The Port of Vigo has become, as of today, the venue for the International Assembly of European Stevedores, a high-level meeting led by Antolín Goya, general coordinator of the EDC and, in turn, general coordinator of Coordinadora Estatal de Trabajadores del Mar, which gathers in the city nearly 150 representatives from the stevedoring sector from various European countries (including France, Sweden, Denmark, Greece, Slovenia, Montenegro, Cyprus, Malta, and Croatia) in addition to the Spanish port network.
During the opening of the meeting, the president of the Autoridad Portuaria de Vigo, Carlos Botana, highlighted the pride for the Port of Vigo in hosting this international congress, emphasizing the opportunity to assert and highlight the key role of stevedoring companies and stevedores in the logistics and socioeconomic chain.
Both Antolín Goya and Carlos Botana stressed the importance of social and fluid dialogue as a basic tool to maintain competitiveness and overcome moments of great growth in port traffic, ensuring that shared effort directly translates into employment, stability, and contribution to the economy.
Likewise, the highest port official highlighted the importance of "joint work" with stevedores to address the problems derived from the increasing rise in traffic that the Port of Vigo has experienced in recent years, "thanks to which we managed to overcome difficult times and that means employment, additional profit, and real economy," which is why he emphasized the need to address future challenges together and in a coordinated manner in the face of competition from other international markets.
In this context, he remarked that the merchandise moved in this port is of very high added value, as is the case with automobiles or fishing, which is why "the work you do is key." "We have many challenges ahead and to face them, it is essential that we work hand in hand."
