by Przemysław Myszka

"Stockholm is a port that got its city, not the other way around." These words set the tone for this year's edition of the Baltic Port Organization's (BPO) annual get-together, the biggest meeting of the regional port industry, underscoring the importance of maritime trade for the well-being of the Baltic Sea region's economies and peoples.

That said, the interests of ports and their cities collide at times, urging the parties to find a compromise that suits both sides. At the same time, the digital revolution is persistently knocking on the ports' door, making it more and more clear that the upcoming decade will require from port authorities investments in not only physical but also digital infrastructure, not to mention figuring out how the two should interface with and impact each other.

Lastly, ports will have to undergo a cultural change, too, elbowing their position within the Industry 4.0 flux, as well as navigate through the challenges coming as a result of global warming.

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