SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — The Port of Subic Bay will host the 23rd International Network of Affiliated Ports (INAP) Conference starting October 16, bringing back members of the organization which met here 10 years ago.

INAP Subic Organizing Committee chairman and Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Deputy Administrator for Operations Martin Kristoffer Roman said the conference is expected to be a venue for sharing best practices in port and environmental management, with this year’s theme “Promoting Resiliency and Disaster Preparedness.”

“As for the Port of Subic Bay, we will be sharing emerging and green technologies, that will help reduce carbon footprints, and similar projects, whether completed or upcoming,” INAP Subic Organizing Committee vice chairman and Seaport Assistant General Manager Philip Lazaro said. 

INAP is an organization of ports established in Japan in 1998, with Subic port as one of the founding members. Its members include the Ports of Cebu and Davao, Philippines; Port of Chittagong, Bangladesh; Colombo, Sri Lanka; Dangjin, South Korea; Mokpo, Korea; Kochi, Japan; Qingdao, China; and Tanjung Perak, Indonesia. 

For the Subic conference, delegates from Thailand and Vietnam will also attend as observers.

The INAP conference, Roman added, is held annually, and is hosted by the incoming INAP chairman’s home port. 

The formal turnover of INAP leadership from the Port of Kochi, Japan to the Port of Subic Bay will be held during the Subic event. 

The INAP conference will also highlight a tree-planting activity by the heads of ports, some plant tours and a cruise in Subic Bay. 

Around 300 stakeholders, port users, business locators, and local government units will be joining the 58 delegates from the member ports to participate in the symposium. 

Roman said the Subic Bay International Terminal Corporation (SBITC), Subic Bay Freeport Grain Terminal Services Inc., and La Banca partnered with the SBMA in preparing for the 23rd INAP conference. 

The Port of Subic Bay last hosted the INAP conference in 2014. 