Today the Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE) of the European Commission has published the study "Greening of European Sea Ports" in which environmental challenges are analyzed European ports and suggested initiatives to improve the environmental performance of port calls while achieving European sustainability goals. The document, prepared by DG MOVE with the Erasmus University of Rotterdam, the University of Piraeus Research Centre (UPRC) and White Research, mainly highlights the gap in resources and opportunities for improving environmental performance which separates the largest ports, which have significant financial resources and organisational capacities and can to address a greater degree of risk, from small and medium-sized ports medium-sized companies, which are typically characterized by and risk aversion and that, therefore, often detrimental Prioritize mature solutions by relying on practical Proven.

To fill this gap, the study recommends a further support for small and medium-sized ports for help them implement sustainability initiatives, in particular specifically studying the limits of application on scale of the implementation of green initiatives by providing assistance and capacity-building programs to help smaller ports to overcome obstacles the implementation of ecological practices. It is also suggested that improve the potential for transferability and scalability good practices to make them fit to be applied to smaller ports. In addition, the study recommends to improve access to funding programmes and support structures specifically designed for ports of small and medium-sized enterprises and to facilitate knowledge sharing and partnerships between multiple ports large and small to take advantage of best practices and the know-how.

More generally, referring to the factors that influence the ability of both large and small ports to implement green practices, the study calls for greater involvement in green practices, initiatives of the various stakeholders and the establishment of partnerships with local stakeholders to enable acceleration of the adoption of environmental practices and encouraging proactive awareness in the early stages of planning as useful for anticipating future challenges, improve support for initiatives and reach solutions shared and accepted. A cooperation at regional level as it seems to be instrumental in the implementation of green practices by helping ports small and medium-sized companies facing scalability issues and transferability for certain practices.

It is also invited to assess the financial feasibility of the sustainability initiatives taking into account the costs and social benefits, regulatory compliance and mitigation of climate-related risks, noting that investing in in the principles of sustainability, despite the high costs, can also be useful from an economic point of view in the long run period despite the fact that in the short term the initiative may seem inessential or even negative. According to the study, they should the introduction of specific clauses in port concession contracts or contracts with suppliers third parties, such as electricity companies, relating to the sustainability, including the electrification of equipment the implementation of cold ironing infrastructures for supply electricity from the shore grid to ships, the supply of alternative marine fuels.