An Italian takes the helm
Zeno D’Agostino new president of the top European ports organisation in Brussels. Verona, Naples, Trieste – and now Brussels. Former Espo vice-president Zeno D’Agostino was unanimously elected president of the pan-European ports association at its AGM at the beginning of November. Daan Schalck and Ansis Zeltinš are his vice-presidents.
Europe’s ports expressed their confidence in Verona-born Zeno D’Agostino recently, the head of the port of Trieste, by electing him as the president of the European Sea Ports Organisation (Espo). The representatives of the 23 member countries of the organisation voted unanimously at the body’s annual general meeting held in Brussels (Belgium).
D’Agostino succeeded Finland’s Annaleena Mäkilä as president, and is supported by two vice-presidents – Belgium’s Daan Schalck, who heads the ‘North Sea Port’, which unites the hubs of Ghent and Zeeland; and Latvia’s Ansis Zeltinš, who runs the port of Riga.
18 years after the first Italian
This is only the second time ever, and the first time in the 18 years since Giuliano Gallanti was elected to the position, that an Italian national has once again taken the helm of the main organisation representing the interests of European ports. Gallanti later went on to become the president of the northern Italian ports of Genoa and Livorno.
D’Agostino, in turn, has been the head of the Trieste port authority since 2015, and was already with Espo as one of its vice-presidents from 2020 to 2022. He has also made a name for himself as the chairman of Assoporti, the association of Italian ports, and as the secretary general of the Naples port authority.
Espo was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Brussels. It represents the interests of the European port industry vis-à-vis the EU and conducts dialogue with the main European stakeholders in this segment, including representatives of workers’ organisations. D’Agostino has taken office at a difficult time of global crisis, as he made clear after his election.
Seek solutions with decision-makers
“We live in very difficult times in which the role of Europe’s ports will be crucial both for the continent’s economy and for a geopolitical balance, both at a European and a global level. We’ll have to play a leading role in many epochal challenges, such as the energy transition.” Furthermore, he continued, “it’s essential for the European port system to face these challenges with a joint approach and with concrete proposals. I’m talking about finding solutions in dialogue with all European decision-makers.”
Good luck and all the best for the future, Mr President!