The focus of the XXVI Edition is innovation as a strategic factor to reach the target of net-zero emissions by 2050, in accordance with the European Climate Law. In this context, International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), chaired by Emanuele Grimaldi, has presented to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) the ICS Zero Emission Shipping Fund: a proposal to reduce the cost disparity between conventional and alternative marine fuels, incentivising the production and uptake of new zero emission fuels.

The proceedings of the XXVI Euromed Convention began with keynote video addresses by Christos Stylianides (Greek Minister of Shipping and Island Policy) and Paolo Cuculi (Italian Ambassador to Greece). In his opening speech at the summit, Grimaldi Group Managing Director Emanuele Grimaldi presented a wide-ranging account of the main events of the last two years regarding Italy's largest shipping group and the leading player in the Motorways of the Sea in Europe. He underlined the investments made since 2022, not only in fleet expansion but also in terms of integrated logistics.

The Grimaldi Group is investing in new buildings, which will reduce the average age of its ships – already 40% lower than that of the global ro-ro fleet – further still.

Seven new ships have been delivered in the last two years. Another 20 vessels are currently under construction, including seventeen 9,000 CEU Pure Car & Truck Carriers (PCTCs) designed to carry both electric and conventional vehicles as well as other types of rolling cargo: all of the new PCTCs will be certified with the "Ammonia Ready" class notation conferred by RINA (Italian Shipping Register) and can therefore be converted for the future use of ammonia as a zero-carbon emission fuel. Meanwhile, orders will be placed by the end of 2024 for nine new ro-pax ships for the transportation of goods and passengers in the Mediterranean and the Baltic Sea.

The Grimaldi Group has also invested substantially in the acquisition of port terminals and the creation of new shipping agencies, the objective being continued expansion in the wider logistic domain. Earlier this year, the Group completed its acquisition of 100% of the Terminal Darsena Toscana in Livorno and a majority interest in the port of Heraklion, the most important in Crete. In 2022 and 2023 respectively, similar operations were carried out in the port of Igoumenitsa and at the Amsterdam Multipurpose Terminal, where Grimaldi has a concession.

Three new shipping agencies have been set up in the ports of Brindisi, Amsterdam and Shanghai. The Group has also acquired control of the Niels Winter Agency in Denmark and increased its stakes in the Grimaldi France, Grimaldi Maroc and Grimaldi Cote d'Ivoire agencies.

"We are at a crucial juncture for the future of shipping and logistics. We are engaging with a number of global issues such as geopolitical tensions, the increased cost of money, inflation and a new form di protectionism, with the proliferation of unilateral trade barriers," said Emanuele Grimaldi. "Our Group has pursued a deliberate strategy whereby we strive to be an active protagonist of our times, interpreting and growing with the economic megatrends, while championing environmental sustainability. Our results speak for themselves: today our 140-strong fleet sails all over the world, our maritime services being perfectly integrated with those provided by our wholly owned terminals as part of a perfect logistics supply chain."

The work of the XXVI Euromed Convention continued with the first panel, "Fostering and achieving innovation: a driving force towards net-zero emissions". Taking part in the discussion – moderated by Guy Platten, Secretary General of ICS – were Chris Bonnett (Maltese Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Public Works), Maja Bakran Marcich (Deputy Director General, Directorate General for Mobility and Transport, European Commission), Roel Hoenders (Head of Climate Action and Clean Air, Marine Environment Division – IMO Secretariat), Ugo Salerno (Chairman of RINA), Roger Holm (President of Wärtsilä Marine & Executive Vice President of Wärtsilä) and Dario Bocchetti (Head of Energy Saving, R&D and Ship Design, Grimaldi Group).

The second panel, on "The role of the public and private sectors in enhancing port activities in the Euro-Mediterranean Region", was moderated by George Xiradakis, Managing Director of XRTC. The participants were Minas Papadakis (CEO of the Port of Heraklion), Pino Musolino (Chairman of the North-Western ports of Italy), Andrea Annunziata (Chairman of the Central-Western ports of Italy) and Guido Grimaldi (Chairman of the Igoumenitsa Port Authority and President of ALIS).

The XXVI Euromed Convention is being staged with the participation of sponsors who have helped, organize the event: Peninsula, Tefin, Hempel, Jobson Italia, Bunkeroil, Fratelli Cosulich, Consilium, Tecnimpianti, Shell Marine, Silverstream, Accelleron, Caim Group and Wärtsilä.