World Harbour Project
Initiated by the Sydney Institute of Marine Science (SIMS), the goal of the World Harbour Project (WHP) is to develop resilient urban ports and harbours through a global network of collaborating scientists.
The Project brings together international research institutions and agencies concerned with the health of these heavily urbanised waterways and the increasing challenges they face.
Like Sydney, many of the world’s great cities such as New York, Rio de Janeiro and Shanghai are located on the coast, with working harbours that are part of the fundamental fabric of those communities. The relationship between the city’s residents and the marine environment is an ongoing challenge.
The WHP aims to tackle issues surrounding the multiple uses of harbours and ports through targeted workshops, exchange programs of students and researchers and specific collaborative projects on a global scale.
The vision is to facilitate and link programs across major international harbours, with a focus on investigating and restoring ecosystem functioning and the consequent development of management best-practices that can be applied by all partner cities.
Investigations of the socio-economic aspects of harbour development, environmental degradation and ecosystem restoration will form an important component of the WHP. As will educational outreach and dialogue and collaboration with industry and governments.
No previous program has linked research and management across urban marine environments on a global scale. To date the project has received commitments from 26 partner cities, with more in discussion to join.
WHP WORKGROUPS
WG1 – Water and Sediment Quality
WG2 – Green Engineering
WG3 – Multiple Uses and Users
WG4 – Education
WHP SUPPORTERS
WHP PUBLICATIONS
Click here to access the World Harbour Project publications archive.
WHP CONTACT
Should you be interested in becoming a research or commercial partner of the WHP, or simply require further information on any aspect of the project globally, please phone +61 2 9435 4600 or email whp@sims.org.au.
WHP WORKGROUPS
Many of the world’s great cities such as New York, Rio de Janeiro and Shanghai are located on the coast, with working harbours that are part of the fundamental fabric of those communities. The World Harbour Project (WHP) will tackle issues around the multiple uses of harbours by bringing together international institutions and agencies concerned with the increasing challenges they face.
The vision is to facilitate and link programs that have a focus on investigating and restoring ecosystem functioning and the development of management best-practices by means of four working groups:
WHP GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE
The initial governance structure of the WHP was established at the workshop. Professor Peter Steinberg was initially elected WHP Director. Professor Martina Doblin is the current WHP Director. The WHP Steering Committee has a total of nine members, representing all regions involved.
(click headshot for bio)
Prof. Martina Doblin
Director, World Harbour Project
Peter Steinberg
Past Director & Continuing Associate
PROJECT LAUNCH
A highly successful launch was held at the IUCN World Parks Congress 2014, in Sydney in November. Professor Peter Steinberg, WHP Director, gave the main address followed by short talks by two representatives from our international partners – Professor He of Shanghai and Dr Coutinho of Brazil.
The WHP was officially launched by The Hon. Robert Stokes, MP, Minister for the Environment, NSW. A number of VIPs were in attendance, including the NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer and the CEOs of the Australian Museum and the Office of Environment & Heritage, NSW Government.
PROJECT WORKGROUPS
To achieve the core aim of the WHP – to build resilient urban ports and harbours through globally integrated research and management – four project workgroups were created based on the following criteria:
- be of global importance and communal interest
- affect change
- be multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary
- be achievable in the short term
- have commitment and capacity from partners
- attract sufficient funding
