The 1st Florence Maritime Regulation Conference, held on 17 July 2026 in Florence, Italy, concluded successfully, marking the launch of a new forum dedicated to research and policy dialogue on the most pressing topics of maritime transport sector. Organised by the Transport Area of the Florence School of Regulation of the European University Institute, in collaboration with the Jean Monnet Chair in European Port Policy, University of Piraeus, the conference formed part of the Florence Transport Week.
Bringing together internationally recognised academics, industry representatives and policymakers, the conference provided a platform for rigorous and engaging discussions on innovative approaches to maritime regulation. Contributions addressed a wide range of topics including shipping markets, port governance, competition policy, digitalisation, sustainability, anti-corruption and the regulatory implications of the green transition and alternative maritime fuels.
The conference program included two papers developed by JMC-EPP chair researchers:
- Building maritime anti-corruption frameworks via port integrity commitments – by Thanos Pallis and Andreas Hadjikofinas, in partnership with Gordon Wilmsmeier (KLU, University, Germany) and Gustavo Martinez Tello (University de Los Andes, Colombia),
- Regulatory Governance and Competition in Coastal Shipping – by Thanos Pallis, in partnership with Maria B. Lekakou (University of the Aegean), Nikolaos Lionis (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens & Hellenic Competition Commission) and Stamatios I. Choulis (University of the Aegean, Greece)
The full conference programme is available here: https://www.jmcportpolicy.eu/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/1st-Florence-Maritime-Regulation-Conference-Program.pdf
The conference highlighted the value of interdisciplinary dialogue and evidence-based policymaking in addressing the evolving challenges facing the European maritime transportation sector. Building on its success, the Jean Monnet Chair in European Port Policy continues its commitment on advancing research and fostering dialogue on the future of European maritime and port policy, with further related activities already in preparation.
The Jean Monnet Chair in European Port Policy extends its sincere appreciation to the Professors of the Florence School of Regulation – Transport Area, EUI Juan Montero (Director) and Steven Truxal and to Drs Elodie Petrozziello and the entire team for delivering a highly impactful Florence Transport Week, as well as to all the participants whose expertise and commitment contributed to the success of the conference and laid the foundation for future editions.
