In Shanghai (China), industries are launching a project on the utilization of reclaimed water, which is expected to save 700 000 tons of tap water annually. In the shipbuilding sector, actors will replace their ballast water, plant water, and equipment commissioning cooling water with the purified recycled water reclaimed from the nearby sewage treatment plant. In Port of Antwerp (Belgium), 12 actors are collaborating on the CHERISH₂O (CHEmical industry water Reuse in a Sustainable Harbour) project. By producing their own process water from wastewater streams, the companies will reduce their water consumption and the industry can reduce risks around water shortages, while helping safeguard the drinking water supply to citizens.

The Ontario government (Canada) is investing $10 million through the Skills Development Fund (SDF) Training Stream to train and upskill workers of Ontario Shipyards Inc. for careers in the shipbuilding and repair sector. Training, re-skilling, and up-skilling programs for careers in the millwright, welding, electrical and painting trades will be provided in St. Catharines, Hamilton and Thunder Bay. Courses will include ship building and ship repair, shipyard orientation and health and safety procedures, along with professional development, leadership training and mentoring to recruit and retain the next generation of leaders and workers.

Amsterdam (the Netherlands) and Vienna (Austria) both hosted events in September for the general public to swim in their canals and rivers. Amsterdam City Swim is an annual swimming event to raise money for Stichting ALS Nederland (the Dutch ALS foundation). 3000 people participated and swam in the canals of the capital city. Water conditions and developments were continuously monitored to ensure safe conditions. In Vienna, the Swimming Parade was the first registered swimming event that took place in the Danube Canal in almost 100 years. 50 participants swam from Urania to the Rotunda Bridge to highlight the Danube Canal as a sports and leisure space.  

On September 9, the Freeport of Riga Authority (Latvia) signed an agreement with Lithuania’s SNG Solar to develop a 100 MW solar energy park on 177.2 hectares in Spilve Meadows. The project, costing between €60-80 million, will produce about 100,000 MWh of green electricity annually and includes solar panel installation, connection to a 110 kV line, and the construction of a substation. The planned solar park at Spilve Meadows will be one of the largest green energy production facilities in the Baltics. This green energy initiative is expected to boost innovation at the port and contribute to energy independence, hydrogen production, and alternative fuels for the region.

Private company Grupo ETE will soon start the construction of the new river port in Castanheira do Ribatejo, in the Tagus waterway, 45 km upstream from the main terminals in Lisbon’s waterfront. The new project has been expected for more than 10 years. The barges that will be used have the capacity to transport 100 containers each. As each towboat could push up to 4 barges, this creates a potential of 400 containers transported. This new project has obvious environmental and mobility advantages, avoiding the circulation of 100 trucks each day in Lisbon’s congested traffic system. The system will allow savings of up to 90% of CO2 emissions to move the equivalent number of containers.