ESPO has long been encouraging data collection and data sharing between its member ports in view of monitoring and reporting aggregated figures on the sector’s performance over time. This has been particularly the case in the fields of environment, port governance and port traffic data.
On environment, by making use of the EcoPorts data collection mechanisms, ESPO has been reporting on environmental management figures and on top environmental priorities of the European port sector since 1997. Furthermore, ESPO has been regularly reporting on European port governance trends through periodic data collection and reporting exercises. The report “Trends in EU ports Governance 2016” compiles key findings of the last ESPO survey on the governance and organisation of EU ports. Furthermore, ESPO maintains a system for the voluntary collection and sharing of European ports’ traffic data. Every quarter, around 50 European port authorities voluntarily submit and share their traffic data through ESPO.
Building further on its commitment to transparency and reporting, ESPO has been working during the last years towards streamlining and digitalizing data collection in these areas through the creation of a more permanent and integrated platform. Part of this work, took place in the context of the European Commission co-funded PORTOPIA project, where ESPO was one of the main partners.
