The Policy Learning Platform is organising an online peer review with Région Hauts-de-France on 'strategic port development plans and smart port solutions' that will take place online on 26 and 27 November 2020.
The Région Hauts-de-France is home to three important European ports: Dunkerque, Boulogne-sur-Mer and Calais. While the port of Dunkerque is owned by the State, the ports of Boulogne-sur-Mer and Calais are owned by the Région since their transfers by the State in 2007 and have merged in 2015.
In light of designing the next Strategic Port Development Plan for Boulogne-sur-Mer-Calais, the Regional Council, the port authority, and the concession operator face several challenges such as:
- The opening of the port extension facilities consisting of a new passenger and freight terminals (Calais Port 2015 project).
- A constrained activity due to Brexit, increased competition, and sustainability measures.
- The digitisation of the border and increased border controls between France and the United Kingdom.
- The adoption of digital technologies and the promotion of local community-involvement in ports’ initiatives.
Peers from other Europeans regions will share their knowledge, provide first-hand expertise and give practical recommendations on how to design strategic port development plans and to design an integrated and comprehensive smart port strategy, and on how to use and select digital tools and indicators to promote ports’ efficiency and sustainability.
The online peer review is by invitation only. A peer review report will be available in a follow-up article.
