The international Port Training Conference (IPTC) is a biannual meeting of experts in the field of Human Resource Development and Training in the Port environment. The objective of the conference is to promote dialogue on the consequences of actual developments in the port industry for port-training, port-training programmes and port-training institutes.

Methods and management practices of transport have changed radically since the first IPTC was held more than 30 years ago. Similarly, training objectives and methodologies have undergone revolutionary adjustments, particularly in light of the increasing influence of global terminal operators on port policies for Human Resource Development.

International and national training providers, consultants, human resource specialists as well as representatives of global terminal, transport and logistics sectors participate in the IPTC.

At the end of each conference recommendations and conclusions are formulated and published on the IPTC website and in relevant journals.

In order to receive an invitation to the IPTC, one has to be on the mailing list of the IPTC. Recipients on the mailing list are invited to join the conference, and if required the IPTC requests specific invitees to contribute to the conference by delivering papers and relevant publications.

The conferences are hosted by countries of IPTC members, cities and/or persons and organisations that are on the IPTC mailing list.

As the IPTC does not have a staff complement, it is operationalised and coordinated by a secretary and a steering committee who work on a voluntary basis. The Shipping and Transport College of Rotterdam supports the work of the secretariat.

The IPTC is unique in that no fees are charged for participation. Lecturers deliver papers voluntarily. The programme for each conference is prepared by the Steering Committee in close consultation with the host country or city and regular participants. The country hosting a conference assumes the costs for its realization, for printing and distributing the programme and for the publication and distribution of the report on the proceedings of the conference. In most cases the cost of conference rooms, lunches and dinners are sponsored by the hosting parties. Technical visits and social events have generally been included in the itinerary of conferences activities.

The first International Port Training Conference (IPTC) was held in Rotterdam in 1970 as a meeting of experts to examine advancements made in training of port workers. The positive experience emanating from the first meeting, organized by the Rotterdam Shipping and Transport College, motivated the decision to hold these meetings biannually as a conference on Human Resource Development in the port industry. Accordingly, these conferences were subsequently held in: