History

Bulgarian Private Ports and Port Terminals Association was founded and registered in 2006 as a non-profit organization with seat in the town of Varna.

The core business of the Association is establishment of conditions and assistance for development of the private sea and river ports in Bulgaria and the related activities such as operation, development, maintenance and upgrading of their specialized infrastructure.

Purpose of the Association

The goals that the Bulgarian Private Ports and Port Terminals Association has set for itself are related to:

• supporting the activities of the members of the Association;
• development of cooperation between members;
• providing assistance for the integration of the Bulgarian sea and river port structures into the structures of the European Union:
• representation of the sector in front of Bulgarian and foreign institutions;
• protection of the rights and interests of its members, raising their authority, raising their qualification and professional culture;
• taking part in the discussion and development of regulations related to the activity of its members and the shipping sector.

Membership

Any member of the Bulgarian Private Ports and Port Terminals Association could be a legal person or legally capable natural person which operates in the field of port activities and related productions, activities and services, shares its ideas and goals and is admitted according to the order of the Statute of the Association. Natural persons shall not exceed 10% of all members.

Members of the Association can be regular, honorary and associated as an observer /without voting right/. An honorary member can be a Bulgarian citizen or a foreigner with special merits, who have gained international recognition or contributed to the establishment and the affirmation of the goals of the Association.

The admission of new members is done by the Management Board after a written application from the candidate. The honorary members are proclaimed by the General Meeting upon a motivated proposal of the Management Board. Associate members may participate in any Association’s activities without voting right.

Management

Governing bodies of the Bulgarian Private Ports and Port Terminals Association are the General Meeting and the Management Board.

General Meeting of the Association consists of all its members. Every legal or natural person, member of the Association, has one vote in the General Meeting.

According to the Association’s Statute, the Management Board consists of up to 6 people. At the moment, the Management Board consists of three people. They manage the work of the Association in accordance with the law, the Statute, the internal acts and the decisions of the General Meeting.

Members of the Management Board are elected for a period of 3 years. The Management Board choose a Chairman and a Deputy Chairman among its members. The Chairman represents the Association before third parties and has a mandate coinciding with the mandate of the entire Management Board. The Chairman organizes, manages and controls the implementation of the decisions of the General Meeting and the Management Board in accordance with the Association’s Statute.

All activities of the Management Board are supported by a secretary.