AIVP Board of Directors meets in Antwerp: exchanges, site visits and perspectives for future Cities & Ports Conferences.
The AIVP Board of Directors met in Antwerp (Belgium) on 19 and 20 May 2026, at the invitation of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges. This meeting provided participants with the opportunity to discover or rediscover this emblematic port city within the AIVP network.
A rich programme at the heart of an iconic port
Over the course of these two days, several key moments shaped the meetings and exchanges:
- a meeting of the AIVP Executive Committee, as well as a session of the Board of Directors at the Port House, an iconic building designed by Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid
- a visit of the port and the future Antwerp Port Centre, which will open in the coming months
- a reception at Antwerp City Hall and at the Royal Museum of Fine Arts, hosted by the City of Antwerp
Bids for future Cities & Ports Conferences
The directors also heard from representatives of several port-city territories bidding to host the AIVP World Conference Cities & Ports for 2027 and beyond: Réunion (France), Seville (Spain), Busan (South Korea) and Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire).
The proposals presented were of a very high standard and reflect the dynamism of our network on an international scale. The Board of Directors thanks all delegations for the significant work carried out in preparing these bids, jointly led by the port-city stakeholders of these territories.
The results of these hearings will be presented at the General Assembly next July, which will confirm the host cities for the upcoming editions of the conference.
The AIVP warmly thanks its hosts in Antwerp, and in particular Johan Klaps, Patrick Van Cauwenberghe and Annick Peeters, for the quality of their hospitality and their commitment to the network.
