The opening of the “Cable Inglés” as a new public promenade has relaunched the port-city relationship in Almeria (Spain). The ancient ore loading dock is a structure from the early 20^th century characterized by its iron and wooden elements and has become a landmark on the city’s waterfront. The new public space has been visited by more than 11.000 persons in the opening week. This major investment has been complemented with a new agreement signed by the port authority and the local and regional government to promote the development of the city’s waterfront and to propose new business, cultural, leisure, and commercial uses. At the same time, several social and cultural initiatives have been launched, such as the 3^rd edition of the photography competition of the port or the 15^th edition of the 10km race.

The Busan Port Authority (South Korea) has installed eight devices at the port, which automatically sort and clean plastic bottles, to address the port’s plastic waste. Busan Port is collaborating with the local government and local organisations to recycle and upcycle the PET plastic into goods such as duvets and eco-bags. These goods are donated to the elderly and underprivileged or the income donated to charities. So far, 14.000 bottles have been recycled resulting in 10.000 eco-bags and 80 jobs for elderly citizens. It has also led to a maritime debris collection initiative by port workers to clean the waterfront zone and to an awareness raising campaign at the Busan Port Festival.

The US Army Corps of Engineers and the Texas General Land Office are mounting a two-pronged, $31 billion coastal resilience project. Based on the results of a Coastal Protection and Restoration feasibility study released in 2019, Texas (USA) is taking a nature-based solutions approach to create living shorelines to improve resilience against rising waters. This will take place along the entire coastline and include coastal and oyster reef restoration projects and the introduction of coastal wetland projects to the blue carbon market. Secondly, to protect the Port of Houston and the Galveston Bay from ocean storm surges passing through the Gulf of Mexico, an elaborate system of coastal defenses is being constructed. The Galveston Bay Storm Surge Barrier System will be 3.2km long.

The large port city of Lomé (Togo) is vulnerable to phenomena such as coastal erosion and issues caused by human activity, including air pollution and solid waste. In 2023, Lomé’s port authority will be running the pilot phase of a multi-faceted environmental programme. It will involve an “operational” component aimed at reducing air pollution and managing waste, a “communication” component to raise awareness among port employees, and finally a “monitoring and assessment” component with an environmental management system. The budget earmarked for this pilot phase is 60 million CFA francs.

Tunisia is the North African country with the least developed logistics capabilities, including in terms of passenger transport. A 2018 study by the World Bank estimated that this state of affairs was effectively costing the country 20% of its GDP. The Office of the Merchant Navy and Ports has now accepted a proposal by a consortium led by SETEC and which includes the firm MAP. The city-port interface zone in Bizerte, consisting of an area of brownfield land located near the oil terminals, is set to be redeveloped with a modern maritime architectural style. This public-private partnership will pave the way for a green port, just four hours’ sailing time along the coast from Tunis, with the aim of hosting RoPax ferries and cruise liners. The environmental aspects would be addressed by a range of measures including shore power.