questionnaires were analysed and presented at different workshops conducted in the
project sites. The main objective of the workshops was to trigger a discussion
amongst the participants (mostly stakeholders identified at the mapping exercise)
on potential solutions to prevent, reduce and collect marine litter, focusing on
plastics. All the above led to the design of a strategic road map by all three countries,
identifying steps to reduce the negative effects caused by plastic waste in the future,
supporting not only governments but also regions, municipalities, industries, consumers and civil society to improve the awareness campaigns, systems design,
replacement, refuse, recycling and reuse of plastic.
BL.EU Climate project is followed by another project supported by EIT ClimateKIC, MEDfreeSUP (tackling single-use-plastic item uses in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea), which is based on the plastic waste prevention (PWP) approach and aims
to enable local ecosystems to move towards reusable materials. The project focuses
on the East Mediterranean coast, targeting the three biggest coastal countries: Italy,
Croatia and Greece. The main objective of the project is to set a replicable voluntary
protocol for free single-use plastics food packaging adoption for cafes, restaurants,
foods stores, hotel and beach facilities but also for public events and places to
provide support and guidance to local business in order to comply to the EU SUP
Directive and go beyond the law to engage Mediterranean islands and cities in the
transition towards a free single-use plastic environment.
1.6 Sustainable Shipping and Ports
Sustainable shipping refers to the broad set of challenges, governance rules and
regulations, management patterns and corporate behaviours, stakeholders’ engagement and industrial activity forms that should come to define a maritime transport
industry that is shaped by the broader societal goals of sustainable development. The
port industry together with the shipping industry constitutes a key node in the
international supply chain considering that over 80% of volume (70% of value) of
world’s merchandize trade is carried by sea (UNCTAD 2019).
Environmental challenges relating to shipping sector and ports are twofold,
namely, the effects of maritime transport on the environment (e.g. pollution, CO2
emissions) and conversely the environmental impact on maritime transport
(e.g. water level, floods, storms, precipitation and extreme weather events) (Asariotis
et al. 2018). Shipping and ports are intrinsically linked – as such, in order to reduce
maritime emissions, joint efforts by ports, shipping companies, regulating authorities
and key stakeholders need to be aligned and orchestrated. IMO’s MARPOL Annex
VI (2010) regulations on air pollution and energy efficiency in alignment with
several European regulations and directives (as presented further in Chap. 11) can
be a starting point of implementation and behaviour change if addressed
appropriately.
Ports role in enforcing the International and European policy and so, in driving the
emissions reduction, comes down to adopting measures such as introducing
18
P. Koundouri et al.
project sites. The main objective of the workshops was to trigger a discussion
amongst the participants (mostly stakeholders identified at the mapping exercise)
on potential solutions to prevent, reduce and collect marine litter, focusing on
plastics. All the above led to the design of a strategic road map by all three countries,
identifying steps to reduce the negative effects caused by plastic waste in the future,
supporting not only governments but also regions, municipalities, industries, consumers and civil society to improve the awareness campaigns, systems design,
replacement, refuse, recycling and reuse of plastic.
BL.EU Climate project is followed by another project supported by EIT ClimateKIC, MEDfreeSUP (tackling single-use-plastic item uses in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea), which is based on the plastic waste prevention (PWP) approach and aims
to enable local ecosystems to move towards reusable materials. The project focuses
on the East Mediterranean coast, targeting the three biggest coastal countries: Italy,
Croatia and Greece. The main objective of the project is to set a replicable voluntary
protocol for free single-use plastics food packaging adoption for cafes, restaurants,
foods stores, hotel and beach facilities but also for public events and places to
provide support and guidance to local business in order to comply to the EU SUP
Directive and go beyond the law to engage Mediterranean islands and cities in the
transition towards a free single-use plastic environment.
1.6 Sustainable Shipping and Ports
Sustainable shipping refers to the broad set of challenges, governance rules and
regulations, management patterns and corporate behaviours, stakeholders’ engagement and industrial activity forms that should come to define a maritime transport
industry that is shaped by the broader societal goals of sustainable development. The
port industry together with the shipping industry constitutes a key node in the
international supply chain considering that over 80% of volume (70% of value) of
world’s merchandize trade is carried by sea (UNCTAD 2019).
Environmental challenges relating to shipping sector and ports are twofold,
namely, the effects of maritime transport on the environment (e.g. pollution, CO2
emissions) and conversely the environmental impact on maritime transport
(e.g. water level, floods, storms, precipitation and extreme weather events) (Asariotis
et al. 2018). Shipping and ports are intrinsically linked – as such, in order to reduce
maritime emissions, joint efforts by ports, shipping companies, regulating authorities
and key stakeholders need to be aligned and orchestrated. IMO’s MARPOL Annex
VI (2010) regulations on air pollution and energy efficiency in alignment with
several European regulations and directives (as presented further in Chap. 11) can
be a starting point of implementation and behaviour change if addressed
appropriately.
Ports role in enforcing the International and European policy and so, in driving the
emissions reduction, comes down to adopting measures such as introducing
18
P. Koundouri et al.