Port of Melbourne (Australia) has partnered with The Nature Conservancy Australia to lead a trial to remediate dredge material grounds by restoring shellfish reefs in Port Phillip Bay. Port of Melbourne has invested $890,000 to create new reef bases with recycled shell and local limestone that will be seeded with 400 000 oysters. The Port of Oakland (USA) is also valorizing dredged sediment by sending it to the Solano County wetland restoration site. Montezuma Wetlands, a private initiative, will receive a $2.1 million grant from the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority over the next three years to allow more port-dredged sediment to go towards restoring wetlands and endangered species habitat.

The project, which will take place between 2025 and 2031, is led by INESC TEC and involves Fórum Oceano, the Portuguese Sea Cluster, and the Administração dos Portos do Douro, Leixões and Viana do Castelo (Portugal). The research center, titled INESCTEC.OCEAN, will promote the development of emerging sectors of the sea, such as offshore renewable energies, environmental impact assessment of human activities at sea or offshore aquaculture. It also aims to create a network of onshore and offshore technological infrastructures to develop and test technology, the training of human resources, and the approximation of science to the business world. The European Union’s Horizon Programme and the Portuguese Government are jointly providing funds of more than 30 million euros.

The Thames Port Authority (UK) recently launched the “Environment Atlas”, an online platform to provide the public with information about the river, ranging from water and air quality to more wide-ranging ecological data. There is information about shipping emissions, live sewer overflow updates, plastic pollution maps, and more. The platform is a key resource that will deliver a variety of data to the different initiatives launched as part of the port authority’s Thames Vision 2050 strategy, aimed at promoting a clean, thriving river. More data is planned to be published on the platform in the future. The port authority’s partners are also being encouraged to contribute to the platform.

The NextWave Seafarers project was initiated in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in response to the global lack of qualified seafarers, which has been exacerbated by the growing demand in the maritime sector. It aims to train new talents from developing countries, by providing them the opportunity to access practical training and to pursue careers in the maritime industry. This commitment to training is also reflected in Mozambique, where the Port of Maputo has launched the MPDC Academy, an online training platform to enhance employees’ skills in human resources, communication and leadership. At the same time, the port authority of Deendayal (India) is due to inaugurate its women’s professional training center in March 2025. This project is being carried out in partnership with the women’s organization UMS which works on women’s empowerment and confidence-building in the economic, social and political spheres.

The Regional Government of Andalusia (Spain) has invested 1.7 million euros in a new multi-purpose building in Ayamonte’s port, to host the offices of the Public Ports Agency of Andalusia (APPA) and Harbormaster. The L-shaped building will offer other facilities such as a public plaza, user reception, administrative spaces, and storage. It’s part of a broader transformation of the port, including improved access, parking, and a new gourmet dock. Designed for energy efficiency, it features a photovoltaic system, achieving near-zero energy consumption. This investment supports port activities and aims to enhance local employment and growth.