Project TEN_ECOPORT – Transnational Enhancement of ECOPORT 8 Network

The Project is financed under Operational Programme Southeast Europe 2007 – 2013, Priority Axes 2: Protection and Improvement of the environment - sphere of activity 2.2: improve prevention of environmental risks

Budget of the Project: 2 284 282.00 EUR

General information on the Project

In the recent years, the ports are the main focus of the regional transport networks, as part of the TEN-T network in Southeast Europe (SEE). In the context of the policies of the EC the port authorities are the authorities designated for effective application of control measures for the preservation of the ecological parameters of the environment. The Project is based on the concept of two steps to ensure the sustainable development of the maritime corridors:

  • Sustainability of the process – implement common European policies that envisage equal opportunities and commitments to stakeholders, without affecting competition between ports;
  • Standardize of the requirements for environmental control and compliance (respectively – sustainability of the project results);

TEN_ECOPORT emphasizes the need for involvement of the management activities of all stakeholders associated with the ports to achieve greater impact through cooperative efforts.

The Project expands the existing network between the ports created within ECOPORT8, and focuses on the creation of a permanent discussion platform that can be implemented at two levels:

  • Between the port authorities to create common rules, implementation mechanism, exchange of good practices – realized level of participants in the project with tendency for development;
  • Between the port authorities and the other stakeholders: port operators, ship owners, local and regional authorities, institutions, civic associations, research institutes, etc. – to coordinate efforts for environmental protection in port areas, search for common solutions – achieved on level of the particular port through the creation of working groups to address environmental issues in ports and coordinated by the national representative on the project.

Perspective – establishment of transnational working group on the basis of through the information received on the project the established contacts and continuous exchange of information – to assist the ports to solve the specific environmental studies and to help them in certification.

 Main objectives

  • Enhance the cross-border and trans-European partnership between SEE port areas developing collaboration and effective relation among all stakeholders (i.e. Port Authorities, local institutions, local authorities, enterprises, external operators and citizens of the involved countries), in order to stimulate an integrated policy of environmental protection and growth of Trans-European Network (TEN) corridors;
  • Develop and implement intelligent environmental port management and information systems using integrated technology for environmental risk protection in order to reduce the impact on human health, biodiversity and other environmental aspects.

 

Specific objectives

  • Improving the capacity of port authorities for developing and implementing effective policies for environmental management of the port areas, by defining specific critical issues, implementing Specific Action Plan useful for a shared efficient and sustainable Operational Environment Plan;
  • Promoting a peer decision among all the people and institutions involved in port activities, aimed at providing education, training, consulting and reviewing based on the best experiences and lessons gained by all the ports involved.
  • Creating regional/local platforms involving all the local stakeholder connected directly or indirectly with the port areas and the cities hosting them, in order to guarantee information about the peculiarities of each area involved and to provide timely solutions plans .
  • Providing EDI (electronic data interchange) and other ICT instruments for updating the Environment Management System (EMS) starting by the assessing of the vulnerabilities and risks като;
  • Creating an information base of research methodologies for environmental protection in SEE ports;
  • Promoting the transnational enhancement of a permanent TEN_ECOPORT network for developing, strengthening and transferring of coordinated initiatives useful for a transnational strategy for port-ecomanagement in the SEE sea basin.
  • Establishment the transnational subject as a multidisciplinary Task Force for gathering all the knowledge and experience gained by the present project and other future experience aimed to keep supporting and providing services to ports of SEE.

Target groups

  • Port Authorities in the SEE area;
  • Policy and decision makers;
  • Those affected by the environmental port policies and engaged in port activities, such as port operators, SMEs, several related authorities.;
  • Port end-users
  • Experts and technicians working with Environmental Management Systems;
  • Research and training institutions

 Expected outputs and results

  • Raising the awareness about the environmental and economic advantages of the Sustainable Management of Port-networks.
  • Improving the creation of high specialized working group within the port authorities with increased capacity on the EMS;
  • Development of methodological process for peer education and training among ports involved and the key-stakeholder operating the within port areas;
  • Providing maps for the specific critical issues and vulnerability risks within Port and hosting cities involved in the project;
  • Providing shared and sustainable Operative Action Plan as tools for timely solution of critical issues of ports involved, implemented by the direct stakeholders (ports and port operators);
  • Providing Common Model for Sustainable development of port-networks;
  • Providing intelligent environmental port management and information system and the relative integrated technologies for environmental risk protection;
  • Providing additional information useful for implementation of the sustainable Model for friendly environmental development of the port networks;
  • Providing feasibility studies for Environmental Management of Port operators;
  • Creation of permanent discussion platform based on two levels: between ports and between ports and stakeholders operating within port areas.
  • Creation a Transnational Task Force that link the local platforms and will serve as supporting tool for the SEE port-network and its enhancement over time.

 

  Partners in the Project 

EU Members:

Italy, Bulgaria, Romania, Greece,

Non EU Members:

Albania, Croatia, Montenegro

Covered ports: Bari, Baletta, Monoply, Brindizi, Igumenitsa, Patras, Burgas, Varna, Constanta, Bar, Dubrovnik, Duras