Following three years of research, development and innovation, the project ‘Modelling System for the Design and Construction of Port Infrastructure Adapted to Climate Change’ (CLIMPORT), co-funded by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities under the 2022 call for Public-Private Partnership Projects, has been successfully completed. The CLIMPORT consortium, led by FCC Construcción and comprising IHCantabria, DRAGADOS, ROVER Maritime,  ACCIONA Ingeniería,  Sener y PROES Consultores (Grupo Amper), has organised the closing meeting for this initiative at the Institute of Environmental Hydraulics at the University of Cantabria (IHCantabria), where a day of specialised training and workshops was held for technicians and specialists from the consortium’s member organisations.

The aim of this practical training session was to ensure the successful transfer of the knowledge and tools developed during the CLIMPORT project. Participants put the developed system into practice – an innovative tool that integrates databases, design methodologies, mathematical, numerical and statistical tools, and advanced construction procedures to facilitate decision-making in the design and construction of port infrastructure resilient to the challenges of climate change.

At the final meeting of the CLIMPORT project, the consortium took stock of the main results achieved and worked on defining the technology transfer strategy and the potential practical applications of the outcomes of this public-private partnership.

Design of a unique system 

The main outcome of CLIMPORT is the development of a unique, modular system to support the design and construction of ports from an innovative perspective. This system brings together, on a single platform, climate databases, technical regulations, international recommendations and state-of-the-art construction procedures for the analysis and prediction of maritime climate conditions.

This approach enables a comprehensive consideration of all phases of a port’s life cycle, incorporating historical data, operational forecasting capabilities and projections related to climate change, as well as different spatial scales of analysis at global, regional, local and detailed levels.

The CLIMPORT system stands out in particular because it explicitly incorporates risk analysis in ports, covering both the risks associated with climate change affecting port infrastructure and the analysis of risks during the construction phases of such infrastructure. These capabilities provide more accurate tools for anticipating threats, reducing risks and improving the planning and execution of maritime works in a context characterised by increasing climate variability and the construction of ports under increasingly severe climate scenarios.

The methodologies and tools developed represent a significant technological advance for the sector, facilitating the development of ports that are more resilient to future conditions and strengthening the international standing of Spanish companies and organisations operating in a highly specialised field such as port engineering.

The results of CLIMPORT have also received the support and interest of Puertos del Estado and will be presented to the sector’s technical and professional community during the forthcoming 10th National Congress of the Technical Association of Ports and Coasts (ATPYC), to be held from 6 to 8 October 2026.

For further information on the project and its findings: CLIMPORT | Effects of climate change on the design and construction of port infrastructure.