Towards sustainable port areas: dynamics of industrial decarbonization and the role of port authorities
In spring 2022, the Belgian NGO Bond Beter Leefmilieu published a call for tender: levers for port authorities to work on industrial decarbonisation. This report contains the research performed under that tender by Radboud University. The research was performed in the period July 2022 – January 2023. Bond Beter Leefmilieu contributed in discussions on the research focus and design and provided suggestions and contact details for potential interviewees in the Flemish port context. The research was performed independently, and Bond Beter Leefmilieu did not influence the outcomes of this study.
With this report, the authors hope to contribute to the debate on the decarbonisation of ports and industries in the port area and in the hinterland. While the study focuses on Flemish sea ports, with recommendations mainly aimed at port authorities and governments at different levels, the findings andrecommendations from this work may also be relevant for other stakeholders and non-Flemish ports (especially in the Antwerp-Rotterdam-Rhein-Ruhr-Area) as well.
The report also recommends how port authorities can accelerate sustainability transitions. These cover all port-related functions, from logistics and energy supply to industrial clusters and circularity.