Tuning Port Systems and Local Contexts. Socio-Spatial Interaction of Small Ports and Cities by Terms

Ports, irrespective of size, play a critical role in regional economic development by enabling resource accessibility, transportation, and energy services, and act as crucial nodes of land-sea interaction. However, their socio-economic and environmental impact necessitates balancing economic development and legal framework with comprehensive sustainability and territorial adaptation. Under the impetus of regionalisation and port cluster dynamics, increasingly institutional strategies are geared toward the creation of port systems. While large ports have been extensively studied, Small and Medium-Sized Ports and recreational harbours remain underexplored despite their significance to local economies and the Blue Economy, as well as the understanding of ports as ecosystems and social constructs shaped by long-term institutional relationship and influenced by local cultures. Using socio-spatial analysis and case studies from the Apulian coast in southern Italy, the study examines how port system strategies interact with urban areas, starting from the terminologies for describing spatial scopes and typological classification. The insights highlight the importance of shared meanings and common visions underlying the definitions, for the implementation of strategies that align the action of the institutions involved. The need for collaborative processes that address the challenges of port city ecosystems planning and management by integrating the overall objectives of which ports are part of with their urban and socio-cultural specificities is also emphasised. The study contributes to a broader understanding of small port contexts, and addresses the need for a multi-actor and inclusive governance integrating diverse institutional perspectives.