During the ESPO General Assembly held in Stockholm, senior manager and deputy harbour master at Malta Maritime Authority, Capt David Bugeja, was unanimously elected as the chairman of the Marine Technical Committee.

ESPO represents the seaports of the member states of the European Union and today is a considerable influential body in shipping and ports industries. Malta joined ESPO in 1994 when the organisation was established, although initially with observer status. Today, the Ports Directorate is an active member in ESPO, with representation on the Executive Committee and participating in its four technical committees.

ESPO key objectives include a) to ensure that the economic importance of European ports is recognised an that the sector is consulted on any measure affecting it, b) to promote free and fair competition, c) to ensure that EU ports play their full part in delivering economic efficiency and d) to promote highest possible safety and environmental standards.

The Marine Committee, incorporating the Port Security Expert Group, deals mainly with current maritime safety, security and nautical issues particularly matters concerning the ship-shore interface. Topics under review by the Committee include the European Commission’s Third Maritime Package, SafeSeaNet, Port Reception Facilities.

The Port Security Expert Group is currently discussing the implementation of the Port Security Directive, Supply Chain Security and the new initiative on Maritime Critical Infrastructure.

A master mariner by profession, Capt Bugeja, started his seafaring career in 1978 and spent 18 years serving on seagoing commercial vessels, mostly liner services and high-speed passenger vessels. Since 1996, he has occupied various senior posts in shipping both in Malta and overseas. In such positions he had served as general manager at GM Line (Malta) Ltd, as regional manager operations for Norasia Lines both in Malta and in Greece and as operations manager – Commercial Division with Sea Malta Co Ltd. In his current position as deputy harbour master, Capt Bugeja represents the Malta Maritime Authority in various international and EU fora.