Coastal and Port Planning and Management
A.Y. 2025/2026
Learning objectives
The course is aimed at students who (i) intend to develop the necessary skills to work in the field of coastal planning and management, with reference to the processes - natural and anthropogenic - that determine its evolution and (ii) integrate the technical disciplines of planning and design with knowledge of socio-economic and environmental-ecological dynamics, management, legal and regulatory aspects, and organizational rules of operation of ports and port areas.
Specifically, the course aims to provide the basic elements necessary to coordinate planning and management activities in coastal and port areas, providing students with that holistic view of the marine-coastal-port system and the indispensable tools to interact with the various professionals working in the sector.
In teaching, sustainability is considered as an objective of the design and planning process, aimed at improving economic/management efficiency, environmental protection, and quality in the nature/artificial relationship.
Specifically, the course aims to provide the basic elements necessary to coordinate planning and management activities in coastal and port areas, providing students with that holistic view of the marine-coastal-port system and the indispensable tools to interact with the various professionals working in the sector.
In teaching, sustainability is considered as an objective of the design and planning process, aimed at improving economic/management efficiency, environmental protection, and quality in the nature/artificial relationship.
Expected learning outcomes
At the end of the course, students will be able to (i) understand and evaluate the physical coastal system, (ii) recognize the elements of vulnerability and risk (beach erosion, flooding phenomena, saltwater intrusion, chemical and biological pollution, biodiversity loss, etc.) that affect coastal dynamics and evolution also in relation to climate change, (iii) identify possible adaptation measures and defense policies, and (iv) analyze the urban planning and regulatory aspects that guide interventions on the territory from a perspective of integrated coastal zone management (ICZM). Students will also have acquired knowledge of the decision-making and planning processes that lead to the design of ports and the elements associated with their management. The application of advanced mapping technologies (remote sensing, data modeling and visualization, etc.) will also be taught as part of the practical lessons.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
The course program is structured over 48 hours of lectures. The course is divided into 12 thematic modules, each lasting 4 hours, and combines theoretical content with practical applications through a multidisciplinary and sustainability-oriented approach.
Module 1 - Introduction to the Coastal System and Integrated Management (4 hours)
· Coastal system definition and classification
· Physical and biological components of the marine-coastal system
· Principles of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM)
· Stakeholders, governance levels, and policy instruments
Module 2 - Natural Dynamics of Coastal Zones (4 hours)
· Coastal morphology: beaches, dunes, cliffs
· Physical processes: wave motion, longshore currents, sediment transport
· Sediment dynamics and sediment budget
· Effects of climate change (sea level rise, extreme events)
Module 3 - Anthropogenic Pressures and Coastal Risks (4 hours)
· Urbanization, infrastructure development, and morphological alterations
· Coastal erosion, marine flooding, subsidence
· Pollution and biodiversity loss
· Vulnerability analysis and risk assessment
Module 4 - Coastal Defense and Adaptation Strategies (4 hours)
· Hard and soft coastal protection measures: seawalls, beach nourishment, Nature-Based Solutions (NBS)
· Climate change adaptation planning
· Environmental and economic sustainability criteria
· Case studies
Module 5 - Port Infrastructure and Maritime Works (4 hours)
· Port typologies and classification
· Functional components: basins, breakwaters, quays, terminals
· Planning and design of port infrastructure
· Trends in green and smart ports
Module 6 - Management, Legal, and Regulatory Aspects (4 hours)
· National and EU regulatory framework
· Urban planning tools and coastal constraints
· Maritime domain concessions
· Port governance and organizational models
Module 7 - Sustainability and Resilience in Coastal Planning (4 hours)
· Sustainability principles in coastal planning
· Environmental, social, and economic performance indicators
· Environmental assessment tools (SEA, EIA)
· Urban and port resilience models
Module 8 - Technologies and Tools for Coastal Analysis (4 hours)
· Remote sensing and UAV photogrammetry
· Environmental monitoring techniques
· GIS and coastal numerical modeling
· Introduction to open-source software platforms
Module 9 - Practical Lab: Case Study Analysis (4 hours)
· Geomorphological and functional analysis of a coastal area
· Interpretation of satellite imagery and drone surveys
· Thematic mapping and 3D modeling
· Results discussion and critical issues identification
