ESPO Will Name Award Winner for Dual-Use Ports
The European Sea Port Organisation will crown the winner of its 2026 port-city infrastructure award this November.
Updated on Sept. 29, 2026 in Remote Work
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The European Sea Port Organisation has shortlisted four port authorities for its 18th annual award, which recognizes infrastructure projects that effectively integrate port and city functions. The winner will be announced at a ceremony on 10 November 2026 in Brussels.
Why it matters
This award highlights how port operators are shifting strategy to manage dual-use land and infrastructure, balancing core maritime commerce with urban development needs. Operators can use these case studies to benchmark their own expansion and integration initiatives against industry standards.
Four ports were selected from a pool of 11 total submissions for the 18th edition of the ESPO Award. The shortlist represents a narrow field of projects that met the independent jury’s criteria for dual-use infrastructure.
The players
European Sea Port Organisation
An industry association representing the port authorities of the member states of the European Union and Norway.
Eamonn O'Reilly
The chair of the independent jury responsible for evaluating and selecting the shortlisted port infrastructure projects.
The details
The ESPO Award focuses on port authorities that develop infrastructure capable of serving both commercial maritime functions and the needs of their surrounding urban populations. An independent jury, chaired by Eamonn O'Reilly, evaluated the 11 submissions to reach the current shortlist. The winning organization will serve as a model for how managing bodies navigate the regulatory and operational complexities of mixed-use port development.
Timeline
10 November 2026: Award ceremony takes place in Brussels and the full 11-submission booklet is released.
2025: Shoreham Port received the previous ESPO Award.
Market Landscape
This award cycle reflects a long-term industry trend toward closer port-city integration that dates back to the 2010 ESPO Code of Practice. The current focus on dual-use infrastructure represents a formal update to those earlier standards of engagement.
Operators looking for best practices in urban infrastructure integration should monitor the 11 project summaries set for release on 10 November 2026. These submissions serve as a professional database for navigating the stakeholder and zoning challenges inherent in dual-use developments.
The takeaway
The ESPO award process demonstrates the growing priority of mixed-use infrastructure in maritime management. Operators should plan to review the upcoming project booklet to identify successful strategies for local integration and public-private port coordination.
What happens next
The winner of the 18th ESPO Award will be announced on 10 November 2026, at which time ESPO will also publish a comprehensive booklet detailing all 11 submissions.
Further reading
For broader context on current industry operational shifts, see the Remote Work section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Ireland Afloat.
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Do you support prioritizing dual-use infrastructure projects for both port operations and city public spaces?
