Busan has successfully secured the 2027 World Port Cities Association (AIVP) General Assembly, bringing together key stakeholders from major port cities worldwide.
According to the Busan City Marine Policy Division and the International Marine Events Task Force, the 22nd AIVP General Assembly will take place from November 2 to 5, 2027, at BEXCO and various locations in the city.
The AIVP, established in 1988 in Le Havre, France, is an international association comprising 197 local governments, port authorities, and experts from academia and industry across 44 countries. Busan joined the association in 2018 and is currently the only member city from Asia.
Announcement Made at Dunkirk Ceremony; December Site Inspection Planned
The assembly's location was officially announced during the closing ceremony of the 21st AIVP General Assembly held in Dunkirk, France, on November 6.
As the next host city, Busan showcased its capabilities to global port stakeholders by operating a promotional booth and participating in key discussions about the vision for port cities by 2050.
The city will welcome the AIVP secretariat's inspection team from December 1 to 5 as the first step in preparation. The team will assess major venues, including BEXCO, and discuss operational details. Busan plans to finalize the assembly's direction and detailed programs by the first half of next year.
The expected attendance for the Busan assembly is over 1,000 participants from port authorities, local governments, and experts across 50 countries. This figure exceeds the approximately 400 attendees at the previous assembly in Dunkirk, with city officials attributing the increase to the larger scale of Busan and the metrics used for estimation.
Confirmed Budget of 1.35 Billion Won; Efforts Underway for National Funding and Organizational Restructuring
The assembly's budget has been confirmed at 1.35 billion won. To ensure a successful event, Busan is actively seeking additional national funding and exploring various avenues for budget acquisition.
Additionally, the city has restructured its organization, forming a dedicated task force team for international marine events, which includes three personnel, led by a team leader, to focus on assembly preparations.
A city official stated, "We hope to execute the event as planned without any issues and encourage as many European member countries as possible to participate. We expect this to be a great opportunity to showcase Korea's advanced development environment and excellent culture to the world."
Meanwhile, discussions regarding the establishment of an AIVP Asia headquarters in Busan are being approached cautiously.
Currently, Busan is the only Asian member of the AIVP. While the association hopes to expand its membership in Asia from a base in Korea, city officials are carefully evaluating the financial implications and operational feasibility of establishing a regional headquarters.
Busan Mayor Jeon Jae-soo emphasized, "We will prepare for the 2027 assembly without any setbacks, ensuring that the momentum started in Dunkirk translates into action in Busan. We will do our utmost to position Busan as a central hub for cooperation among global port cities."
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.