Barcelona, 21 December 2015 – The final conference of the OPTIMED project “Rationalisation of Mediterranean Maritime Routes from Southern to North-Eastern Ports” took place on 18 December at the headquarters of the Secretariat of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) in Barcelona.

The event, organised by the Association of Mediterranean Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ASCAME), the Autonomous Region of Sardinia and the Chamber of Commerce of Beirut and Mount Lebanon (CCIABML) with the Union for the Mediterranean as institutional partner, welcomed all the partners of the OPTIMED project, the main delegates of the governmental institutions of the territories involved in the project as well as experts and technicians of the sector.

This conference was an opportunity to present the main results obtained during the two years of implementation of the OPTIMED Project and to discuss the future prospects of the project. During the conference, Mr Salvatore d’Alfonso, Programme Manager of the Urban Development and Transport Division of the UfM stressed the importance of the continuity of the project as a good opportunity for the integration of the Mediterranean area. Ms Gabriella Massidda, Director General of the Sardinia Region’s Transport Directorate explained that this initiative has strengthened the dialogue between the northern and southern shores of the Mediterranean and can contribute to making the Mediterranean the central crossroads of trade and sustainable trade, thanks to enhanced cooperation within the region.

Highlights of the event

During the event, the perceptions of maritime highways in the region and the challenges and opportunities of Transport and Logistics integration for the Mediterranean area were presented and discussed. On the other hand, key representatives from the ports of Beirut, Barcelona and Sardinia explained the challenges of intensifying maritime freight transport in their regions.

The OPTIMED project has led to important innovations on the concept of freight forwarding in the Mediterranean Basin and on the new economic relations based on the opportunities implied by the optimization of the new maritime trade network.

In particular, the project activities have enabled to connect the South-Eastern and North-Western shores of the Mediterranean, via the new “hub & spoke” network; to design two new port hubs (Beirut and Porto Torres) and to launch a new virtual logistics platform.

The Association of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of the Mediterranean (ASCAME), as the leader in capitalizing on the project, has been actively involved in its activities, including the organization of business meetings between operators in the Euro-Mediterranean region and the promotion of short sea shipping. These activities have contributed to ensuring more efficient transport and promoting a logistics model characterised by better delivery of goods, thus providing the region with greater competitiveness.