TEN ECOPORT
The TEN ECOPORT project is inspired by a large number of initiatives at European Union level, aiming to improve the sustainable mobility of people and freight along the maritime network. In this way, the SEE project has contributed greatly to the development of cooperation between port authorities in the Adriatic, Ionian and Black Sea regions (e.g. with the SEE MARINER – WATERMODE, SEETAC, ECOPORT8, GIFT, etc. projects).
In particular, TEN ECOPORT aims to benefit from the results of ECOPORT8. ECOPORT8 has addressed the problem of environmental impacts affecting both port and surrounding areas, taking into account that the ports under consideration have a high population density.
The project activities have created a first port network to establish, strengthen and transfer coordinated cooperation initiatives for the ecological management of maritime routes. However, the project highlights the barriers to defining a common Environmental Policy due to the different regulatory systems in the countries of South East Europe.
Moreover, the exemption from agreements that characterises port operations makes it imperative to reduce production costs, with the result that an expensive policy is not implemented unless it is imposed by law.
A second study that inspires this project is the extensive process of reviewing the Trans-European Transport Networks (TEN-T) policy in recent years. The main innovation supported by the new TEN policy is the concept of the ‘core network’ as part of the dual planning approach. This approach, which is largely supported by the stakeholders, has established the importance of regional networks in determining the future development of the TEN-T in order to enable further economic growth and economic and social cohesion.
In fact, one of the biggest difficulties in strengthening cooperation between the countries of South-East Europe, and especially those from the Balkan region, is the lack of efficiency of mobility of people. It is well known that flights connecting these countries and the Italian regions participating in the SEE programme often pass through a wider European area, with high costs and long journey times. This situation is determined by the existing shift of axes that completely forget Southern Europe.
Ports are currently one of the biggest opportunities to increase the relationship between the countries of South East Europe, and in fact, ports are seeing a growing trend in passenger mobility.
Therefore, the strengthening of the Core Regional SEA-Network, as a precursor to the TEN networks has led the cooperation with ECOPORT8 to update the objectives with this new vision.
Main Project Objectives
The long-term objective of the TEN ECOPORT project is:
- Strengthening cross-border and trans-European cooperation between the port regions of South East Europe by developing cooperation and effective relationship between all stakeholders (port authorities, local institutions, businesses, external agencies and citizens of the countries involved), with the aim of strengthening the single policy for environmental protection and transport development in the TENs.
- Development and implementation of intelligent environmental port management and information systems using integrated technologies for environmental risk management to reduce impacts on human health, biodiversity and other environmental issues.
The achievement of the general objectives will be made possible through the following specific objectives:
- Improve the capacity of port authorities to develop and implement effective policies for the environmental management of port areas, by identifying specific critical issues, implementing a Specific Action Plan useful for a commonly effective and sustainable Operational Environmental Plan.
- Promote peer-to-peer discussion between individuals and stakeholders involved in port processes, with the aim of providing education, training, consultancy and review based on the best experiences and lessons learned from all port stakeholders.
- Establish regional/local platforms involving all local stakeholders directly or indirectly linked to port areas and their host cities to ensure information on the specificities of each area involved and provide timely solution plans.
- Provide innovative methodologies and instruments to record the critical issues for each port involved and identify common elements, as a basis for the Joint Action Plan to protect ports and surrounding ecosystems.
- Provision of Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) and other Information and Communication Technology (ICT) systems to update Environmental Management Systems (EMS), starting from the assessment of weaknesses and risks.
- Creation of an information base for the methodology of research on the environmental protection of ports in South-East Europe.
- Promote the transnational strengthening of a permanent TEN ECOPORT network for the development, strengthening and dissemination of coordinated initiatives useful for the transnational ecological port management strategy in the sea basin of South-Eastern European countries.
- Establish the transnational theme as a multidisciplinary Task Force to bring together all the knowledge and experience developed from this project and other future experiences in order to continue to support and provide services to the ports of South East Europe.
Financial data - Project duration
The total budget of the project amounts to 2.478.500€, while the amount corresponding to the O.L.PA. S.A. amounts to 100.100€.
The duration of the programme is 2 years.
Latest News
In the framework of the TEN ECOPORT project, the 1st International Conference “Sustainable Development of the Sea-Corridors and Costal Waters” is organized in Tirana (Albania) on 3 April 2014. Below you can find an announcement and the Call for Papers with a deadline of 12 January 2014.


