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.