The Giorgio Bucchioni 2025 award went to Thomas Eckelmann, “an internationally recognized figure in the port logistics and terminal sector and President of the Management Board of Eurokai, of which the Contship Group is a part.”
Established to honor the memory and legacy of Giorgio Bucchioni, a leading figure in the La Spezia port landscape, the recognition is reserved for personalities who have contributed to the development of the maritime-port sector of La Spezia.
The award ceremony was attended by numerous civil and military authorities, including: the Prefect of La Spezia Andrea Cantadori, Mayor Pierluigi Peracchini, Rear Admiral Flavio Biaggi – Northern Interregional Maritime Commander of the Italian Navy, Captain Alberto Battaglini – Commander of the Port Authority of La Spezia, and Bruno Pisano, Special Commissioner and President-designate of the Eastern Ligurian Sea Port System Authority. Also present were Mayda and Giorgia Bucchioni, Contship CEO Matthieu Gasselin, and the Group’s management, along with numerous representatives of the local and national maritime cluster.
Gian Luca Agostinelli – President of the Propeller Club and organizer of the evening – while reading the award’s motivations, emphasized how Thomas Eckelmann’s strategic vision and entrepreneurial leadership have profoundly and enduringly shaped the growth of the port of La Spezia and the expansion of international traffic.
In his thank-you message, Eckelmann expressed deep gratitude, fondly recalling and honoring the many collaborators, partners, and industry figures he has met throughout his long career, particularly the figure of Angelo Ravano: a professional encounter that marked the beginning of a special bond with La Spezia. Although leading a Group present in numerous terminals across the Mediterranean and Northern Europe, the President of Contship Italia reaffirmed his strong connection to the city and its port, calling it “the second home” of Eurokai, alongside the headquarters in Hamburg: a place where professional projects and personal ties intertwine, creating memories and relationships that transcend the boundaries of work.
A particularly heartfelt thought was dedicated to Cecilia, by his side first in work and then in life, the companion with whom he shared ambitious projects and a bold entrepreneurial vision.
Eckelmann stressed the importance of not just honoring the past but continuing to build the future with vision and responsibility. In this perspective, the ongoing strategic investments in La Spezia and the development project of the new terminal in Damietta, Egypt, stand as testaments to the Group’s commitment to a growth-oriented future.
In closing, he conveyed greetings from all those who share this journey, mentioning in particular his children Tom and Katja, active members of Eurokai’s Board of Directors, as well as the Group’s long-standing partners and shareholders, emphasizing how mutual trust and collaboration continue to strengthen a shared vision.
With the conferral of the “Giorgio Bucchioni Award” and a dedicated evening during the convivial dinner, the Propeller Club paid tribute to a leading figure in international port operations, recognizing his concrete and lasting contribution to the sector’s development.
