The City of Palma de Majorca, Port of the Balearic Islands, University, Majorcan Council, and Government of the Balearics have signed a memorandum of understanding, that will enable the creation of an innovation hub in the Nou Llevant waterfront district. Bringing together the research and business communities, this new ecosystem will lead to a more sustainable, more inclusive city and a diversified economy.

The Port Center is now offering 3 new virtual itineraries to highlight the good ecological practices of port professionals to preserve heritage, environment, and biodiversity. The new experiences include navigating aboard a solar vessel, participating in the collection of wastewaters from a yacht and diving into the Biohuts, providing ecological restoration. The 56 Biohuts, implemented in 2015, are fish nurseries developed by AIVP member Ecocean to improve “ecological restoration” offering shelters for younger specimens, as well as small crustaceans, crabs, and others. The virtual visits accompany one of divers that regularly monitors the shelters.

Photo Dylan Meiffret – Nice Matin

A revised Waterfront City plan was recently submitted to the State of Victoria. The initial project for this precinct at the Northern tip of the Docklands was rejected by the City last September, on the grounds that the buildings (office and apartment blocks) were too high, too much space was earmarked for vehicles, etc. The new project puts more emphasis on public spaces, including on the roof of an existing car park, and pedestrian links with the waterfront and neighbouring precincts. A call for tenders was launched on 15 April to create a Media City in the Docklands (opening in 2022), while measures have been adopted to protect the industrial heritage at Fishermans Bend. The site is set to host 80,000 residents and 80,000 workers by 2050. Meanwhile, the north bank of the Yarra River will be turned into a green corridor connecting different precincts of the city.

In the field of air pollution, there are numerous initiatives aimed at reducing carbon emissions. However, other gases also cause health problems. A “sulphur emissions control zone” has been set up in Genoa (Italy), to ensure that the gas makes up no more than 0.10% of the exhaust fumes emitted by vessels of all kinds. Elsewhere, the “clean cruise ship” network organised by the NGO NABU, which focuses on fine particular matter and nitrogen oxides emitted in the Mediterranean, has led to improved practices. In Northern Europe, Helsinki is often held up as an example. In the city, a hub for passenger traffic on the Baltic Sea, a recent report shows that cold ironing facilities will help achieve a 60% reduction in emissions by 2025.

After months at berth, cruises are gradually restarting in several countries. In some port cities, like Taranto with important news: the cruise terminal operator Global Port Holding just signed a 20-year concession agreement to manage the cruise passenger terminal. The new multifunctional building called “Falanto” – currently under construction – will be the preferential berth for cruise ships, while also a key element of the port-city interface. The new business agreement, will strength the tourism strategy in which port and city have been cooperating in recent months. Cruises will restart in Taranto on May 5th.

In Savona, cruises have restarted with LNG-powered green ships. The Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority is also investing in cold ironing in the passenger port to reduce the environmental impact of these ships. Following the cases of Italy, Greece and Malta among others, the French government has announced that cruises will restart as soon as June 30th. In South Florida (USA) it will be in July, if ships can certify that 98% of their crew and 95% of their passengers are vaccinated.