The Association of European Ports has presented a new study which illustrates in detail what are the types of investments needed in EU ports over the next ten years, needs that the study, as already anticipated by the European Sea Ports Organisation ( of 2 April 2024), amounts to €80 billion. The study, made by Peter de Langen, owner of the Ports & Logistics Advisory, in collaboration with ESPO, is based on a survey carried out by interviewing 84 ports, of which 35 are part of the network 'Core' of the TEN-T trans-European transport network, 19 ports included in the TEN-T "Comprehensive" network, 18 management of port systems that are part of the two TEN-T networks and 12 individual ports that are not included in the two networks. The new study is an update of a similar analysis on the investment needs in the ports of the European Union carried out by ESPO in 2018.

Compared to the 2018 study, the new analysis highlights a much smaller need over the next decade for investments for the expansion of port areas, quays and of terminals, investments which, based on the identified in 2023 - account for around 26% of the €80 billion of investments deemed necessary in the over the next decade, compared to around 37% of the total projected in the 2018. In 2023, on the other hand, the share of investments is higher deemed necessary for the construction of infrastructures and services to enable sustainability and the energy transition of ports, which is estimated to be around 25% of the compared to only 9% in 2018.

Among the other most substantial slices of investments planned for the next decade in the ports are those destined for maritime access to port calls, which is expected to amount to 10% of the total (8% in 2018), those for the construction of infrastructures for the improvement of the transport of goods within the ports, equal to 8% of the total (8% in 2018), investments for the purchase of equipment and superstructures, equal to 9% in 2023 (7% in 2018), investments in intermodal terminals and multimodal, equal to 4% (5% in 2018), those for the construction of digital infrastructure, 4% (5%), and investments in the construction of rail connections to ports, equal to 4% in 2023 compared to 7% of the total in 2018.

Among the main investment items planned between now and 2034 by the governing bodies of the ports is the one to install the cold ironing systems needed to allow ships and other vessels mooring in ports to turn off their engines and to be connected to the shore power grid: almost two-thirds of port executives expects to offer this possibility for ships arriving in ports, while other governing bodies, with a few exceptions, are already today provide such a service. Part of the planned investments is also aimed at providing green energy to trucks working with as well as companies operating within ports as well as to provide clean fuels to ships.

The new study shows that the current programming of the investment of European ports is quite accurate, with expected annual investments of around €7-9 billion in the next decade, and that projects are at a more advanced stage compared to 2018. Furthermore, stresses that these investments aim to create value for port users and for society in general. Finally, the study notes – but is certainly not the last problems - which is one of the biggest obstacles to achieving the projects envisaged is that of raising funds necessary for their implementation, and notes that ports therefore have need for public funding to be able to implement projects Scheduled.