Social Dimensions of the Development of Ports as Energy Transition Hubs

The energy transition at sea and on land will lead to the adoption and handling of new green fuels at ports and various developments that will enable ports to become energy transition hubs. And while the adoption of this will have a direct and measurable positive effect on the climate and in most cases the local environment, their public
acceptance and other social implications need to be not only acknowledged but also well understood and managed in an effective, just, and sustainable way.
Some port management bodies have taken on an active role as community managers (Chlomoudis et al., 2003), including for the energy transition. The focus of this community building and facilitation is normally on the organizational level (e.g., firms within the port area, local municipality, various civic organizations, and member associations such as docker unions). Ports have traditionally focused on stakeholders within the port area, including the port tenants that are their customers. However, with the green transition, the importance of engaging with stakeholders beyond the port area is growing, as closer cooperation will be required.
The main aim of this chapter is to identify the most important concepts and discussions in the literature and identify potential gaps that require further investigation. It draws insights from related industries (e.g., social acceptance of large infrastructure projects) to highlight the importance of investigating and understanding the needs of
different stakeholders, their interactions and influence on the energy transition and the increasingly important role of ports.