on Maasvlakte 2, the 1000 hectares port extension project. Experts of the Maasvlakte 2 Project Organization highlighted the complexity of this project addressing both the permitting procedures as well as the tendering for clients and a contractor.
The realization of Maasvlakte 2 comprises over 300 million m³ of sand for land reclamation and dunes, 4 km hard sea defence, and 12 km of quay wall. The port basin, with a depth of 20 m, has a direct deep-sea approach and good hinterland connections with road, rail and inland waterways. Maasvlakte 2 will have space for 625 hectares container terminals, with a throughput of 17 million TEU, 210 hectares chemical industries and 210 hectares for distribution and empty depots.
For the permitting procedures, an Environmental Impact Assessment of 6200 pages was drafted, which studies the impact during construction, the impact on the sea and sea life, the accessibility for all modes of transport, noise, air pollution etc. Sustainability plays a major role throughout the project. The contours of Maasvlakte 2 were optimized, in order to minimize the impact on currents and sea life. In the selection of the client, sustainability determined 20% of the outcome of the selection process, resulting in clients commitment to minimize terminal emissions and shift from road transportation to rail and inland waterways transport. The spatial plan and EIA are presently in the final stage of public inquiries.
The total budget of this project is € 2.9 billion. After a Design and Construct tendering procedure, the Dutch consortium of van Oord and Boskalis was awarded the first contract of about € 1 billion. Construction works are planned to start in September 2008. The first terminals will be operational in 2013.
Alice Clijncke
YPCom
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| NEWS IN THE PIANC COMMUNITY |
Good results for PIANC-COPEDEC VII
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More than 700 people out of 45 different countries have participated in the PIANC-COPEDEC VII conference in Dubai (UAE), which took place from 24 until 28 February 2008. The overall theme of the conference was "Best Practices in the Coastal Environment". The Paper Selection Committee received no less than 230 papers dealing with the following subjects :
- Port Engineering;
- Coastal Infrastructure;
- Coastal Erosion & Protection;
- Coastal Risk;
- Coastal Hydrodynamics;
- Coastal Environmental Issues and Sustainability
Dubai Municipality also granted 100 fellowships to people coming from Countries in Transition (CiT). In addition, a pre-conference short course was organized on 23 February 2008, which attracted more than 70 participants.
At the closing ceremony, PIANC's Secretary-General Louis Van Schel formulated the final conclusions and he especially thanked Ranjit Galappatti, chairman of the International Organizing Committee, for the technical aspects concerning the content of the conference, as well as the opportunity for networking, both very much appreciated by the various participants.
You can find the keynote address entitled "Challenges in regulation, strategy and policy - impacts on ports and shipping" by Datin Paduka O.C. Phang, President of the International Association of Ports & Harbors (IAPH) here.
Picture : The Burj Tower, Dubai |
Séminaire sur les barrages de navigation intérieure
Please click here for the English version: "Seminar on inland navigation weirs"  22 kB
AIPCN France, section française de PIANC et le Cetmef (Centre d'Etudes Techniques Maritimes et Fluviales) ont organisé à Paris le 11 mars 2008, une journée d'échanges techniques sur la reconstruction des barrages de navigation. Cette réunion a réuni 62 participants (dont 17 venant de Belgique). Vous pouvez trouver tout ce que vous souhaitez savoir sur cette journée sur le site web d'AIPCN-France: www.cetmef.equipement.gouv.fr/aipcn/.
AIPCN France est particulièrement sensible à la présence nombreuse des collègues belges, et très honoré de la présence du président de l'AIPCN Eric Van den Eede. Cette journée a été l'occasion d'une rencontre riche entre les différents acteurs professionnels (maîtres d'ouvrages, maîtres d'œuvre, bureaux d'études, entreprises et centres de recherches), et d'échanges d'informations et de points de vue sur des sujets techniques contribuant ainsi à terme à l'amélioration des pratiques.
Elle a ainsi permis :
- la présentation de cinq cas en cours de reconstruction présentant tous des caractéristiques leur conférant un intérêt particulier (expérimentation de barrage gonflable à volet métallique, barrage du Mont Saint Michel, barrage de Givet sur la Meuse, barrages d'Ivoz Ramet de la Dendre en Belgique...);
- des présentations et échanges sur des innovations ou thèmes techniques spécifiques (câbles de sécurité en amont des barrages; évolution de la réglementation);
- un débat sur le déroulement des projets et la collaboration des maîtres d'ouvrage, maître d'œuvre et entreprises (objectifs de VNF maître d'ouvrage, modes de consultation, variantes, innovation...).
