Design proposals for the Danish Centre for Coastal Nature and Sport Fishing were unveiled by 3XN Architects last week. The 700 m2 building will be located in a coastal area of the port city of Assens (Denmark), previously occupied by shipyards. The site will fulfil two functions, the first being to inform and educate, with three exhibition rooms highlighting the impacts of climate change and human activity on the sea, and three basins giving visitors a better insight into the marine ecosystem. The second function will be social, with several convivial areas for gatherings, including a community space inside, as well as the jetty and rooftop terrace.

Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, which operates the port of Kolkata (India), has launched a tender process for the construction of a new solar power plant at Haldia Dock. The plant will need to be capable of delivering 2 MW of electricity by the end of 2025. The project aims to use the available space on the roofs of the dock buildings, eliminating the need to free up land for the solar panels. The Indian government launched a similar initiative in April, to install solar panels on the roofs of Khidirpore Dock in Kolkata.

Onshore Power Supply Systems (OPS) is one of the main solutions implemented worldwide to decarbonize the maritime industry. As of July 1st, 2024, in North Sea Port (Belgium and The Netherlands) all inland vessels equipped with shore power equipment are obliged to moor at quays where there is shore power and use it instead of the polluting diesel generators. This new obligation to use shore power is coupled with a 28% tariff increase, 0.289 €/kWh excluding VAT. In the meantime, in Helsinki (Finland), the first OPS System has become operational in Vousaari Harbour for Finnlines vessels operating the RoPax traffic with the German port of Travemünde, where another OPS system is available. In Seattle (USA), the port authority and the municipality have signed an agreement to implement an OPS system in Pier 66. This development would make Seattle one of the cruise ports to offer shore power at every berth.

In partnership with the South River Watershed Alliance, two artists from the “Flux Projects” initiative set themselves the challenge of kayaking from downtown Atlanta (USA) all the way to the Atlantic Ocean. The journey took several weeks, and was designed to raise the profile of this little-known waterway and raise awareness about the environmental risks it faces. The idea was to engage with local communities along the route, focusing attention on the river and documenting the voyage through video, audio, and writings. On their return, the artists plan to install temporary works in several parks around Atlanta, to highlight the waterway and strengthen the community’s relationship with it.

Paris Est Marne & Bois local authority recently introduced a new river bus service on a trial basis. The free service will run between 30 June and 30 September, with two routes along the Marne river. On one of the two lines, passengers will be able to bring bicycles on board. Meanwhile, Nantes Métropole authority has just voted to purchase a fleet of electric catamarans, to replace the existing diesel-powered vessels currently used to cross the Loire river, and improve its fleet as it prepares to extend one of the routes. The first of the new boats is expected to be delivered by the end of 2026, and all will have capacity to carry bicycles.