Event will be held between 3 - 5 November 2026 at the iconic Olympia, which is having a complete renovation for launch early next year
After memorable editions in London in 1965 and 1997, the International Association of Ports & Harbors is delighted to return to the UK capital in 2026 for a very special IAPH World Ports Conference.
IAPH managing director Patrick Verhoeven commented : “This edition promises to be a true milestone in the history of our conference. Just as the 1965 edition symbolised the global coming of age of IAPH, our ambition for next year is to set a new benchmark: to showcase how ports worldwide are transforming to meet the challenges of sustainability, digitalisation, and resilience.”
The venue chosen is the iconic Olympia in Kensington, which by then will have completed its extensive renovation and be ready to host this large scale event. The new multi-faceted venue, with conference, exhibition and side meeting facilities matches the ambitions of the Association to expand the programme currently offered, mixing high level content with practical demonstrations, technical visits and cross-industry interaction with the world’s Port Authority CEOs.
The announcement was made on Sunday 14 September to an invited group of London-based maritime professionals and officials, at the screening at the Curzon Aldgate cinema in the City of London of Meeuwen Sterven in de Haven (Seagulls Die in the Harbour). The film, which features the Antwerp port as the main backdrop, had its own premiere in that city on 14 October 1955, just a few weeks before representatives from international port authorities gathered at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles to establish the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) at the first World Ports Conference.
Patrick Verhoeven added : “This remarkable coincidence offers a compelling reason to screen Meeuwen on the eve of this year’s London International Shipping Week, marking not only the 70th anniversary of the film but also the founding of the IAPH.”
The Port of London Authority have announced their confirmation as one of the Diamond level headline sponsors of #IAPH2026. Further announcements about #IAPH2026 will be made at the Association’s upcoming seventieth anniversary conference in Kobe, Japan.
About IAPH
Founded in 1955, the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) has developed into a global alliance of 200 port authorities as well as 173 port-related businesses. Comprised of over 94 different nationalities across the world’s continents, member ports handle over one third of the world’s sea-borne trade and well over 60% of the world container traffic. IAPH leads global port industry initiatives on decarbonisation and energy transition, risk and resilience management, and accelerating digitalisation in the maritime transport chain. The IAPH’s World Ports Sustainability Program has grown into the reference database of best practices of ports applying the UN Sustainable Development Goals and integrating them into their businesses - iaphworldports.org.