Olivier Piet
Secrétaire AICPN France
De Paepe-Willems Award 2009 - Call for papers
 This is a call for papers for PIANC's De Paepe-Willems Award (DPWA) 2009. Contestants for the prize are required to submit a paper before 31 August 2008 on subjects in the fields of design, construction, improvement, maintenance of operation of inland and maritime waterways (rivers, estuaries, canals, port approaches), of inland and maritime ports and of coastal areas. You can find the rules and conditions for submission by clicking here. An application form can be found here.
The Award consists of an amount of € 5,000 and free membership of PIANC for a five-year period. The Award-winner will also be invited to present his/her paper at the AGA. Free hotel accommodation for three nights will be provided, together with a payment of travel expenses in economy class to the AGA. Besides all that, the Award-winning submission will be published in the Magazine "On Course" and the winners of the DPWA will be presented on the international PIANC-website with a curriculum vitae and a summary of their submission. So don't hesitate anymore and sign up for this nice award!
2009 Jack Nichol Marina Design Award - Call for Applications
 PIANC's Recreation Navigation Commission (RecCom) invites marina designers and owners to submit application abstracts for the "2009 Jack Nichol Marina Design Award" for outstanding marina design, ultimately before 31 August 2008. The short list with the accepted abstracts will be notified before 30 September 2008. Later, the complete application should be submitted before 31 December 2008.
The Jack Nichol Award was established in memory of the late John M. 'Jack' Nichol, honorary member of PIANC and well known marina designer. The purpose of the award is to recognize excellence in the design of modern recreational boating facilities around the world. The award consists of a bronze plaque suitable for display.
The Jack Nichol Award is granted annually, provided that a sufficient number of applications will be received. RecCom judges the applications. The winner will be announced at PIANC's Annual General Assembly (AGA) in May 2OO9 by the chairman of RecCom and he will also be mentioned in PIANC's magazine "On Course", as well as on its website.
The submittal requirements and award criteria are downloadable here. Applications should be sent to :
Gulf Coast Hurricane Preparedness, Response, Recovery and Rebuilding Conference - Call for papers
This is a call for papers for The Gulf Coast Hurricane Preparedness, Response, Recovery and Rebuilding Conference that will be held from 11 until 14 November 2008 in Mobile, Alabama (USA). All abstracts are due for 15 May 2008, authors will be notified by 15 June 2008.
Please click here to find all necessary information and more details about the conference.  373 kB
New PIANC EnviCom report "Dredged material as a resource, options and constraints"
Dredged material can be a valuable resource for a number of engineering and environmental uses. However, much of dredged material, although suitable for use, is still disposed of as an unwanted commodity. Working Group 14 of PIANC EnviCom has analyzed options and constraints for uses of dredged material and formulated recommendations based on a large number of case studies. These examples show that the use of dredged material can provide benefits to society, such as saving on primary construction materials and enhancement of the environment.
Active communication with all stakeholders and the public that dredged material is a valuable resource and not a waste is needed to overcome the NIMBY syndrome. Matching demand for building and environmental construction with supply and delivery rates of suitable dredged materials is another important factor for success. The real barrier is often inadequate legislation. A change of legislation or its interpretation is required to promote effective use of dredged material worldwide. Wide publication of real case studies demonstrating how dredged material can be used beneficially, and how hurdles can be overcome is key to accepting the very concept. EnviCom WG 14 has been working on the options and constraints that need to be the real focus in achieving a common consensus on why and how dredged material can be used beneficially. The report will provide real examples of such uses worldwide and is expected to be published soon.
IAPH toolbox for port clean air programs launched
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The International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) has launched a web-based guideline and reference, titled "IAPH toolbox for port clean air programs". It is made freely available to both its member ports and non-member ports on the IAPH website. It is designed to provide all the ports around the world and all parties concerned quick access to information, options, and tools that can be used to start the planning process to address port-related air quality issues, while promoting business development.
