The programme “Innovative Partners”, developed by Amsterdam’s Municipality (The Netherlands) engages with innovative entrepreneurs to solve the challenges of public and social organisations, helping them in tender procedure or subsidy application. The ongoing challenges focus on public transport accessibility, energy transition, circular economy, and waste management The port of Amsterdam is one of the main partners, responsible for one challenge and involved in another one. The first one is on-demand power deployment solutions to allow companies to proceed with electrification plans. The second focuses on smart uses of dredging sediments coming from the city and the port canals. The deadline for both is November 24th. Port city innovation ecosystems will be one of the sessions of the Port & City Days that will take place on November 25th and 26th, in Brussels.

Many port cities are also river cities, offering an excellent alternative to traditional urban logistics. In the case of Paris (France), this is visible in different scales. The supermarket chain Franprix has been using the river to supply 300 stores since 2012. This decision saves every year 5000 trucks from the Parisian streets, or 300 000 km of travel and 300 tons of CO2. According to the transport director, the advantages largely compensate the extra cost. On another dimension, the construction works in the technical centre of the SNCF (the French railway company) will include a long conveyor belt to evacuate the site’s debris to a Haropa Port barge on the Seine River. River logistics will also help in the ambition to achieve carbon neutrality for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, including the transport of construction material and evacuating debris.

The “Open Port Culture Night 2021” festival took place on 5 and 6 November. It invited visitors to rediscover the port as it was at the time of its opening in 1883, through night-time tours, artistic performances, and exhibitions. The municipality has also announced plans to renovate the Coastal Pier and its ferry terminal. The area has become the target of complaints by citizens and tourists. Roads leading to the district will be modified, and a 1 kilometre promenade and vast park will be created. Work is due to begin in the first quarter of 2022.

Solar energy is booming on Africa’s east coast, thanks to increased environmental awareness and a commitment to making the region more economically attractive. In Djibouti, where an integrated zone is set to be developed with the port, a 30 MW solar complex is to be launched, in conjunction with a 60 MW wind farm. Efforts are also being made in the islands, whose geographical isolation makes energy independence all the more important. On the island of Mohéli (Comoros), a 152 KW solar plant is set to be built with funding from the EU. It represents an encouraging start for the archipelago’s least populous island. It is a similar story in the Seychelles, where the island of Romainville, which lies opposite the capital Victoria, already provides power to around 10% of urban homes. Finally, there is the Port of Ehoala, where the combined wind and solar plant will generate 20 MW for the neighbouring town of Fort-Dauphin (Madagascar).