Session #01: Decarbonisation – On our way to a climate neutral port industry

Héctor Calls has a Bachelor's degree in Marine Science and a Master's degree in Engineering and Port Management, specialising in port dredging. He has more than 23 years of experience in environmental consulting and surveying, mainly in the marine (nearshore & offshore) and port sectors. Throughout his career, in addition to specialising in environmental aspects of port and marine projects, he has gained extensive knowledge in hydrographic surveying, geophysics, oceanography and marine engineering, as well as in the application of cutting-edge technologies in numerous national and international projects. He joined the Port of Barcelona in January 2022 as Head of Environmental Sustainability. 

Johannes Schmidt holds a PhD in Sustainable Mobility from the University of Göttingen and a Master's degree in Economics with a focus on Production & Logistics / Information Management. In recent years, Johannes gained valuable international professional experience as a senior project manager for digital manufacturing projects, an environmental consultant in the port industry and a research associate in the field of sustainable mobility. Since October 2021, Johannes has been working at the HPA Hamburg Port Authority to support the Hamburg port industry's path to climate neutrality and promote innovation in the port sector.

After an apprenticeship as an industrial management assistant at Dutch electronics company Philips and a Master of Business administration from the University of Hamburg, he started his professional career at United Parcel Service as a Marketing Manager. Subsequently, he held managerial positions at Hamburg Airlines and Group 4 Securicor. After 15 years in the logistics and service industry, he changed to HHLA in 2008. In his current position as Head of Corporate Sustainability, he reports directly to the Executive Board.

Margaret A. Kidd joined University of Houston, College of Technology, Construction Management Department in fall 2016, as an Instructional Assistant Professor, Supply Chain & Logistics Technology (SCLT). In August of 2018 she was promoted to Program Director for the SCLT BS degree program and in 2022 was promoted to Instructional Associate Professor. Currently she serves as a liaison for the Exporters Competitive Maritime Council – Education Committee, Port of Houston Partners in Maritime Education, Liaison to Houston Electric League, Energy Industries Council, North & Central America Regional Advisory Board, Houston Maritime Center Board of Trustees, East End Chamber of Commerce Advisory Board and is the Education Ambassador for North America, Mexico, Panama, and Brazil for the Chartered Institute of Logistics Transport. In her role as Program Director, Margaret has developed a “global - powerhouse” advisory board.

Within the SCLT program, Margaret has negotiated partnerships with globally recognized professional organizations to launch certificate programs benefiting students and the regional workforce. These partnerships include, the National Customs Brokers Forwarders Association America, Chartered Institute Logistics & Transport, Association of Ship Brokers, and Agents (USA) Inc., and 4D-Supply Chain Consulting. Margaret’s leadership and contribution to maritime/supply chain/logistics workforce competitiveness, and economic development efforts supporting the regional and national economy have recently been recognized by both KBR, Government Solutions, Port of Houston Community Grants, and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Margaret has a BBA in General Business, MA in Cross-Cultural Studies, and has over 60 Doctoral credit hours in Urban Planning & Environmental Policy with an emphasis on port-city interface, sustainability, and economic development.

Alaa Morsy is a professor of Structural Engineering; he was also head of the Construction and Building Department, college of engineering and technology, AASTMT, from September 2019 to April 2022.

Prof. Alaa is also acting as a Principal Investigator in several international projects related to the European Neighborhood Instrument (ENI) fund, such as "Mediterranean the of Ports in Employment Youth Employment in ports of the Mediterranean, YEP-MED", TECHLOG - Technological Transfer for Logistics Innovation in Mediterranean area, and "Integrated Coastal Areas Management to protect the maritime environment from Ballast waters, ICAM-ECOSYSTEM".

He has also been an organising committee member of the annual International Maritime Transport and Logistics conference "MARLOG" for more than 11 years.