Ensuring circular strategy implementation: The development of circular economy indicators for ports

Port clusters are expected to play a significant role in the transition towards a circular economy, both at the level of facilitating regional and global transport within circular production chains, as well as hosting circular activities in port areas. There is strong evidence that significant inves...

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Main Authors: Lynn Faut, Fanny Soyeur, Elvira Haezendonck, Michaël Dooms, Peter W. de Langen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2023-06-01
Series:Maritime Transport Research
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666822X23000060
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author Lynn Faut
Fanny Soyeur
Elvira Haezendonck
Michaël Dooms
Peter W. de Langen
author_facet Lynn Faut
Fanny Soyeur
Elvira Haezendonck
Michaël Dooms
Peter W. de Langen
author_sort Lynn Faut
collection DOAJ
description Port clusters are expected to play a significant role in the transition towards a circular economy, both at the level of facilitating regional and global transport within circular production chains, as well as hosting circular activities in port areas. There is strong evidence that significant investments in the circular economy (CE) are being made in port areas, albeit without much knowledge on their impacts. To ensure an efficient use of port resources in view of this transition, these impacts should be adequately monitored. Research on circular economy indicators for ports is still in an exploratory stage, characterized by an absence of in-depth research on the development of port-related circular economy indicators. This paper focuses on the development of a comprehensive set of relevant and feasible CE indicators, which aim to support port managing bodies (PMBs) as well as port stakeholders to monitor the CE transition taking place. Through multimethod qualitative research, including content analysis, focus groups, a gap analysis and a qualitative survey, an actionable list of CE 12 indicators for ports was developed. Seven of which are highly feasible and five of which have medium feasibility in terms of stakeholder relevance and ease of implementation. Findings related to (1) the overall limited CE ambition levels of PMBs and (2) the difference in the values of some indicators for different port typologies are also discussed. The value of this study for practitioners lies in providing them with an actionable set of KPIs which can support their efforts and communication related to their CE transition.
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spelling doaj.art-731eb0605f234e48af8c5ab2ebcaf5cc2023-06-21T07:01:03ZengElsevierMaritime Transport Research2666-822X2023-06-014100087Ensuring circular strategy implementation: The development of circular economy indicators for portsLynn Faut0Fanny Soyeur1Elvira Haezendonck2Michaël Dooms3Peter W. de Langen4Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Pleinlaan 2, Brussels 1050, Belgium; Corresponding author.Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Pleinlaan 2, Brussels 1050, BelgiumVrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Pleinlaan 2, Brussels 1050, BelgiumVrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Pleinlaan 2, Brussels 1050, BelgiumCopenhagen Business School (CBS), Solbjerg Plads 3, Frederiksberg DK-2000, DenmarkPort clusters are expected to play a significant role in the transition towards a circular economy, both at the level of facilitating regional and global transport within circular production chains, as well as hosting circular activities in port areas. There is strong evidence that significant investments in the circular economy (CE) are being made in port areas, albeit without much knowledge on their impacts. To ensure an efficient use of port resources in view of this transition, these impacts should be adequately monitored. Research on circular economy indicators for ports is still in an exploratory stage, characterized by an absence of in-depth research on the development of port-related circular economy indicators. This paper focuses on the development of a comprehensive set of relevant and feasible CE indicators, which aim to support port managing bodies (PMBs) as well as port stakeholders to monitor the CE transition taking place. Through multimethod qualitative research, including content analysis, focus groups, a gap analysis and a qualitative survey, an actionable list of CE 12 indicators for ports was developed. Seven of which are highly feasible and five of which have medium feasibility in terms of stakeholder relevance and ease of implementation. Findings related to (1) the overall limited CE ambition levels of PMBs and (2) the difference in the values of some indicators for different port typologies are also discussed. The value of this study for practitioners lies in providing them with an actionable set of KPIs which can support their efforts and communication related to their CE transition.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666822X23000060Circular economyMonitorIndicator developmentPortPerformanceSustainability
spellingShingle Lynn Faut
Fanny Soyeur
Elvira Haezendonck
Michaël Dooms
Peter W. de Langen
Ensuring circular strategy implementation: The development of circular economy indicators for ports
Maritime Transport Research
Circular economy
Monitor
Indicator development
Port
Performance
Sustainability
title Ensuring circular strategy implementation: The development of circular economy indicators for ports
title_full Ensuring circular strategy implementation: The development of circular economy indicators for ports
title_fullStr Ensuring circular strategy implementation: The development of circular economy indicators for ports
title_full_unstemmed Ensuring circular strategy implementation: The development of circular economy indicators for ports
title_short Ensuring circular strategy implementation: The development of circular economy indicators for ports
title_sort ensuring circular strategy implementation the development of circular economy indicators for ports
topic Circular economy
Monitor
Indicator development
Port
Performance
Sustainability
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666822X23000060
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