The port authority of Copenhagen-Malmö has announced a new partnership with Green2x, a pioneering firm aiming to use by-products from the cereal industry to generate electricity from biomass or biofuels. It has devised a chemical process that allows 95% of the calories contained in straw to be recovered. Green2x is building a pilot plant in Vordinborg (Denmark), and wants to scale up its plans by creating a facility in Malmö (Sweden), with support from the city and port authority.

Grand Port Maritime de La Réunion (France), which operates the Indian Ocean island’s main port, took part in the “Pimp My App” competition organised in partnership with Orange. Around a dozen jobseekers and young working people were invited to come up with suggestions for activities at the Port Center. After two weeks of brainstorming sessions, debates, and site visits, they tested a range of concepts and then pitched their original ideas to port professionals. Their proposals included creating a “maritime port city” in addition to the traditional exhibition, which could potentially host fun activities like films, escape games, and a relaxation area with views of the Western Port docks.

The State of Ohio (USA) has announced that 19 communities will benefit from $152 million in grants under the state’s Wonderful Waterfront Initiative. One of these includes Portsmouth, which will redevelop the waterfront to include outdoor parks, riverfront murals, an amphitheater, improved walking paths, a fishing pier, and campsites. The governor explained that the ambition is for citizens to propose local improvements, including recreation. The planning and design stages are completed for the projects that have received funding; the ambition is to complete the redevelopments within the next two years.

Following an invitation to tender, the government of Flanders (Belgium) has accepted two bids aimed at improving inland waterway transportation to and from its seaports. The move is part of the Inland Shipping Impulse initiative, designed to ease pressure on the road network by encouraging traffic headed for the Port of Antwerp-Bruges and North Sea Port to use rivers and canals. The project targets greater cooperation between freight forwarders, terminals, and other stakeholders to smooth handling operations for container barges and cut waiting times. The two successful bids will share a total of €3.5 million in grants. The Ministry of Mobility and Public Works wants 42% of all traffic to and from the port of Antwerp to travel via inland waterways by 2030.

The Port System Authority of the Northern Adriatic Sea (Italy) signed, on May 17^th, the Blue Flag 2024 voluntary agreement, demonstrating the port’s engagement for sustainable cruise tourism in Venice’s lagoon. The signed document is the result of a decade of cooperation with local authorities. The sustainability efforts include investments in cold ironing infrastructure development and planning and enhancing the local cultural heritage, connected to several European projects.