Preveza Chamber organized with a great success on Thursday 15th of June 2023 at the Hotel Margarona, in Preveza, the Final Conference of the cross-border project: “FRESH WAYS – Cross-Border Mechanism for Greek Intermodal and Multimodal Transport of Fresh Products”, funded by the Interreg V/A Greece-Italy 2014-20 Programme.
The Final Conference was attended, both in person and on-line, by representatives of the project partnership, as well as many stakeholders, such as the Municipalities of Preveza and Parga, ETVA VI.PE S.A., the Hellenic Chamber of Transport Business Association, the University of Ioannina, the Federation of Tourist Accommodation Entrepreneurs of the Preveza Regional Unit, members of the Board of Directors of Preveza Chamber, but also many local producers of fresh agri-food products as well.
The Conference began with the welcome of the President of the Chamber of Preveza, Mr. Ioannis Bouris, who pointed out the very important role that the logistics sector can play in the region, and emphasized the Chamber's great interest in the creation of agri-food logistic infrastructures in the local area.
The floor was then taken by the Coordinator of the Joint Secretariat of the Interreg V-A Greece – Italy 2014-2020 Program, Mr. Gianfranco Gadaleta, who presented the new Interreg V-A Greece – Italy 2021-2027 Program, encouraging the FRESH WAYS project partnership to submit a new proposal as a continuation of the important results of this project.
Next, Mr. Mario Pertile, Special Projects Manager of Puglia Airports, presented the main outcomes and results of the FRESH WAYS project, the main purpose of which is to optimize existing passengers’ air routes for the shipment of fresh products, combined with the transport of passengers between Italy and Greece.
Moreover, Mr. Andrea Dituri, Energy Manager of Apulia Airports, presented the multimodal transport infrastructures built at Bari Airport as part of this project.
The keynote speaker of the event, Prof. Dimitrios Vlachos, Director of the Laboratory of Logistics and Supply Chain Management (LASCM) of the Department of Mechanical Engineering of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh), took the floor immediately after, presenting the topic: "New Generation of Agro-logistics Centers".
Then the Scientific Expert of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Bari, Mr. Fabio Abbrescia, presented the Feasibility Study for the development of multimodal transports in the Greece – Italy cross-border area.
Afterwards, the Professor Emeritus of the Department of Civil Engineering, at University of Patras, Mr. Giorgos Stefanidis, and the scientific expert of the University of Salento, Mr. Gianvito Mitrano, presented in detail the ICT platform developed within the framework of the FRESH WAYS project, aiming at supporting the distribution of fresh agri-food products using combined means of transport.
Finally, Mr. Vasilios Siomadis, expert from EURICON Consultants Company presented the Business Plan for the creation of an Agri-Food Logisticy Center within the Industrial Area of Preveza, which is located right on the road connecting Aktion Airport with the Port of Igoumenitsa, and in the center of an area with rich agricultural, fishing and livestock production, giving the possibility for the development of agro-logistic services in the area.
After the end of the Final Conference, a cross-border culinary event was held to promote and showcase the local fresh agri-food products, with the participation of an Italian chef, Mr. Pasquale Lembo, and a Greek, Mr. Giorgos Palisidis.