What Does The Future of Smart, Sustainable Port Infrastructure Look Like?
This project introduces a practical toolkit built on findings from international case studies to help ports plan and prioritize strategic infrastructure investments that support resilient, efficient, and future-ready marine operations.
Read the Report
Executive Summary
C40 Cities and Clear Seas commissioned Maritime & Transport Business Solutions (MTBS) to produce a report on port infrastructure investment structures around the world and create a toolkit with best practices for how to make such investments. Ports sit at the heart of global trade and are essential to economic development and maritime supply chains. This port investment toolkit is designed to support port authorities, operators, and other partners in making informed, strategic infrastructure investment decisions that respond to current needs while preparing for future demands, with real-world examples from around the globe.
The toolkit provides a clear, adaptable framework that walks users through assessing infrastructure gaps, setting investment priorities, engaging stakeholders, and building robust business cases.
In this project, you’ll learn about:
- How ports and governmental bodies can work together to improve economic, social, and environmental outcomes.
- Challenges ports face in long-term infrastructure planning and practical ways to overcome them.
- Practical examples of ports’ investment decisions in different contexts around the world.
- A step-by-step guide to evaluating and planning port infrastructure investments.
Highlights
- Many port investments, particularly those related to sustainability, face significant funding gaps due to high upfront costs and uncertain returns. Public funding mechanisms, grants, and innovative financing models like Contracts for Differences are crucial to bridge these gaps.
- Port authorities can adopt various models—such as partnerships with private entities or joint ventures—to leverage external expertise and financing capacity. Various examples throughout the report.
- Ports are increasingly becoming hubs for renewable energy production (e.g., offshore wind logistics), circular economy activities, and industrial development. This broader societal value justifies public funding for projects that may not have immediate commercial returns.
- Effective port development requires collaboration between governments, port authorities, private stakeholders, and international organizations. Aligning policy frameworks and securing financing instruments will be essential to meet future investment needs.
The Latest
Ports are not just gateways for trade; they are pivotal in driving the global energy transition. By adopting innovative financing models, implementing sustainable infrastructure and partnering with their ecosystem – including city governments – port authorities can lead the way in decarbonizing maritime transport while creating long-term economic and environmental value.
This report is a practical guide to help stakeholders move from ambition to action. By bridging the financing gap, we can ensure ports fulfill their critical role in building a more sustainable, resilient, and prosperous future.
Watch the launch webinar
Download the presentations
Project Benefits
- Supports smarter, more resilient infrastructure planning at ports.
- Encourages collaboration between port authorities, cities, and other stakeholders.
- Helps ports build strong business cases to secure funding and investment.
Organizations
Research Team
Clara Kaufmann
Research Manager, Clear Seas
Thomas Baujet-Vandeburie
Technical Lead, Ports & Shipping Finance, C40 Cities
Peter de Langen
Owner & Principal Consultant, Port & Logistics Advisory
Willem Slendebroek, M.Sc.
Senior Expert Ports and Shipping, MTBS
Robert Schot, M.Sc.
Senior Manager, MTBS
Heleen Koch, M.Sc
Analyst, MTBS