...December 2009... REPEP partners the European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) to develop the key European Community project PPRISM (Port Performance Indicators: Selection and Measurement)

The European Commission announced on 16 December the awarding of a grant under a call for proposals published by DG TREN earlier this year, to ESPO and its five research partners with the Department of Shipping, Trade and Transport (STT) of the University of the Aegean being among them. The other partners are: Cardiff University, Technical University of Eindhoven, University of Antwerp – Institute of Transport and Maritime Management Antwerp (ITMMA), and Vrije Universiteit Brussel.

The University of the Aegean is participating in the project via the Research in Port Economics and Policy (REPEP) group of the Department of Shipping Trade and Transport. REPEP’s director Dr. Thanos Pallis, who alsoacts as scientific coordinator of a Jean Monnet Action in European Port Policy, Dr. George Vaggelas and Mr Thomas Vitsounis are the REPEP members to be involved at the PPRISM project, with the group posing a central role as leading academic coordinator.

Following the announcement, Dr. Thanos Pallis stated:  “The PPRISM project will be the first systematic attempt at European level to determine a set of port performance indicators accepted by the entire port sector.  All the research partners are convinced that the conclusionson indicators, defined and accepted by key stakeholders will enhance the competitiveness of the European port system. We are all pleased that the European Commission shares the view that this platform for collaboration of port authorities and the academia can contribute to the needed self-improvement and transparency of the European ports. PPRISM, will act as the foundation for a European Port Observatory by defining the concept and providing a concrete proposal for its implementation”

“All REPEP members are delighted with this announcement and the cooperation with ESPO. We believe that, as does the EU-funded Jean Monnet Action to study the European Port Policy, which is in progress since 2003 and secured EU funding up to 2013, PPRISM will prove our team’s capability to provide valuable port research input of both academic and practical importance”.

For further information about REPEP: www.porteconomics.gr 

For furtherinformation about ESPO: www.espo.be