Following the adoption of the Resolution on clean air programs for ports at the 25th World Ports Conference in Houston, Texas on 4 May 2007, the IAPH Port Environment Committee started developing the toolbox under the leadership of Chair Dr. Geraldine Knatz, Executive Director, Port of Los Angeles, USA.
According to IAPH Secretary-General Dr. Satoshi Inoue, this is an important part of the association's continuing efforts to improve air quality in and around the world's ports. As no one-size-fits-all solution exists due to large variances in local conditions from one port to another, he is convinced that this toolbox will help every port, IAPH members and non-members alike, develop its own integrated program for cleaner air of the port. |
Hiro Nagai
IAPH
Joint Statement on guiding principles for the development of inland navigation and environmental protection in the Danube River basin
The first-ever 'Joint Statement on guiding principles for the development of inland navigation and environmental protection in the Danube River Basin' has been launched in March 2008. The interdisciplinary process to create the Joint Statement was led by the Vienna-based International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR), the Budapest-based Danube Commission on Navigation and the Zagreb-based International Commission for the Sava River Basin (a Danube sub-basin). Over fifty stakeholders including twelve basin governments and twenty-two industry and environmental interest groups also participated in the process that took many years. All participants generated a common understanding about the protection of the riverine environment and the necessary conditions for developing sustainable inland navigation in an intact riverine landscape. This includes how to maintain the existing infrastructure such as the navigation channel, sluices and ports and how to improve navigation without causing conflicts.
One key principle is the need for an interdisciplinary planning process from the beginning of a project that includes :
- environment, water management and transport ministries;
- scientists in river engineering, navigation, ecology, spatial planning, tourism and economics;
- other stakeholders, such as environmental NGOs and the private sector.
Other principles include minimizing the impacts of engineering interventions, using non-structural measures (e.g. improved fleets, technologies and information systems) and applying environmental impact assessments with public input.
Please visit the www.icpdr.org website if you like to learn more about the Joint Statement.
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Just shipped
Around 15 April, the following publications were distributed to the PIANC members :
Magazine "On Course" 131,
special issue dedicated to China,
in the framework of the AGA in Beijing
PIANC report 98 (ex RecCom 16)
Protecting Water Quality in Marinas (English)
Publications pipeline
The following publications will be released around 15 July :
- Magazine "On Course" 132
Thematic issue dedicated to the TEN-T project for inland navigation Seine-Scheldt
- PIANC WG 99 (ex InCom 27)
Considerations to reduce environmental impacts on vessels" (+ CD-ROM) (English);
- PIANC WG 101 (ex InCom 26)
Conception des barrages mobiles et des barrières anti-tempêtes (+ CD-ROM) (French).
Moreover, the following WG-reports will be released in October 2008:
- PIANC WG 100 (ex EnviCom 13)
Dredging Management Practices for the Environment (+ CD-ROM) (English)
- PIANC WG 102 (ex MarCom 42)
Life Cycle Management of Port Structures; Recommended Practice for Implementation (English)
For any address changes and updates, please contact your National Section or PIANC HQ at info@pianc-aipcn.org.
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ESPO 2008 conference
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Following successful editions in Stockholm and Algeciras, which were devoted to the European Commission's new ports policy, the ESPO Conference returns this year to the core business of ESPO members: the governance of seaports. Taking place in Hamburg on 29-30 May 2008, the conference will gather know-how from European and international port and academic experts on the strategies and tools port managers have at their disposal to respond to contemporary governance challenges.
The programme includes testimonies by presidents and chief executives from the port authorities of Los Angeles, Sydney, Antwerp, Gdansk, Hamburg, Lisbon, Marseilles, Rotterdam, Stockholm, Trieste and Valencia. Attention will be paid to strategies that stretch beyond the traditional landlord function, the management of port property, the match-making role of port authorities and port performance measurement. Particular focus will be on the use of concessions as governance tools, an issue on which ESPO is currently conducting a survey of which the results will be presented in Hamburg.
Naturally, EU policy will not be absent from the agenda. We have planned a political debate with MEPs Anne Jensen, Georg Jarzembowski and Willi Piecyk on the business climate Europe is shaping for the development of ports and, before embarking on a boat tour of the port of Hamburg, DG TREN Director-General Matthias Ruete will conclude the two-day conference with an update on the implementation of the European Commission's ports policy.
