Reducing CO2 Emissions in Ports
Ports are vital gateways for international trade and a motor for growth. While they constitute an important economic factor for the regions they are located in, the activities carried out in ports can cause significant negative environmental impacts. Road traffic in port areas causing CO2 emissions is one such source for such negative environmental impact. It involves different port stakeholders and various kinds of daily port activities, in particular in the course of transporting goods, operational and administrative procedures, and the use of CO2 intensive fuels.

Optimizing road traffic in port areas and finding strategies for smooth and efficient transport in view of reducing CO2 emissions is thus an important challenge for many of the relevant policy makers. In most European regions, structural funds programmes or other relevant policy instruments, however, do not yet sufficiently target this issue. 

SMOOTH PORTS’ overall objective is to improve relevant regional policy instruments to target CO2 emission reductions caused by road traffic in a more holistic manner taking into account the actors involved and the different reasons causing traffic and CO2 emissions.

To achieve these aims, SMOOTH PORTS wants to make use of the differences of the project partners’ ports. It will exchange effective tools and best practices. To that effect, procedures for the clearance of goods in ports shall be looked at, as unnecessary transport routes and with it, CO2 emissions are often caused due inefficient procedures. A further focus will be put on the different approaches of the partners as regards ICT solutions for various traffic related port activities as well as to alternative fuels. On this basis, the strengths and weaknesses of the respective policy instruments will be compared to help improving the local policy instruments of the partners. In so doing, a close and joint effort between the different authorities, public institutions and port industry is essential.