The changing face of European ports as a result of their evolving use since the nineteenth century

Abstract

The aim of this article is to make a comparative study of the history of European ports during the last two centuries showing their complexity and specific characteristics. Whereas during the process of waterfront development, local governments emphasize the relationship of ports with sailing ships as a marketing instrument, the industrial history of those ports are mostly neglected. This article focuses on the industrial port, showing differences in the chronology of construction and in their urban impact. Hinterland and inland transportation were responsible for a part of those differences, as well as geographical and political circumstances. However, social aspects as well as technological issues showed comparable evolutions. The decline of the industrial port city is a part of the general process of de-industrialization of Europe, but it has its own specific features. At least it is clear that the development of port cities during the last two centuries is far more complex than some stage theories about port development assume.

Exploring Port–City Relationships: A Bibliometric and Content Analysis

“…Furthermore, port prosperity fuels growth in civil construction [31,34,52]. This development manifests in the construction of hotels, restaurants, shopping centers, and other commercial and mixed-use buildings, along with the establishment of tourism facilities that capitalize on a port city's historical identity [17,75,81,83,96,98,111,122] and urban design heritage [23,89]. However, these environmental changes and land-use transformations within port cities [84,99,121] necessitate careful consideration when selecting an appropriate range for urban growth and development [33,59,122,126].…”

“…The relocation of port facilities [34,39,58,59,70,81,83,96,98,99,102,133] must be carefully planned to minimize disruptions and ensure efficient performance of transportation networks and terminal productivity and efficiency. Ports are essential for facilitating commerce.…”

“…This leads to an increase in the share of industrial value-added [31,59] and a rise in the prominence of primary, secondary, and tertiary industries (services) within the city's economic landscape. Examples include the growth of petrochemical industries and oil companies [39,59,81,104]. To accommodate this expansion, the development of industrial areas outside the city center is often encouraged [76,136,137].…”

“…However, initial access to airports often relies on road or rail infrastructure, depending on the specific regional context. Notably, advancements in the quality of road and rail access [34,39,58,59,70,81,83,96,98,99,102,133] have led to a wider adoption of these methods, particularly in regions like the US, Europe, and Asia.…”

From Corporations to Companies: The Development of Capitalism in Maritime Cargo Handling in the Port of Barcelona (ca. 1760–1873)

“…For centuries, the "pre-industrial" port of Barcelona had been a meager, artificial harbor with a shallow, sandy bottom (requiring periodic dredging): Cargo was loaded and unloaded from the beach. 21 Over the subsequent decades, efforts were directed at offering greater protection to the ships anchored in the harbor by building and extending a seawall with the muelle nuevo (literally, the "new pier"), which was evident in maps from the 1840s through the early 1870s. 22 As reported in an official Revista de Obras Públicas (Public Works Bulletin) from 1856, the conditions remained insufficient to meet the rising demands of traffic: with slowness, difficulties, and excessive costs: the considerable number of vessels that were on some occasions to be found for loading or unloading had only available for this objective some 800 linear meters of wharf, a great quantity of sacks head towards the vessels and are withdrawn from them with harbor lighters that go to and from the beach, where they are loaded and unloaded[….]…”