You can find the fully updated programme of the conference, as well as registration forms and all practical information on the conference website: www.espo-conference.com. |
Patrick Verhoeven
Secretary-General ESPO
Impacts of Climate Change on the Maritime Industry (ICCMI) 2008
The ICCMI 2008 conference will be held in Malmö, Sweden from 2 until 4 June 2008, hosted by the World Maritime University (WMU). This event will attract experts from around the globe to discuss how climate change might affect various marine activities. It will also evaluate the measures that can and have been put in place to respond to the consequences of climate change. In relation to seas and oceans, three main themes frame the conference :
- Issues - What is the scientific basis of our understanding of climate change?;
- Effects - What are the foreseeable impacts on operations in maritime sectors?;
- Policy - How should legal, policy and governance frameworks evolve to adapt to climate change impacts?
The impact of the conference theme and the importance of WMU's Silver Jubilee has been reflected by the eminence of the guests of honour: H.M. Carl XVI Gustaf, the King of Sweden, and E.E. Mitropoulos, IMO's Secretary-General, as well as Ilmar Reepalu, Mayor of Malmö.
All information can be found on the conference website at www.wmu.se.
6th ASEAN Ports and Shipping 2008
 The 6th ASEAN Ports and Shipping 2008 Vietnam Exhibition and Conference will take place at the luxurious five star Windsor Plaza Hotel, Ho Chi Minh City on 5 and 6 June 2008.
In progressing the development of Vietnam's maritime industry, the Vietnam Maritime Code has been revised to encourage all Vietnamese and foreign organizations and companies to invest in developing Vietnam's shipping industry, port facilities, maintenance and management. With the long-term goal to reform the marine sector beyond 2010, the Vietnamese government aims to develop the shipping sector as a leading industry of the sea-based economy, further international economic integration and ensure sustainable growth. The event will provide companies an ideal platform to showcase products and services to this dynamic emerging market. This event also presents opportunities for companies and industry professionals to raise brand awareness, launch new products, network and establish business contacts.
There will be a concurrent two-day exhibition of 85 international companies and sponsors showcasing containerised transport products and services. On 5 and 6 June, there will be a two-day conference featuring 30 world-class business leaders analyzing the latest global transport and logistics issues attended by more than 500 senior executive delegates from over 25 countries comprising some of the world's leading shipping lines, shippers, cargo owners, importers/exporters, freight forwarders, logistics companies, ports, terminal operators, port equipment and services suppliers.
Learn more about this event by visiting the conference website at www.transportevents.com.
CEDA conference on dredging and land reclamation
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This first CEDA international conference on dredging and land reclamation in the Arabian Gulf, "Dredging and Sustainability: How wide is the Gulf?" will take place on 6 and 7 May 2008 in conjunction with the Ship & Port and Europort Maritime Exhibition at the Qatar International Exhibition Centre, Doha, Qatar. The two-day conference and technical visit to The Pearl-Qatar will focus on the undertaking of dredging projects in sympathy with the marine environment. It will give a comprehensive overview of a range of challenges and the novel solutions employed by developers and the dredging industry alike.
Presentations will be given by invited speakers representing a broad range of expertise and with extensive experience in the Gulf region. Between speaker presentations, there will be opportunity for networking and time to visit the exhibition. Attendance at this conference is a must for practitioners and scientists representing project owners, commissioners of large-scale dredging and reclamation projects, professionals from port, coastal and environmental authorities, dredging contractors, consultants and research institute personnel.
Please go to www.cedaconferences.org for further information and a booking form.
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Anna Csiti
General Manager CEDA
A new water-way to go south
From 13 until 16 May 2008, "A new water-way to go south! - Northern Italy Inland Waterway towards the Adriatic Corridor" will take place in Brussels, Belgium. The event will include a seminar entitled "Inland navigation: tools and ideas", as well as an exhibition hosted by Paolo Costa, Chairman of the Transport and Tourism Committee of the European Parliament and finally a workshop on "Business and investment opportunities with the Northern Italy Inland Waterway.
If you wish to participate in this event, please contact Info&Registrations at navigazione@provinica.mantova.it or the Press Office at sei1@provincia.mantova.it.
For more details about the event, the programme and registration form, please visit www.provincia.mantova.it.
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