Port resilience guidance, studies and tools can be useful for a wide range of practitioners but it can be hard to find the right one for the task at hand. We have assessed a wide range of tools, guidance documents and reports, which are listed below, mapped by the maritime resilience breakthroughs they support and the Port Resilience Framework for Action goals that they help to achieve.
Use the filters to break down the results by document type and community of practice.
Haskoning
2025
This white paper provides a comprehensive and practical framework to understand climate risks, plan adaptive responses, and integrate resilience into core business strategy.
Global Maritime Forum
2021
The Next Wave Green Corridors is a forward-thinking initiative that aims to transform the maritime industry’s environmental impact. The project advocates for the creation of sustainable shipping corridors to promote cleaner and more efficient maritime transportation. By integrating green technologies, alternative fuels, and digital solutions, it seeks to reduce emissions, enhance energy efficiency, and protect marine ecosystems. The initiative fosters collaboration among stakeholders, including governments, industry players, and environmental organizations, to drive systemic change in the maritime sector and pave the way for a more environmentally friendly and economically viable future for global shipping.
IAPH
2023
Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, IAPH set up a COVID-19 Taskforce. Additional port experts have now joined, establishing IAPHs Risk and Resilience Technical Committee. The publication is focussed on organisational resilience models for Port Authorities, by analysing risks, understanding spheres of control and influence and developing before/during/after plans. The portal has been designed as a pragmatic, practical tool that can be applied by a port irrespective of size, technical characteristics or governance model.
The guidelines are focussed on organisational resilience models for Port Authorities, based on analysing the risks they face, understanding their spheres of control and influence (and thus stakeholders they need to engage with), and developing a ‘before/during/after’ plan.
Stevens Institute of Technology
2015
The objective of this research is to move from the aspirational concept of resilience to a standardized framework for creation of resilience in ports and transportation systems by integrating physical infrastructure and social systems. It takes a fully functioning maritime and shore-side distribution system for successful supply chain operations. A combination of stakeholder interviews and workshops provided insights into the resilience processes. One of the challenges to adopting more stringent design standards was the uncertainty surrounding future conditions. Another recommendation of the study involves the suggestion for port regions to organize along the entire supply chain including transport and distribution activities beyond local marine terminals. A suggested organizational scheme is proposed with coordinating bodies at the regional and state level that would interact with local port waterside and landside logistics teams prior to, during, and after a supply chain disruption.
US Army Corps of Engineers
2013
Coastal areas are especially vulnerable to hazards, now and in the future, posed by waves and surges associated with sea level change and coastal storms. Coastal risk reduction can be achieved through a variety of approaches, including natural or nature-based features (e.g., wetlands and dunes), nonstructural interventions (e.g., policies, building codes and emergency response such as early warning and evacuation plans), and structural interventions (e.g., seawalls and breakwaters). This paper discusses USACEs capabilities to help reduce coastal risks from and improve resilience to these hazards through an integrated approach that draws from the full array of coastal risk reduction measures.
PIANC
2023
This PIANC report addresses the need for innovative and sustainable approaches to manage dredged sediment in light of societal challenges like urbanization, environmental pressures, and climate change. It emphasizes the principles of Beneficial Use (BU) while recognizing the varying socio-economic, environmental, and legal conditions across regions. The report underscores the importance of evaluating BU potential diligently for sediment dredging projects, tailored to site-specific conditions. It outlines how dredged sediment can yield environmental, societal, and economic benefits, aiming to inform and promote BU practices on a global scale. Achieving these goals calls for a shift in perspectives, requiring collaborative planning among stakeholders for future BU projects.
PIANC
2023
The report by PIANC’s Task Group 234 addresses the need for infrastructure to support zero-emission vessels in inland waterway transport (IWT). It compiles insights on decarbonization developments and energy carriers, offering key questions and a method for addressing infrastructure challenges. The report recommends PIANC to establish a working group focused on pathways and decision-making for decarbonizing IWT rather than just hardware specifications. The document, submitted for PIANC’s consideration, provides seven case studies demonstrating sustainable practices, including the Panama Canal’s success and lessons learned from the unsustainable Mississippi River Gulf Outlet in the USA.
PIANC
2023
This report updates the 2008 EnviCom Task Group 3 on Climate Change and Navigation by incorporating knowledge from various IPCC reports. It highlights key findings, including rising air and water temperatures leading to increased sea levels, more intense extreme weather events, and ongoing impacts even if greenhouse gas emissions cease. The report delves into how these changes affect maritime and inland navigation, encompassing factors like wind conditions, waves, storm patterns, hydrodynamics, and water quality. It also discusses navigation’s role in greenhouse gas emissions and its potential to aid in emission reduction efforts. Adaptation measures and resilience strengthening are emphasized.
