Since 2022, the European Union has been developing a Nature Restoration Law whose overall aim is that nature restoration measures should cover at least 20% of the EU’s land and sea areas by 2030 and all ecosystems in need of restoration by 2050. The proposal should complement relevant frameworks, including the Water Framework Directive, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, the Invasive Alien Species Regulation and Common Fisheries policy. European ports strive to integrate biodiversity protection throughout their operations, balancing it with their need to expand sustainably. The proposal may potentially add a barrier for ports to construct infrastructure as the European Parliament revisions require additional compensation measures if the socio-economic benefits are not crucial for climate change mitigation.

A deal was struck at Singapore Maritime Week for a decarbonised shipping corridor. The major hubs of Singapore and the San Pedro Bay port complex (California, USA) have committed to accelerate the adoption of zero carbon fuels and digital technologies to optimise energy use. All shipping companies whose vessels call at their ports will be required to comply with the targets. The association C40 Cities, chaired by the former Mayor of Los Angeles, is the facilitator of the new corridor, ensuring it will generate benefits for local communities.

The Port City Coordination Council of Valparaiso (Chile) established in its first session of the year three new working groups (WG) focusing on: Economic Development, Heritage, and Port – City Integration. These commissions will contribute to the Council, and will be respectively led by the region, the municipality and the ministry of housing and urbanism. The first one will promote all kinds of enterprises in the different neighborhoods of the city, through local production and tourism as well as improved logistic support for some areas of the city. The second will focus on the cultural and architectural value of this port city. The third one, will emphasize planning issues as well as the use of the coastline. The AIVP is currently supporting the Port of Valparaíso to develop a new Port Center, which will foster dialogue among stakeholders on all topics mentioned by the Port City Coordination Council.

National Museums Liverpool (United Kingdom) has presented its vision for the redevelopment of the city’s waterfront area to better tell the city’s history. The scope of the project includes a new public realm, a pedestrian footbridge, and a visitor’s pavilion in the place of two historic dry docks, which are linked to the Maritime Museum, International Slavery Museum, and the Museum of Liverpool. To best build a narrative connecting the museums and the city with authenticity, the project will rely on local interest groups and the community for knowledge sharing. The first step of the project is the public consultation phase which is currently ongoing. The completion date is planned for 2030.

The port operator Grand Port Maritime de la Martinique is situated in the middle of the French overseas territory and is a well-established stop on the main Caribbean shipping routes. It has now unveiled a new plan of practical actions designed to reduce its environmental footprint by 2030. As part of its decarbonisation efforts, the port will aim to ensure that 50% of its fleet of vehicles are hybrid and electric models, while replacing 300 projectors with LEDs, and installing shore power facilities. But the plan goes even further, with close monitoring of polluting emissions and solid waste processing, and biodiversity-related measures such as reducing the number of vessels in certain zones to avoid collisions with marine mammals.