by Przemysław Myszka
I must admit that the beginning of this year's autumn was, if anything, chopped up.
Just a blink after we published the previous issue, there was the annual Baltic Ports Conference in the more than charming town of Ystad (a summary of which you'll find in the BPO Newsletter section).
Then, the next series of BTJ Trip got rolling, first by visiting the picturesque Naantali and its seaport as well as partaking in the official launch of Finnlines' flagship ferry, Finnsirius (stunning!). Afterwards, our other Przemek had to scramble to get from north-central Poland to Kaskinen, which was quite a challenging logistical jigsaw he nonetheless managed to solve elegantly. Meanwhile, I was on my way to Helsinki, battling a developing cold, which in normal circumstances is a pain in the neck, let alone while you're abroad. I, however, got the job done with grace and grit, if I may say so myself.
Treat yourself to a delicious cuppa joe or another brew of choice, sit comfortably, and please enjoy our footage from the north of the beautiful Baltic Sea region. Nothing - and I mean nothing! - beats standing on the quayside and taking the port atmosphere in (along with a vigorous dose of salty air!).
Additionally, the Events column hosts a digest from a seminar organised in Polish Poznań by our partners from the Port of Antwerp-Bruges in cooperation with the Flanders Investment & Trade agency.
The autumn of 2023 brought about other significant developments, too. Our good friend Kai-Dieter Classen dissects what passing the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure and FuelEU Maritime Regulations will mean for ports. Whereas the read is about cold ironing, I'm sure it'll be a hot topic in the community for years to come (as also highlighted by e1 Marine's Robert Schulter in his piece on how to jointly overcome the challenges that hold back the adoption of shore power).
Speaking of temperatures, Legal's other piece focuses on the risks found across the cold supply chain and the means of mitigating them. Staying on the topic of safety, the In safe hands article from Maritime presents an innovative escape descent system that can save lives when danger hits the fan (the two last pieces have a hidden connection - we met TeSuCon’s Jérôme Lacroix during the latest TOC Europe, where he exhibited the Evacuator® in TT Club's Safety Village).
Traditionally, the Report of the 5/23 edition is devoted to the regional bulk market, dry and liquid alike. However, this time around, it also houses a read that otherwise could find its place in the Technology column, namely on using drones to measure dry bulk inventories - faster, cheaper, and more accurately than with an unaided eye.
As for Technology itself, there are articles on applying artificial intelligence-powered data technology to benchmark environmental-social-governance performance and tackle the challenges the shipping sector will face from its inclusion in the EU Emission Trading System; on using biometrical vision technology for efficient passenger terminal operations and greater customer & employee satisfaction; and on measuring what matters or, in other words, the importance of data strategy in terminal operations.
As always, the issue is topped with Transport miscellany and in it: how one should say "farewell" to their shipyards smartly, building your own original replica of an aircraft, rolling stock from the 19th century that still blows steam like there's no tomorrow, and a portion of the port in Gdynia that's older than the seaport itself.
Have nothing but the best read!
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