Ports and their neighbouring cities play a considerable role in the local and global economies. Indeed, port cities around the world are located at the edge of sea and land and serve the same function of facilitating the flows of goods and people.
Over the centuries, many port cities have developed particular shared values, better known as maritime mindset or port-city culture. Maritime culture is indeed the main element to both create a top-notch bridge between the port and its floating community and reach sustainability goals. While all port cities are different, they have only one identity and share some common features: together, they face important challenges and recognise the need to facilitate the interactions between multiple stakeholders.
“Ports are at the crossroads of transition.”
The good and the bad of this activity can cover a huge – and sometimes tricky! – path, having to deal with multiple fields: from sustainability and environmental care to community building; from communication with and among stakeholders to the engagement of local (but also global) citizens and authorities. Increasing cohesion between the port and the city is the right path to provide greener and more sustainable future perspectives.
Yes, it is a wavy theme but we – as port cities representative and sea lovers – have a great privilege: we are on the front line as port-cities ambassadors, having to promote our destinations at global level, thus pursuing the aim to achieve a sustainable growth of the whole territory and its heritage preservation.
The match between port-city relations and cruising is also a matter of social integration and the factors around this bond are highly significant. Reinforcing the port-city identity means ensuring future success while making new achievements in sustainability TODAY!
Together with the global port network AIVP – Association International Villes et Ports, Med Cruise has launched a joint Working Group focused on developing sustainable port-city relationships and cruises. Our aim is to create a benchmark of best practices developed around the globe that can contribute towards improving the relationship between port cities, citizens and sustainable cruises. The group is also working on the identification of current challenges and on new strategies/tools to foster the dialogue with local governments, pressure groups, non-governmental organizations, national bodies, and other actors involved in the cruise-port city relationship.
Our claim addressed to port communities:
- MAKE IT CRYSTALLINE
- MAKE IT INCLUSIVE
- MAKE IT SMART and SUSTAINABLE
Noemi Frascella
