13 November 2019

The 6^th transnational meeting of POWER project took place in Novi Sad – Serbia on 5-6 of November. The 2-day meeting was dedicated to the presentation of the project achievements and assessment of its progress. In addition, a public session of two panels, namely “Towards a common Strategy for evolving ADRION and Danube ports into Innovation Hubs” and “How to strengthen the alliance between Adriatic Sea Ports and Danube River Ports” aimed to discuss with relevant stakeholders the possible areas of cooperation between the port authorities in the Adriatic and Danube area.

In the second half of the public event, the winners of the Gaming Session had the opportunity to share and discuss their concept ideas with representatives from Business Community and other investors. Mr. Romario Balla, student at the Faculty of Economy at the University of Tirana and winner of the Gaming Session organized by CDI in Albania, presented his project named “TEUTA – The kingdom never sleeps” aiming to build a multifunctional social and business building in the Port of Durres. All the youngsters winners of the gaming sessions from the participating countries took part in a matchmaking session with potential investors in order to analyze possibilities of financing and implementing these ideas.

On 6^th of November, the partners meeting tackled different aspects of project implementation and finalization were discussed. Following the signature of local agreements the final step will be the signature of the Memorandum of Cooperation between the six port authorities of the countries participating in the POWER project.

To read more about the meeting in Novi Sad read here and about the POWER project in general here.

10 October 2019

This week we organized the meeting of the Local Committee set up under the Power- Ports as driving Wheels of Entrepreneurial Realm – PoWER project – with representatives from local and central institutions, academia, civil society and experts of transport and energy.

CDI project team emphasized that one of the innovative approaches that the PoWER project brings, is the involvement of many stakeholders from different sectors and institutions in the development of energy development scenarios of Durres Port. Especially, high schools and universities students have been an active part of the project exercise to map and collect innovative solutions from the community itself to address the energy needs of the Port.

To discuss the findings and recommendations CDI invited to be part in this committee representatives from Universiteti “Aleksandër Moisiu”, Fakulteti i Ekonomise, Universiteti i Tiranes, Bashkia Durres, Kongresi Rinor Kombëtar, Agjencia Kombëtare e Burimeve Natyrore – AKBN faqja zyrtare, Shoqata Kombëtare Shqiptare e Transportuesve Ndërkombëtarë Rrugorë- ANALTIR Association, etc. All participants agreed to further cooperate in adopting the Durres Port Local Development Agreement and promote the results of the project, one of them being the Local Strategic Outlook for Durres Port presented by CDI experts at this meeting. The objectives of this Local Strategic Outlook are:

• to improve the efficiency of port-related activities;
• to facilitate growth by applying best practices in management and policy-making;
• to implement latest trends in energy use and energy efficiency;
• protect the environment and minimize pollution;
• increase transport flexibility and security.

Power- Ports as driving Wheels of Entrepreneurial Realm is a European Project funded under the Interreg V B ADRION Programme. The project aims to test a methodology for supporting the evolution of Adrion ports into Innovation Hubs in six piloting ports, including Durres Port in.

On July 11 – 12, 2019, the Cooperation and Development Institute’s staff, experts and winners of the Call for Solution participated in the Transnational Event in Rijeka. This event gathered PoWER Project’s partners, port authorities, investors, representatives from academia and from the governments.

The first day was dedicated to the selection of the winning ideas from the Gaming Session campaign. Three Albanian entries were qualified as winning ideas and will be promoted to the PoWER database which will be available online in October 2019. Later on this day, a matchmaking event took place aiming to promote the selected proposals for the solution of Ports needs. Investors and port authorities representatives expressed the need to implement these initiatives as they value them as really necessary in order to turn ports into innovative hubs.

The second day of the Rijeka Event, was dedicated to the partners meeting, where each partner presented the state of advance of pilot activities, and after that focus was on open discussion, foresight activities and specific topics to be addressed, as well as issues related to project management.

20 May 2019

In the framework of Power- Ports as driving Wheels of Entrepreneurial Realm project, CDI organized Saturday the last gaming session with selected students. They presented their ideas, for which they developed business plans. Students were mentored during this exercise by the project team.

13 May 2019

A day full of curiosity in the Port of Durres with students of professional masters in Tirana!

As part of the Power-Ports as Driving Wheels of Entrepreneurial Realm project, the CDI team organized a study visit to the Port of Durres, where, together with the staff of the Port Authority of Durres, students were introduced to the operating structure, departments and spatial organization of one of the highlights active maritime transport in Albania.

Student work will continue in working groups and they will be trained in developing business plans and promoting innovative ideas on energy efficiency and the development of the Port of Durres.

2 May 2019

Tirana Business University welcomed last week Power – Ports as driving Wheels of Entrepreneurial Realm project team from CDI for organizing a Gaming Session with their students.

During this session, the CDI’s expert moderated an open discussion on developing energy efficiency ideas and business plans for addressing the already mapped energy efficiency needs for Durres Port .

TBU students will gather together with representatives from High Schools in Albania, and with the students from the University of Tirana – Faculty of Economy to further cooperate with each other in sharing and improving their ideas.

25 April 2019

How to turn Durres Port into a dynamic community hub where students engage by developing energy efficiency ideas and business plans?

Another Gaming Session was organized yesterday by CDI at Fakulteti i Ekonomise, Universiteti i Tiranes. Around 40 students who study marketing, economics, business, finance  and accounting will work together to develop ideas  addressing the Energy Efficiency mapped needs of the Port of Durres. CDI presented the opportunity that Power-Ports as driving Wheels of Entrepreneurial Realm project is providing to all youngsters, to promote their ideas in relevant business matchmaking for as at EU level . Students will be trained on how to prepare a business plan.

Power- Ports as driving Wheels of Entrepreneurial Realm is a European Project funded under the Interreg V B ADRION Programme. The project will aim to test a methodology for supporting the evolution of Adrion ports Innovation Hubs in six piloting ports, including Durres Port in Albania.

11 March 2019

In cooperation with Junior Achievement of Albania, CDI organized today a gaming session within Power – Ports as driving Wheels of Entrepreneurial Realm project with 22 high school students.

They will work to ideate and prepare community development ideas applicable to the Port of Durres, aiming to turn it into a dynamic and vibrant community hub.

The gaming approach consists in a simulation, where students, under the experts guidance, assume the role of entrepreneurs.

28 February 2019

After the mapping of energy-oriented needs of Durres Port, innovative proposals were presented today by researchers and businesses individuating  solutions addressing those needs.
Selected winners from Albania and Power- Ports as driving Wheels of Entrepreneurial Realm project countries will participate to matchmaking events where they can network and find visibility at EU level and concrete business opportunities.

January 14, 2019

PoWER Project enters into a new phase of interaction with Enterprises, SMEs, professionals and researchers across the Adriatic-Ionian area. PoWER stands for ‘Ports as driving Wheels of Entrepreneurial Realm’ and is an EU – funded project aiming at supporting the evolution of ports into Innovation Hubs in 6 piloting ports. The Port of Durres has been selected as the pilot port for this project in Albania. The main objective of PoWER project is to supports the selected ports to serve in connecting the regions and explore their untapped entrepreneurial potential. During the first phase of activities, experts have collected data, produced analysis on the energy efficiency and established a list of Needs for the pilot ports. A specific one has been developed for the Port of Durres as well.

The call for solutions is launched today at project level in all the countries covered by the project and aims at detecting new solutions and patents (products, services, business models and technologies) addressing the energy-oriented needs mapped previously in the Port of Durres.

Deadline for applications is March 4, 2019. For further information on the Call for Solutions, please consult the Project’s page.