COST Action PACT workshop and meeting

Save the date: PACT workshop and meeting September 25 - 27

Place: Port Center, Le Havre 

Address: Terminal de la Citadelle, 76600 Le Havre 

Join Carola Hein, PCF Director and PACT Coordinator, and other PCF members as the COST Action – Port City Territories in Action: A Collaborative Laboratory for Inclusive Energy Transition (PACT) will take place in Le Havre, France, from 25 to 27 September 2025. Bringing together scholars, practitioners, and policymakers, the event explores how ports, cities, and territories can contribute to an inclusive and sustainable energy transition. Over three days, participants will engage in workshops, case studies, and collaborative sessions, highlighting both theoretical frameworks and practical applications. Hosted at the Le Havre Port Center, the program includes contributions from international experts, presentations from local initiatives, and field visits, fostering dialogue on governance, technology, and societal engagement in shaping future port city transformations.

Read more about the event here or take a look at the Provisional Program

Programme

Thursday 25 September

Welcome 09:00 - 09:10

Greta Marini, Port Center Director (tbc)

Carola Hein, PACT Coordinator

 

09:10-09:20 Presenting the PACT Framework process 

Thanos Pallis and Silvia Sivo (WG-1 leads) 

 

09:20-10:35 Theoretical Perspectives (75’: 4x15’+15) 

Moderator: Francesca Savoldi

  1. Reactivating Sea and Ocean Cultures in support of Inclusive Sustainable Transitions in Port Cities: An Impact Framework Salzinger Μ. & Hein C.
  2. Capacity-Pressure Mismatches in Urban Energy Transitions: Institutional Lock-ins and Democratic Legitimacy in European Port Cities Marcus L., Mossfeldt C., Petrusson U. & Plattus A.
  3. Rethinking Maritime Spatial Planning in the context of energy transition and the evolving role of EU ports Platias C. & Pallis P.
  4. Geopolitical lenses for understanding the spatial dimension - and governance needs - of energy transition in ports, and related cities and territories Pallis T. Hatzikofinas A. & Wilmsmeier G. 

Discussant: tbc

 

10:35-10:50 Break 

10:50-11:50 Technological Applications (60': 3x15’+15) 

Moderator: Ryan Holmes

  1. Techno-Anthropological Technology Assessment of Power-to-X in Ports Kristiansen H., Børsen T., Contreras J., Vad Karsten M-M. & Bordal A.
  2. Energy transition in smart ports: The potential of photovoltaic solar energy for an autonomous port - Amsterdam case study Ghennaï A. & Madani S.
  3. Energy Transition and Decarbonization Strategies in Portuguese Ports Henriques S. & Costa R. 

Discussant: tbc

 

11:50 – 12:30 Discussion 

 

12:30 - 13:30 Lunch

 

13:30 - 14:35 Case Studies I (65’: 5x10’+15) 

Moderator: Eliane Schmid

  1. Identifying and Updating User Classifications for a Flexible and Inclusive Energy Transition Takaoka A. J. W. & Ghiassi-Farrokhfal Y.
  2. Sustainable Collaborative Laboratory for Inclusive Energy Transition for Port City Ohrid: Preserving a UNESCO Heritage Site located at Europe’s Oldest Lake Mangaroska M.
  3. Reshaping strategies and performance in the port industry: Creating shared value for energy transformation. Marušić E., Bielenia M., Krčum M. & Kovačić K.
  4. Co-Creating the Maritime Energy Transition: A Multi-Stakeholder Governance Framework for Sustainable Port City Futures Lekakou M., Remoundos G., Contarinis S., Katsounis I., & Stergiopoulos G.
  5. Port City Relationship: Prioritisation of Stakeholders Engaged in Port Energy Transition Alamoush A.

Discussant: tbc

 

14:35-15.50 Case studies II (75’: 6x10’+15)

Moderator: Karolina Krośnicka

  1. The energy transition as an engine for spatial transformations: Reconfiguring the energy hubs and port cities of Gela and Ravenna, Italy Ramondetti L., Sampieri A. & Giudice S.
  2. Inclusive Energy transition in a complex PCT: The Case of Varna-Beloslav-Devnya agglomeration in Bulgaria Kotsev I.
  3. WATER-DESIGNED TERRITORIES: THRESHOLDS AND INTERFACES Morgado S.
  4. Can the existing port governance model support the energy transition? Setting the UK green port governance framework Karamperidis S.
  5. One planet port Gilliam L.
  6. Port Cities as Historical, Cultural and Memory Points on the European Energy Transfer Map: on the Example of Batumi and Baku as Case Studies Ristovska-Josifovska B.

Discussant: tbc

 

15:50-16:15 Wrap-up & the way forward

 

16:15-16:30 Break

 

16:30-18:00 - Social Acceptance & Spatial Impact of the Energy Transition (a MAGPIE workshop)

Maurice Jansen, Erasmus University Rotterdam 

Caya Hein, AIVP

 

18:00-20:00 Welcome Reception

 

Friday 26 September

SALLE CONFERENCE

 

9:00 -09:30 - Presentation of COST PACT

Intro from COST Brussels representative (tbc)

 

9:30 -10:00 - Sum up of COST PACT

 

10:00-11:45 - Presentations from Le Havre (tbc) (105’: 5’ + 5x(15’+5’)

Introduction: Greta Marini, Port Center Director (tbc)

  1. ATMO - capteur qualité de l’air Q&A
  2. SOCRATE Q&A
  3. AURH - décarbonation de l’Axe seine Q&A
  4. HANGAR O – économie circulaire citoyenne Q&A
  5. LHSM (Le Havre Seine Métropole) - Innover pour l’emploi Q&A

 

11:45 – 12:15 Discussion

 

12:15-13:15 Lunch and networking

 

SALLE PEDAGOGIQUE

 

13:15-15:00 COST Working Group presentations and outreach (100’: 5x(20’) 

 

15:00-15:15 Break 

 

15:15-18:00 Collaborative activities featuring other pilot port cities (tbc) 

 

18:00-20:00 Dinner in town 

 

Saturday 27 September

 

9:00-12:00 Field Trip (departure from LHPC)

 

SALLE PÉDAGOGIQUE

 

12:00-14:00 Lunch in town and back to LHPC 

 

14:00-17:00 COST Management Group Meeting Plenary