Bulgarian Ports
Infrastructure Company

Bulgarian Ports Infrastructure Co. participated in the 19^th International Conference of the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities /IALA/ on the topic  Successful voyages, Sustainable planet - A New Era for Marine Aids to Navigation in a Connected World“, which took place from May 27 to June 2 2018 in Incheon, Republic of Korea.

The Head of Department “Traffic Management – Varna” to BPI Co. Milen Todorov has exchanged experience and good practices with over 500 delegates from the maritime industry form more than 80 IALA member states. The main topics discussed by global specialists were ship traffic management, navigation aids, risk management, and more. An important focus of the technical sessions of the Conference was the concept, the possible technical solutions and the ways for implementation of the means of permanent information navigational connectivity of ships with coastal services, or so called e-Navigation.

The delegates discussed how to coordinate measures to continually improve and harmonize maritime navigation aids for shipping and ship traffic services in the interest of shipping safety and maritime environment protection. The regular meeting of the General Assembly of the IALA was held within the framework of the event, to which the delegates from nationally-based organizations elected a new Board of the Maritime Association Council.

The IALA World Conference is the largest international meeting of the organizations responsible for the navigation aids and the maritime traffic services in which traditionally participate a large number of national, industrial and associated members from around the world to discuss new technologies and guidelines in the field, as well as polices to improve the safety of world shipping and maritime transport as a whole. The event is organized once every four years, with the next meeting being held in Brazil.

International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities is a global organization of national-level organizations in authority for providing navigation and information security for civilian maritime traffic as well as private organizations working in the field of scientific and technical development and production in this field. The IALA Council is the Chief Managing Authority of the Association, which consists of 21 representatives from organizations at national level. In the choice of the MA, only national representatives have the right to vote. BPI Co is a full national member of IALA, representing the Republic of Bulgaria at national level.