HAROPA, the municipality of Paris and the private sector renew the Port Improvement Charter (CAP – Charte d’Amélioration des Ports), strengthening their commitment for the environmental protection and the integration of the port in the territory. The CAP was first signed in 2017 to engage all stakeholders in a continuous improvement process and facilitate the exchange of good practices. There is a yearly audit of the sites where these practices are been implemented to assess the evolution and propose action plans when necessary. The 2021 edition of the CAP includes stricter requirements, new audit criteria, including unannounced inspections by HAROPA, and an online map to disclose the results, increasing the transparency of the assessment.

Intense weekend in port cities all over the world to share the maritime culture with the citizens. The Italian Port Days was celebrated in many port cities, with an emphasis on gender equality. In Taranto, Saturday was even more special for the launching of the new Port Center, with the virtual presence of AIVP. In Dublin, Ireland, the new play The Book of Names was premiered in the Pumphouse during the Dublin Theatre Festival. During the weekend was also possible to enjoy tours of the port in the Open House Dublin event. In a similar way, in Bahía Blanca (Argentina), the port authority continues with its program Puerto Cultural, welcoming the citizens in the port with different events. Finally, one of the challenges with such intense event programs is to have a coherent approach to reinforce the maritime identity of the territory. The Port Center of Lorient is tackling this challenge with the new label “Les Rendez-vous de la Mer”, also creating a feeling of belonging and pride among the actors of the maritime world.

Work has begun on the construction of these new breakwaters off Staten Island. Designed by the landscape architects Scape, they will offer protection for the coastline and the city, while providing a new habitat for oysters and other marine wildlife.

National Museums Liverpool’s had organised a competition for a new design for Canning Dock, a site used in the transatlantic slave trade in the 18th century. It is part of a ten-year strategy aimed at transforming Liverpool’s waterfront between the Royal Albert Dock and Mann Island. The frontage of the existing International Slavery Museum will be completely overhauled. Two dry docks will host educational and cultural activities. The project also includes plans for new spaces and recreational promenades, public art, and more.

The guide recently published by the WHO contains some worrying news. The report identifies six polluting gases, including nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, and fine particulates, emitted in large quantities by maritime shipping. With marine air pollution responsible for a part of the respiratory illnesses diagnosed every year, it is time to take more decisive action. The “transition strategy for the maritime industry” unveiled on 25 October by Maersk, through its Zero Carbon Shipping foundation, looks to be essential. If we continue on our current trajectory, the maritime transport industry’s carbon footprint will double by 2050, rising from 3% to 8% of global emissions, whereas other sectors will be reducing their own emissions.