Ports and cities are interdependent entities; the growth of port drives the city’s development and the economy. Communities that are adjacent to the port-city interface can be disturbed and impacted by port activity, for example by congestion and noise. As the gateway of the city, ports should play a role similar to the ship’s fenders, buffering and protecting the city from “crashes”.
The Port of Keelung was built in 1886, witnessing the historical changes in Taiwan across generations, and it is the most important commercial and cruise port in Northern Taiwan. In 2017, the port was selected as the Best Cruise Terminal in Asia, and in 2018, the number of international cruise passengers exceeded 1-million. Over the past three years, the whole world has suffered from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, challenges of global environment, and climate change.
In response, the Keelung port-city established a cooperation model to efficiently address port-city relations. As part of it, the Port of Keelung strengthened the port’s function as the city’s fender. In 2022, officials approved the implementation of the port’s comprehensive ESG Roadmap structured around three “Pr-strategies”: Protect, Prevent, and Preserve.
The Port of Keelung integrated a protection strategy through spatial allocation of activities, technology, monitoring, re-linking the port-city interface, and increased occupational safety. The prevention strategy helped stop the spread of COVID-19 during the pandemic, and revitalized the urban economy through cruise industry, one step at a time. Since the port and city share a common memory, the preserve strategy was implemented to reveal the historical and cultural value of the port-city.
The Port of Keelung demonstrates its environmental, social, and governance responsibilities through the implementation of the ESG Roadmap and initiatives such as the 2022 City EXPO and the Port-City cooperation platform. In consistency with the ESG Roadmap, the port continues its efforts on the pathway towards achieving the long-term 2050 goals.