The Port of Stockholm (Sweden) is building onshore power connection facilities for cruise ships at two city centre quays, which will be completed by 2024. This initiative is being done in collaboration with other Baltic Sea ports – Copenhagen and Aarhus in Denmark, as well as Helsinki in Finland – to ensure a common international standard and encourage more cruise companies to invest in equipment to connect to shore power. The Port of Oslo (Norway) is creating an onshore power plant for 2025 and is rewarding emission cuts financially to help reduce cruise emissions when docked in the city. The Port of Hamburg (Germany) will offer shore power supply to both cruise ships and large containerships by 2023.

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (Spain) is undertaking several projects in its ports to maintain and improve the water quality. The port of Palma, with the Oceanographic Center of the Balearic Islands, has installed several ropes of mussels to study their capacity to biofilter the port water. Mussels can help with bioremediation by filtering and oxygenating the waters. The ports of Eivissa and La Savina have undertaken to clean the water surface of waste to reduce collisions or blocked propellers. This project is being undertaken with hybrid and solar-powered boats and a drone to reduce the carbon footprint of the project.

The port of Valencia has launched a call for tenders for the installation of 27,000 m² of solar panels on the roof of the existing Grimaldi ro-ro terminal. This renewable energy source will provide 11% of the electricity used by the port authority. The project, which has a base budget of €17 million, will be supported by a European Union Next Generation EU grant. The call for tenders is open until 10 November 2022. This initiative is part of a wider programme of measures to optimise port land, with solar canopies seen as a good solution for countries with high levels of sunshine.

The San Antonio logistics community and the port authority have announced plans to build a new truck park near the port. The 10 hectare infrastructure will provide a waiting area for up to 400 trucks per day, enabling them to switch off their engines. The idea is also to ensure that trucks are parked away from the centre of the city. The port of San Antonio is an essential logistics hub for Chile’s exports, but the road traffic it generates is problematic for local residents. The new truck park will not only improve urban air quality, but provide additional comfort for drivers.

Ports are a palimpsest of different eras, as demonstrated in the ports of Dublin (Ireland) and Genoa (Italy). While they were carrying out new construction ancient infrastructure has been uncovered. In Dublin, a part of the city’s original 18th century sea wall has been found underneath the former electricity substation at East Wall Road. Additionally, several dockworkers’ artefacts have been discovered, such as clay pipes, leather shoes or glasses. These elements and the sea wall will be part of Dublin Port’s distributed museum. In Genoa, an ancient pier dating back to the 17th century has been discovered during the excavations for the modernization and extension of the Bettolo-Rugna railway park. The respective superintendents carried out in-depth studies of the finding and allowed the works to proceed. The ancient pier will be preserved, protected and buried allowing the continuation of the project.