After seeing the success of the 2021 COASTLOCK installations, the Port of San Diego (USA) will collaborate again with ECOncrete to expand its habitat-friendly shoreline, restoring habitats while maintaining shoreline stability. The port’s Board of Commissioners awarded a $2.9 million construction contract for two projects along Harbor Island Park and along the Chula Vista side of the Sweetwater Channel. The Board of Port Commissioners also approved a $1.4 million construction contract to install shore power systems at Fish Harbor Pier, a key docking location for commercial harbor craft and fishing vessels. This continues efforts to reduce air pollution while supporting the region’s working waterfront, notably the commercial fishing community along the Embarcadero.

Launched by the port, the “Nome isola cercasi” contest invites primary school pupils to name a new artificial island created as part of sediment management measures in the Venetian lagoon. Winners will receive a boat tour of the port and a camera. On 28 March, the “Venice Night Trail” brought together 6,000 runners along a 16-kilometre route. Finally, the 64th edition of “Up Down the Port” will take place on 12 April, transforming a section of the seafront into an entertainment area, with a special focus on children.

To support its inland waterway transport of construction materials, the Port of Brussels (Belgium) has developed an interactive map to identify key players and infrastructure along the canal it manages, as well as across the whole of Belgium. The Port of Brussels specialises in the transport of materials in volumes exceeding 1,000 tonnes, the threshold above which river transport is more appropriate in terms of operational and energy efficiency, as well as environmental impact. This mapping also makes it possible to list the various river transport operators and provides a valuable database of contacts for the different companies. A link is also provided to the European EuRIS platform, enabling users to view and plan routes along European waterways.

Constanța’s (Romania) port operator, DP World, just started a five-year programme to restore coastal habitats near its container terminal on the Black Sea. In partnership with the local NGO Mare Nostrum and research institutes, the project aims at reintroducing the declining native seaweed Cystoseira barbata. The program will map habitats, plant nurseries, and report on its ecological impact and carbon storage. The Romanian program will also include public outreach, community education, and engagement initiatives targeting local communities and decision-makers to support coastal restoration.

Researchers at the National Technical University of Athens (Greece) carry out computer simulations and use AI-based tools to assess the resilience of Greek port infrastructure to extreme climate events. The country’s 900 ports are not currently subject to any centralized mapping, and inspections consist of photographic dives conducted every two years. To date, there is neither a national database nor a regulatory framework governing port study. The laboratory’s director, Vicky Tsoukala, proposes the creation of a national port registry and highlights the potential economic consequences of the deterioration of these infrastructures.

Belgium has adopted a new Marine Spatial Plan for the North Sea, defining how maritime space will be used between 2026 and 2034. The framework seeks to balance competing uses—energy production, shipping, nature protection, and innovation—in one of the world’s most intensively used sea areas. It introduces new marine reserves and seabed protection zones to support biodiversity recovery, while confirming the North Sea’s role as an energy hub with offshore wind development. Additional measures address shipping safety and preserve coastal open space. The plan also maintains areas for research and testing, highlighting the need to support innovation alongside environmental and economic objectives.