Alexandra Correia (p)

Maria Regina Salvador

This work project is being done in the context of the PhD in Geography and Territorial Planning – NOVA FCSH - UNL with the objective to investigate the role of the Port of Sines as a potential driver of sustainable development in Alentejo region, Portugal. The study as the aim of assessing whether the Port of Sines effectively contributes to the sustainable development (economic, social and environmental dimensions) of Alentejo.
The proposal suggests a mixed methodology (qualitative and quantitative), since it is considered relevant to analyse impact from a comprehensive perspective and based on both top-down and bottom-up data collection. The application of Porter Diamond Model by Benito et al (Benito, 2003) with the Norwegian Maritime Cluster and by Salvador (Salvador, 2016) in the case of the Portuguese Maritime Cluster are recognized as useful to understand Maritime Clusters, as well as the mixed methodology used for the analyse of the impact of Port Clusters (Santos et al, 2018) using the case of the Port of Lisbon.
Contextualising the infrastructure (Port of Sines) in time (referring to its history, origin and evolution) and space (how it occupies space), and focusing on the impact it has (or doesn't have) on the sustainable development of the region, we believe this study could contribute to a better understanding of the impact of a Port Cluster on the territory in which it is located, through a dual perspective, both from the point of view of the Port (and its cluster) and from the point of view of the Territory.
There are currently two situations that lead us to wonder about the possible evolution of the Port of Sines Cluster towards becoming more influential and interrelated with its main Hinterland. On the one hand, the port's growing movement of containerised cargo (both transhipment and as a port of entry and exit for goods) is a consequence of its characteristics (a natural deep-water port and geostrategic position on the world's maritime trade routes), and on the other hand, the expected completion of the Sines - Poceirão - Caia rail freight section (with work in progress), which will strengthen the competitiveness of the intermodal transport offer in the interior of the Iberian peninsula and consequently its connection to Europe. This new situation could lead to greater development in the Alentejo region's export sectors, and consequently create a leverage effect for regional development.

Carlos Ribeiro Medeiros (p)

Alexandra Correia

The Integrated Maritime Policy is one of the most underestimated EU policies. Its budget is small compared to other horizontal policies, and it is also difficult to communicate because its components are scattered: environment, transport, fisheries, research, security, tourism. By presenting itself as a comprehensive approach to sea-related policies, it has not achieved the political and institutional relevance that, for example, cohesion or environmental policies have already achieved. The priorities of the political guidelines of the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, focused on the sea only in the security and environmental dimensions, and there was no reference to seas and oceans in the Strategic Agenda for the EU for 2019-2024 adopted by the European Council. Nevertheless, the IMP has had some successes. The sustainable blue economy or the European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) and, in particular, the introduction of strategies for European sea basins or macro-regions. The results of the EU elections on 6-9 June this year can provide an important impetus by putting maritime affairs back on the EU priority list: to consolidate the successful model of macro-regional strategies (MRS) or, on the contrary, to continue to focus solely on the sustainable blue economy, the path taken so far, limited to being part of the European Green Deal.
However, the future of the EU's Integrated Maritime Policy is both promising and challenging: the marine energy sector, the fight against marine pollution and the creation or extension of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Sea basin and macro-regional strategies could function as regional or national IMPs, helping to effectively integrate policies and create a vision for their common way forward in the form of a strategy.
Through documentary analysis, this presentation aims to provide alternative views and options on what this policy could look like in the future.

Maria Regina Salvador (p)

Carlos Ribeiro Medeiros

The role played by maritime transport and ports as ‘hubs’ of logistics chains determine the importance of port cities.
Ports and cities are historically linked. However, the link between port and city growth has become weaker.
Many economic benefits are associated with well-functioning ports: they lower the cost of trade, generate value added and employment, and attract investments. Moreover, ports are associated with innovation in port-related sectors: 9 out of 10 world regions with the largest amount of patent applications in shipping are home to one or more large global ports.
Cities concentrate population and production, with environmental, economic, social, and governance challenges. Strategies must be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely).
Smart ports reduce pollution, and embrace automation, encompassing innovations, such as AI, Blockchain, or ‘Digital Twin’.
The vision of a smart city incorporates Shared, Secure and Scalable infrastructures that enables human possibilities in a Smart, Safe, and Sustainable manner.
The paper summarises the strategies followed by the European port-cities of Antwerp-Bruges, Barcelona, Havre, Hamburg, and Rotterdam, as well as by the ‘Smart Cities Marketplace’ – in what can be considered a true revolution of the 21st century.