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The relational geometry of the port-city interface: Case studies of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and Ghent, Belgium

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  • Van den Berghe, Karel
  • Jacobs, Wouter
  • Boelens, Luuk

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to operationalize a relational approach to the study of port-city interfaces. A relational approach allows for the analysis of how actors are connected, transact, and assign meaning and value to regional development. Much of the literature on port-city interfaces has primarily focussed on late 20th-century transformation processes at the urban waterfront. This fails to appreciate the often-continued presence of port activity within cities and falls short in understanding how the development agendas of port cities are relationally constituted. In this paper, first we argue that the port-city interface is a relational geometry through which heterogeneous flows of actors, assets, and structures are coupled. Second, we present an analytical framework capable of operationalizing such relational approach. The contemporary relational geometries in the bio-based sectors within the port cities of Amsterdam and Ghent are taken as starting points. Analysing these reveal how different coupling mechanisms result in particular development trajectories of the port city, setting the scene for future coupling mechanisms. This paper concludes with a discussion on the value of a relational approach to the study of port-city interfaces.

Suggested Citation

  • Van den Berghe, Karel & Jacobs, Wouter & Boelens, Luuk, 2018. "The relational geometry of the port-city interface: Case studies of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and Ghent, Belgium," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 55-63.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jotrge:v:70:y:2018:i:c:p:55-63
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2018.05.013
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    2. Van den Berghe, Karel & Dąbrowski, Marcin & Ersoy, Aksel & Wandl, Alexander & van Bueren, Ellen, 2019. "The Circular Economy: a Re-Emerging Industry? [working paper]," SocArXiv tgvzj, Center for Open Science.
    3. Jiang, Ziran & Lei, Liping & Zhang, Jianzhen & Wang, Chengjin & Ye, Shilin, 2023. "Spatio-temporal evolution and location factors of port and shipping service enterprises: A case study of the Yangtze River Delta," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 106(C).
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    6. Elvira Haezendonck & Karel Van den Berghe, 2020. "Patterns of Circular Transition: What Is the Circular Economy Maturity of Belgian Ports?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-15, November.
    7. Karel Van den Berghe & Felipe Bucci Ancapi & Ellen van Bueren, 2020. "When a Fire Starts to Burn. The Relation Between an (Inter)nationally Oriented Incinerator Capacity and the Port Cities’ Local Circular Ambitions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-18, June.
    8. Karel Van den Berghe & Martijn Vos, 2019. "Circular Area Design or Circular Area Functioning? A Discourse-Institutional Analysis of Circular Area Developments in Amsterdam and Utrecht, The Netherlands," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(18), pages 1-20, September.
    9. Dadashpoor, Hashem & Arasteh, Mojtaba, 2020. "Core-port connectivity: Towards shaping a national hinterland in a West Asia country," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 57-68.
    10. Ling Yu & Pengfei Xu & Jia Shi & Jihong Chen & Hong Zhen, 2020. "Driving Mechanism of Port-City Spatial Relation Evolution from an Ecological Perspective: Case Study of Xiamen Port of China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-18, April.

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