Climate change is an urgent global challenge that affects various sectors, including the maritime industry. To understand the risks faced by vital and vulnerable infrastructure in Flemish and Dutch port areas, North Sea Port, Port of Antwerp-Bruges, and the Flemish Mobility and Public Works Policy Domain (MOW) have collaborated with Sweco to develop a methodology for conducting climate stress tests.
This methodology focuses on identifying and prioritizing climate risks for infrastructure that is essential for the environment, people, society, and the economy, and that is susceptible to damage from the effects of climate change. The infrastructure is categorized into two types: those owned by port companies and governments, and those owned by concession holders. The primary focus is on the first category, including roads, pipelines, and locks. A climate risk is defined as a combination of the likelihood of a climate effect occurring, exposure to that effect, the vulnerability of the infrastructure, and the impact of damage or failure. The methodology maps out climate risks for a specific area step-by-step. In addition to infrastructure, critical processes such as nautical accessibility and economic competitiveness are considered. These processes depend not only on local infrastructure but also on strategic choices, human actions, and geopolitical factors. While the methodology focuses on infrastructure, it also considers the impact on people, as long as it results from the failure of vital infrastructure. Direct climate effects on people are outside the scope, but indirect effects such as pollution or fire hazards are analyzed.
The development of this climate risk assessment is an important first step in prioritizing climate risks and ultimately developing a climate adaptation plan for the port area where collaboration between our different stakeholders will be encouraged. This structured approach to identifying and prioritizing climate risks contributes to a robust and stable port infrastructure.