The first Roundtable of the Technical Committees of APLOP (Association of Portuguese-Speaking Ports) took place on 8 and 9 July at the Port of Luanda Academy, Angola. Portos do Norte, S.A. participated in the event as an APLOP member, represented by Ms.
Leonilde Loide Bazar, a member of the Executive Committee. The Roundtable brought together APLOP's four Technical Committees: the Human Capital Development Committee, the Tourism and Cruises Committee, the Innovation, Sustainability and Digitalisation Committee, and the Port and Maritime Law Committee. The event was held under the theme “Portuguese-Speaking Ports: From Competence to Global Competitiveness.” The technical teams, organised into their respective committees, conducted discussions and subsequently presented their conclusions and recommendations during a plenary session chaired by APLOP President, Dr.
Manuel Nazareth Neto. The main conclusions and recommendations included the following: Human Capital Development Committee The Committee emphasised that human capital development remains one of the main challenges facing the Portuguese-speaking port community. It proposed the establishment of an annual training catalogue, a pool of experts and the APLOP Academy, as well as the harmonisation of professional certification and the development of joint capacity-building programmes.
Tourism and Cruises Committee The Committee highlighted the need to establish a cooperation network among Portuguese-speaking ports and to develop an integrated cruise itinerary aimed at strengthening collaboration between member countries. Innovation, Sustainability and Digitalisation Committee The Committee emphasised the importance of promoting interoperability and data sharing, establishing minimum cybersecurity standards and encouraging the use of artificial intelligence in port management. Port and Maritime Law Committee The Committee unanimously approved the theme proposed by Mozambique: “Port Governance and Operations in Portuguese-Speaking Countries: Common Challenges and Models for the Future.” This topic will be further explored at the 17th APLOP Congress, to be held in Brazil.
The approval of this proposal reflects the recognition that member countries face common challenges in port governance and operations, highlighting the need for further discussion, the exchange of best practices and the development of shared solutions. The conclusions and recommendations arising from this first Roundtable will serve as guiding documents for the 17th APLOP Congress, scheduled to take place in November 2026 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. During the meeting in Luanda, Ms.
Leonilde Loide Bazar, representing Portos do Norte, S.A., was appointed Deputy Coordinator of APLOP's Port and Maritime Law Committee. In this role, she will work alongside the Committee Coordinator, Dr. José Moreira da Silva.
