Sustainable Smart Ports in Africa: From Assessment to Action
Ports play a critical role in enabling global trade and supporting economic development, moving essential goods such as food, fuel, medicines and electronics. At the same time, they are among the most energy-intensive components of the transport system and remain highly dependent on fossil fuels and electricity. As the maritime sector transitions toward low-carbon energy systems, ports face growing pressure to improve efficiency, reduce emissions and modernize their energy infrastructure.
To address these challenges, the Sustainable Smart Ports (SSP) project, implemented by UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) with support from the United Nations Development Account, has supported pilot assessments in three African ports—Tema (Ghana), Port Louis (Mauritius) and Tanger Med (Morocco). The project helped identify practical pathways to improve energy efficiency, integrate renewable energy solutions, and strengthen institutional and stakeholder coordination to support more sustainable and resilient port operations.
Objective
This webinar will present the main findings and lessons learned from the SSP assessments and related capacity-building activities. It will highlight key insights from the pilot ports and discuss how similar approaches can support sustainable port development across Africa.
The discussion will focus on practical experiences from participating ports and policy perspectives on enabling sustainable port reforms and strategies, including opportunities for regional cooperation, financing and partnerships.
Participation
Port authorities and port stakeholders, including terminal operators
Government representatives from ministries of transport, energy and environment
Energy providers, as well as environmental stakeholders
Private sector actors in maritime transport and logistics
