European Shippers' Council:

The European Shippers' Council represents the interests of European industry as users of all modes of transport. The 14 national member organisations represent all branches of industry and commerce, who in turn represent thousands of companies who transport the majority of cargo shipped by road, rail, inland waterways and sea within Europe, as well as overseas. The ESC operates from offices in Brussels and has amongst it priorities to promote efficient and commercially attractive freight transport services and to enhance the competitiveness of companies conducting business in Europe and in overseas transport markets.

The ESC Shipper conference is the yearly event when Europe's leading users of freight transport services come together to discuss the principal issues of interest and concern to buyers of freight transport services with the suppliers of those services. 

The conference attracts leading decision makers responsible for the procurement and movement of freight throughout and to and from Europe. They include: shippers, freight forwarders, shipping lines, railways, intermodal operators, airlines, road hauliers, logistics companies and national government and EU officials responsible for the development of transport policy. 

The ESC annual conference was established in 1996 with the support of the Port of Antwerp. Since this first inaugural conference, the conference has become one of the leading annual industry events. The hosting ports have included the ports of Barcelona, Marseilles, Copenhagen, Athens-Piraeus, Antwerp and Rotterdam.

Nicolette van der Jagt
Secretary General
ESC, European Shippers' Council
Rue Wiertz, 50
1050 Bruxelles
Belgium
tel. +32 (0)2 23021 13 
fax: +32 (0)2 230 4140
mailto: nicolettevdjagt@europeanshippers.be

Mare Forum:

Mare Forum, organisers of the influential Mare Forum conferences, specialises in  conference management, project development and policy marketing. 
MARE FORUM's goal as a professional conference organisation is to bring together policy makers and chief executives of the shipping industry in a decisive dialogue and debate, where business strategy and policy-making for today and tomorrow's issues can be realised with optimal results.
MARE FORUM has frequently created groundbreaking and progressive concepts, developing them into conferences on an international level, and drawing world-wide attention.The international conferences of MARE FORUM have attracted the active participation of governmental officers, policy makers and businessmen, and have resulted in the creation of new policy, effective networks and fresh perspectives of the future.
MARE FORUM collaborates with a large scope of international organisations, and in the process of expanding its research and promoting new projects, maintains an active network of forward-thinking, high-level individuals in a range of sectors.
(www. mareforum.com)

JANNIS KOSTOULAS
Managing Director, MARE FORUM B.V.
Beurs - World Trade Center
P.O. Box 30027
3001 DA Rotterdam
The Netherlands

T: +31.10.281 06 55 
F: +31.10.270 98 70
kostoulas@mareforum.com