A sustainable framework for the analysis of port systems

The commercial and industrial growth of the urban areas with consequent specialization of the maritime and land traffic deeply modified in the last centuries the spatial and functional relationship between port and city. Ports became a complex of functions and interactions with the city sharing its commercial, recreational, tourist, cultural, urban spaces and places for leisure. In addition to goods heavy traffic, the new port configuration also attracts important flows of people linked to the cruise sector, passenger traffic and tourism. This mix of activities, while inducing a great potential for transformation and strong changes on the urban economy, generates several externalities on the urban mobility system, such as congestion, accessibility, security and safety issues. The objective of this paper is to propose a framework for actions and measures to foster sustainability in ports. International best practices for passenger and freight port transport have been analysed with a focus on advantages and disadvantages of already implemented procedures, both in the short and in the long term. Most performing measures have been included in the framework, which classify them according to the three pillars of sustainability and the Avoid-Shift-Improve approach. The paper clearly defines the key elements needed to be taken into account when demonstrating efficiency of port systems. The methodology can be considered suitable in order to support decision making processes of port management entities and local policy makers regarding the assessment of different alternatives in the short and in the long period.