PIANC
2023
PIANC’s Working Group 157 presents international best management practices in its guidelines to protect coastal plant habitats like mangroves, salt marshes, seagrass beds, and macroalgal communities during dredging and construction activities. These ecosystems play a crucial role in climate change mitigation, offering coastal protection and carbon storage. The guide emphasizes environmental monitoring, adaptive management, impact assessment, and techniques for minimizing, mitigating, or compensating damage. It also highlights habitat restoration and beneficial reuse of dredged materials. Crafted by a team of global experts, the guidelines incorporate case studies and aim to facilitate responsible environmental management in coastal plant habitats near dredging and construction sites worldwide, albeit without mandatory compliance.
Port Authority NY NJ
2018
The Climate Resilience and Design Guidelines serves to supplement the building code requirements through incorporating climate change projections, namely sea level rise, into their design process of infrastructure. These efforts aim to guide the port authoritys goal of bolstering better safety, service, and resilience of infrastructure to withstand the increase in climate change hazard.
Port of Long Beach The Green Port
2016
In response to the rising threat of climate change, the Port of Long Beach developed the Climate Adaptation and Coastal Resiliency Plan to aid in managing risks caused from these hazards. The Coastal Resiliency Plan offers a framework to both determine and manage climate change risk, (i.e., sea level rise) to ensure sufficient preparedness and to maintain functionality of port operations and supply chain efforts.
Morris, Lauren L., Tracie Sempier, Ports Resilience Expert Committee (NOAA)
2016
A self-assessment tool that places ports at the forefront of community resilience in the marine transportation sector. The PRI aims to provide an assessment tool to analyse a ports preparedness for functionality and operation during and post-disaster. This approach is offered in a simplified format that targets ports strengths and vulnerabilities within their site management and operations.
Nordic Development Fund, Inter-American Development Bank, Laera
2020
This sheet is a summary of the PMCR broader report. It aims to evaluate the port sector in Colombia to identify varying climate risks and the corresponding stakeholders impacted by this risk. It summarizes the BRPM tool used to assess ports by conducting a value-chain analysis that focuses on climate risks and impacts. These results are then used to inform potential resilience solutions to the risk associated with ports in Colombia.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill & Coastal Resilience Center, A U.S. Department of Homeland Security Center of Excellence
2016
The Integrating Maritime and Coastal Resilience report offers a summary of key findings, research questions raised, and shared knowledge resulting from the Maritime Risk Symposium. The overarching summary of the event is that maritime and coastal sectors require interdependency for resilience to be achieved. To maintain this approach to resilience the findings suggest developing resilience from a regional scale using interdisciplinary teams that use quantitative and qualitative methods for resilient solutions.
UK Green Building Council
2021
The Net Zero Whole Life Carbon Roadmap project aims to outline a common vision and agree upon industry-wide actions for achieving net zero carbon in the construction, operation, and demolition of buildings and infrastructure in the UK. The main areas of discussion include the carbon footprint for the UK built environment, the Net Zero Carbon trajectory to 2050, and policy recommendations with industry action plans to deliver the 2050 scenario.
Boston Planning & Development Agency
2019
The Coastal Flood Resilience Design Guidelines provide comprehensive recommendations for creating resilient coastal infrastructure. The guidelines emphasize incorporating adaptable designs, natural features, and sustainable practices to mitigate the impacts of flooding events. Key elements include elevating structures above flood levels, using resilient materials, and implementing nature-based solutions like wetlands and dunes. Collaboration with local communities, data-driven risk assessments, and long-term planning are central to these guidelines, ensuring coastal areas can withstand and recover from flooding while safeguarding human safety, preserving ecosystems, and supporting sustainable development.
Resilience Rising
2022
Through this program, Resilience Rising aim to mobilize a critical mass to create the scale and momentum necessary to break through the industrys barriers to resilience. The program will improve the resilience practice across the ports value chain by bringing together stakeholders and a community of practitioners around a common framework to raise awareness and strengthen relationships, create a shared understanding of the needs and challenges, and clarify and connect decision-making and investment that can be taken to scale.
HR Wallingford
2021
Climate Change and Ports examines climate change effects on ports, including rising sea levels, storms, and erosion. Disruptions to port operations, infrastructure damage, and increased costs are highlighted. Adaptation strategies focus on resilient infrastructure, flood defences, and sustainable port design. Collaboration among stakeholders is emphasized, along with risk assessments and long-term planning to address vulnerabilities. Green infrastructure integration offers added protection. Overall, the study aims to provide insights and recommended strategies to ensure ports’ functionality and resilience amid changing climate conditions.
The Resilience Shift
2019
The Resilience Shift Primer: Ports provides guidance on building resilience in port infrastructure. It highlights the increasing risks ports face from climate change and other hazards. The primer emphasizes the importance of understanding and managing risks through comprehensive assessments, collaboration with stakeholders, and implementing adaptive strategies. Key elements include flexibility in design, integration of risk management in decision-making, and fostering a culture of resilience. It outlines practical steps to enhance resilience, including contingency planning, data-driven decision-making, and continuous learning. By adopting these principles, ports can improve their ability to withstand disruptions and ensure sustained operations in a changing and uncertain environment.