The Nigerian Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, has stated that Nigeria is championing the introduction of renewable energy-powered ports during the recent Africa Strategic Summit on Decarbonization that focused on ‘Ensuring a Just and Equitable Shipping Decarbonisation for Africa’. Due to its reliance on imports from other regions, it is difficult but necessary for the shipping sector to transition to near-zero emissions. Oyetola stressed the importance of strategic partnerships, both public and private, that foster industrial growth and sustainable development in Africa. This strategy is also in line with the IMO’s ambition to adopt the policy on the Revised Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Strategy and also supports Sustainable Development Goal 13 (Climate Action).

Portlantis, the new port experience centre commissioned by the port authority of Rotterdam (Netherlands) at Maasvlakte II, was festively opened on the afternoon of Wednesday, 19 March. Portlantis will play a role in conveying the ambitions and responsibilities of the Port of Rotterdam and the Port Authority. The interactive experience centre allows people to discover and immerse themselves in the port of Rotterdam through virtual reality, augmented reality, exhibitions with large 3-D models, and laboratories where you can conduct chemical and technical experiments. Portlantis is also the new home of EIC Mainport Rotterdam, an educational information centre which organizes excursions and other activities to introduce schoolchildren and students to the port and its opportunities. Portlantis aims to attract 150,000 visitors each year.

The Port Authority of A Coruña (Spain) has launched the development of its Strategic Plan while simultaneously moving forward with its new waterfront vision “Coruña Maritima”. The new plan will define the future of the Outer Port in Arteixo, with a strong focus on the energy transition, and outline the necessary infrastructure for the Inner Port’s transformation. Key areas include renewable energy, logistics, and commercial traffic specialization. Simultaneously, the Coruña Marítima participation process continues with five themed workshops gathering public input on the port’s future. Citizens and experts will discuss economy, mobility, environment, and port activities. This participatory approach will also contribute to the upcoming Master Plan, ensuring a sustainable and innovative development strategy for A Coruña’s maritime spaces.

The city of London (UK) has unveiled plans to invest £7 million in projects aimed at improving water quality in the capital’s rivers. A variety of initiatives is set to receive funding, including schemes to prevent road runoff pollution from entering waterways and help reduce flood risk, along with rewilding projects. The announcement is part of a plan by City Hall, Transport For London, London Wildlife Trust, and Thames Water to inject some £1.8 billion across the next five years to protect and improve river health in the city. In addition to water quality, the major investment will also look to reduce inequality in public access to water for all Londoners, with studies showing that the most affluent households enjoy much greater access to nature and rivers than those from low-income backgrounds.

The port of Los Angeles and Long Beach (United States) are working to electrify equipment to reduce emissions, requiring sufficient power infrastructure. For instance, Yusen Terminal in the Port of Los Angeles is testing its hydrogen fuel cell gantry crane. Furthermore, the proposed rule 2304 on commercial marine ports would require the ports to develop a plan by August 2027 to build charging and fueling stations for electric and hydrogen-powered equipment, trucks, and vessels. The current plan was updated in 2017 to aim for 100% zero-emission cargo-handling equipment by 2030 and trucks by 2035. Although previous federal funding was significant, it wasn’t enough to cover the $8 billion in project requests. Federal policies aimed at maintaining pollution regulation need to align with the ports’ goals to support the implementation.

On Monday 17 March, the coastal municipalities of Saint Louis and Le Port (La Réunion, France) introduced preventive measures to limit potential damage after the “wave-submersion” alert level was raised to orange. With poor conditions forecast to peak at 2.00 pm local time with a wave height of close to 4.5 metres, a series of orders were issued suspending all sea-based activities and banning pedestrians from high-risk zones such as beaches and coastal paths. Safety instructions were also broadcast by the local media. The initiatives are a reminder of the need for port regions to address climate change issues and guarantee their resilience.