From France to Rwanda to the United States, wetland restoration emerges as a key tool against flooding. In Quiberville (France), the French village chose to neglect its old seawall that had drained marshes for three centuries. With rising sea levels, the village instead elected to restore the estuary, relocating to a nearby campsite. In Kigali, Rwanda’s capital of 1,7 million inhabitants, more than 400 hectares of urban wetlands are being restored by 2026. Here, the goals go beyond reducing flood risks: they aim to enhance water filtration and redefine the urban landscape. Finally, the Port of Mobile, the 9th-largest American port, is investing $24 million to restore its bay wetlands for biodiversity and climate resilience, using dredged materials to rebuild natural defences.

The executives of the Grand Port Maritime de Marseille-Fos (France) presented the 5 axes of their 2025-2029 Strategic Plan and their projections for 2050. This long-term roadmap is marked by a massive increase in investment, between €1 and €1.3 billion over the next five years. Part of the 5 axes of the strategy includes energy transition ambitions, notably with onshore power supply for cruises, which was discussed during the most recent AIVP World Conference in New York. The strategy announced the relaunch of the J1 and J4 projects, which aim to improve the port-city interface by converting a former port hall into a public multi-use space and creating a cruise ship terminal. This plan marks a record investment and collaboration effort.

The development of marine energy is progressing with the authorisation granted to Associated British Ports to install the country’s largest floating solar power plant in the port of Barrow (United Kingdom). Located on the Cavendish Dock basin, it will provide significant power to support the port’s industrial activities while limiting land use. In parallel, the creation of the “FLOW Ports Alliance” brings together the ports of Brest (France) and Shannon Foynes (United Kingdom) around a shared ambition: to build a cooperative network capable of supporting the rise of floating offshore wind power. This initiative aims to share expertise and accelerate the maritime energy transition.

The RSHP architecture firm has announced the completion of the master plan for Bangaroo South, the last area to be redeveloped in the northwest of Sydney (Australia), which has been in transition for 15 years. The long-term project aimed to reconnect former container terminals to the city centre. The 22-hectare neighbourhood has been transformed into an exemplary mixed-use space, integrating commercial, residential, and public spaces, particularly along the waterfront. More than two-thirds of the site has been designated for public and recreational use, including Wulugul Walk, a continuous waterfront promenade; Watermans Cove, an amphitheatre-style waterfront promenade; and Hickson Park, a one-hectare green space completed in 2020 that offers a haven for both residents and visitors. According to the firm, in 2019, the area became Australia’s first carbon-neutral neighbourhood.

The Walloon Region (Belgium) wants to merge the port authorities of Liège, Namur, Charleroi, and PACO into a single entity. The merger project, similar to that of HAROPA (France) or North Sea Port (Belgium/Netherlands), aims to increase the strategic importance of ports in the European port landscape tenfold. It also seeks to use financial and human resources more efficiently. The Walloon ports currently employ a total of around 40 people. The merger process is due to be completed in 2028. The structure will represent more than €10 billion in assets by that date. The headquarters are already planned to be in Liège.