Circular City Ports - Workbook

02 Investigating city ports Working session
24
During the second part of the working session, the
aim was to dive into concrete circular economy initiatives
of the eleven city ports, using as main topic
of conversation, as we defined, three leverage to
further circularity:
Collaboration platforms as triggers for action
The accessibility to know-how, both scientific and
hands-on based, boosts existing and new circular
initiatives. Platforms where this knowledge is
shared and where it therefore extends beyond the
borders of the participating actors, are a key element
for circular economy. You can’t be circular
on your own. This collaboration needs to be initiated
and managed by certain actors of all fields. How
does these collaborations precisely happen? Who,
what, how, where, when?
New infrastructure to further circular economy
What kind of infrastructure and typologies are needed
to facilitate this material and knowledge-intensive
circular economy?
In order to further circularity, city ports need new
kinds of infrastructure and facilities: e.g. new transshipment
docks, consolidation warehouses, structures
to sort out the different kinds of waste, disassembly
facilities. The success of these investments
will partly depend on how well integrated they are
within a wider (economical) context, and partly on
good timing and fortunate coincidence. The investments
themselves will derive from public-private
partnerships and innovative governance agreements,
key to steer, facilitate or initiate change.
Port-related productive ecosystems
Which interdependencies play a role between city,
port and hinterland and how can the city port make
the bridge to systemic change? Can the belonging
to such a physical network or corridor increase the
chances for establishing circular economy?
City ports are too small to work on their own, they
are a pin in the network and depend on a vast network
of providers, transporters and recyclers. The
network of inland waterways and most specifically
the corridor that links directly the city port to the sea
or to other ports are an important economic structure.
Thanks to them, the city port positions itself
strategically on the cross-point of access to flows
and knowledge in an urban environment. The mapping
and consideration of these locations and interdependencies
along the corridor are of decisive
importance for any circular economy strategy undertaken
by the city port itself.