The Port Authority of Bilbao (Spain) signed an 80 million € loan at the end of 2024 to finance its 2^nd phase of port expansion and the installation of renewable energy infrastructure, including improvements on landside electricity grid and clean energy generation infrastructure. In Italy, the Port Authority System of the Eastern Ligurian Sea, has confirmed investments totaling 57 million € for the electrification plans of the ports of La Spezia and Marina di Carrara. The main works include the construction of the high-voltage energy infrastructure, the electrification plants of the new pier cruises and the replacement of existing generators with others with hydrogen. The new infrastructure will be partly funded by the PNRR – Piano Nazionale di Ripresa e Resilienza (National Recovery and Resiliency Plan).

The New York City Council (USA) introduced a bill that calls for a feasibility study of zero-emission port operations by 2040 that includes all aspects of port transportation, maintenance, loading and unloading, ocean-going vessels, handling equipment, trucks and locomotives. The feasibility study will be delivered one year after enactment if it passes. New York City controls the Brooklyn-Port Authority Marine Terminal, Red Hook Container Terminal, South Brooklyn Marine Terminal, Manhattan Cruise Terminal, Hunts Point Terminal, and Atlantic Basin. The feasibility study will assess the readiness to transition to zero-emission port operations and the ability to do so by 2040, pinpoint barriers, and explore the investments needed.

The Port Authority of San Antonio (Chile) has joined forces with various organizations working to improve access to drinking water in rural communities. The port will offer financial and technical support with various key needs, such as buying the equipment needed to connect pipes or securing infrastructures to guarantee water supplies at all times, even when the network is affected by disruption. In addition to overcoming technical challenges, the cooperation agreement aims to promote the work done by organizations to address this important issue. At an event in late December, the port also unveiled the results of its social responsibility policy. In 2024, six cooperation agreements were signed with organizations and trade unions, while numerous events were held for the general public. The port intends to continue its efforts in 2025.

Recent climate events have underlined the urgent need for more resilient port infrastructures. The port of Holyhead (UK), a vital gateway between Wales and Dublin, was seriously damaged by storm Darragh, while rising water levels in Lake Tanganyika are causing disruption at the ports of Kigoma (Tanzania), Kabwe (Zambia), and Kasanga (Tanzania), posing a threat to trade. In South America, the giant waves crashing against the coastlines of Peru and Ecuador have seen a number of ports closed. In response to climate challenges such as these, the “Port of Tomorrow” initiative launched by the Port of Holyhead aims to build port resilience using cutting-edge technologies, such as AI for predictive maintenance and automation.

The port of Volos (Greece) will install new photovoltaic systems to cover 100% of its electricity needs by the summer of 2025. The project provides for the installation of photovoltaic systems for self-generation of energy, for energy net metering and for virtual energy net metering. The project has a budget of 2 million euros. Port Said University (Egypt) and the University of Strathclyde (United Kingdom) have tested a combined compressed air energy storage with floating photovoltaics through an energy management strategy. The 5 kW prototype utilises partially floated PV panels that are cooled by the surrounding water and are capable of tracking the sunlight automatically and adjusting the platform’s draft and the PV panels’ tilt angle.