The II International Rail Forum “1520”

On 9-10 February 2010, Tallinn hosted The II International Rail Forum known as “1520”, where the future trends of the regional rail business and transit trade were discussed. The Forum “Strategic Partnership 1520: The Baltic Sea Region” was a landmark event for the Estonian transit trade.

One of the most outstanding speakers at the event was Mr. Vladimir Yakunin, president of Russian Railways, a state owned company of our Eastern neighbours, who incidentally was also one of the main initiators and conveners of the forum. The participants hailed from post-Soviet states as well as from Finland and other countries where the broad-gauge track of 1520 mm is used (the name of the forum derives from this measurement). In addition to the rail operators, the participants included cargo owners, forwarding agents, terminal operators etc. The significance of the forum to the Estonian transit sector and economy in general was highlighted by the fact that the event was opened by Mr. Toomas Hendrik Ilves, President of the Republic of Estonia and for example Mr. Juhan Parts, Estonian Minister of Economic Affairs and Communications as well as Mr. Edgar Savisaar, Mayor of Tallinn were among the attendees.

Port of Tallinn was one of the major sponsors of the forum.