Smart ports from theory to practice: a review of sustainability indicators

About 70% of the Earth's surface is covered by water. A “blue planet” whose essential driving force is represented by the ports that ensure the connection also of the most peripheral and insular areas. The activities of ports are configured as an element of economic development and creation of new employment. In Europe, according to the last report of 2020, maritime transport was fundamental to import and export 74% of goods, to generate employment for 1.5 million workers and to move about 420 million passengers.

At the same time, port activities are responsible for several negative externalities that are often not considered in business strategies. In recent decades the port industry has undergone a profound transformation because of different technical, commercial, and legal aspects. The smart port concept is based on the ability of new technologies to transform port services into interactive and dynamic businesses, more efficient and transparent. Its objective is to satisfy the needs of customers and users without forgetting its responsibility to the city and the citizens.

The digitization combined with careful planning and management of port operations allows us to find smart solutions to optimize logistics and environmental impacts, to promote efficiency and to enhance the safety of both seaports and coastal regions involved.

This paper, after a review of the literature on smart port studies, aims to build a matrix of indicators of the sustainability of port ecosystems which will allow the measuring and ranking of ports in its Smart Port category.