Module 10 - Participatory Planning and Decision-Making Processes (4 hours)
· Stakeholder engagement and bottom-up processes
· Multicriteria evaluation in decision-making
· Decision support methodologies
· Exercise on alternative planning scenarios
Module 11 - Integrated Design of Coastal and Port Interventions (4 hours)
· Definition of design objectives
· Interaction between design and environmental context
· Case studies of coastal and port redevelopment
· Guidelines for resilient and sustainable projects
Module 12 - Wrap-Up, Synthesis, and Student Presentations (4 hours)
· Review and discussion of course content
· Student presentations of final projects
· Collective feedback and in-depth discussions
· Professional perspectives in the coastal planning sector
Module 1 - Introduction to the Coastal System and Integrated Management (4 hours)
· Coastal system definition and classification
· Physical and biological components of the marine-coastal system
· Principles of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM)
· Stakeholders, governance levels, and policy instruments
Module 2 - Natural Dynamics of Coastal Zones (4 hours)
· Coastal morphology: beaches, dunes, cliffs
· Physical processes: wave motion, longshore currents, sediment transport
· Sediment dynamics and sediment budget
· Effects of climate change (sea level rise, extreme events)
Module 3 - Anthropogenic Pressures and Coastal Risks (4 hours)
· Urbanization, infrastructure development, and morphological alterations
· Coastal erosion, marine flooding, subsidence
· Pollution and biodiversity loss
· Vulnerability analysis and risk assessment
Module 4 - Coastal Defense and Adaptation Strategies (4 hours)
· Hard and soft coastal protection measures: seawalls, beach nourishment, Nature-Based Solutions (NBS)
· Climate change adaptation planning
· Environmental and economic sustainability criteria
· Case studies
Module 5 - Port Infrastructure and Maritime Works (4 hours)
· Port typologies and classification
· Functional components: basins, breakwaters, quays, terminals
· Planning and design of port infrastructure
· Trends in green and smart ports
Module 6 - Management, Legal, and Regulatory Aspects (4 hours)
· National and EU regulatory framework
· Urban planning tools and coastal constraints
· Maritime domain concessions
· Port governance and organizational models
Module 7 - Sustainability and Resilience in Coastal Planning (4 hours)
· Sustainability principles in coastal planning
· Environmental, social, and economic performance indicators
· Environmental assessment tools (SEA, EIA)
· Urban and port resilience models
Module 8 - Technologies and Tools for Coastal Analysis (4 hours)
· Remote sensing and UAV photogrammetry
· Environmental monitoring techniques
· GIS and coastal numerical modeling
· Introduction to open-source software platforms
Module 9 - Practical Lab: Case Study Analysis (4 hours)
· Geomorphological and functional analysis of a coastal area
· Interpretation of satellite imagery and drone surveys
· Thematic mapping and 3D modeling
· Results discussion and critical issues identification
Module 10 - Participatory Planning and Decision-Making Processes (4 hours)
· Stakeholder engagement and bottom-up processes
· Multicriteria evaluation in decision-making
· Decision support methodologies
· Exercise on alternative planning scenarios
Module 11 - Integrated Design of Coastal and Port Interventions (4 hours)
· Definition of design objectives
· Interaction between design and environmental context
· Case studies of coastal and port redevelopment
· Guidelines for resilient and sustainable projects
Module 12 - Wrap-Up, Synthesis, and Student Presentations (4 hours)
· Review and discussion of course content
· Student presentations of final projects
· Collective feedback and in-depth discussions
· Professional perspectives in the coastal planning sector
Prerequisites for admission
No prerequisites are required
Teaching methods
Lessons and practices exercises
Teaching Resources
· Kay, R.; Alder, J. Coastal planning and management. 2nd ed. Oxon: Taylor & Francis, 2005.
· Clark, J.R. Coastal zone management handbook. Boca Raton: Lewis Publishers, 1996.
· Masselink, G.; Gehrels, R. Coastal Environments and Global Change. Chichester: Wiley, 2014.
· Kamphuis, J.W. Introduction to coastal engineering and management. 3rd ed. London: World Scientific, 2020.
· Salomon, M.; Markus, T. (eds.). Handbook on marine environment protection: science, impacts and sustainable management. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing, 2018.
· Crowe, T.P.; Frid, C.L.J. (eds.). Marine ecosystems: human impacts on biodiversity, functioning and services. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2015.
· Teaching material provided by the teacher.
· Clark, J.R. Coastal zone management handbook. Boca Raton: Lewis Publishers, 1996.
· Masselink, G.; Gehrels, R. Coastal Environments and Global Change. Chichester: Wiley, 2014.
· Kamphuis, J.W. Introduction to coastal engineering and management. 3rd ed. London: World Scientific, 2020.
· Salomon, M.; Markus, T. (eds.). Handbook on marine environment protection: science, impacts and sustainable management. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing, 2018.
· Crowe, T.P.; Frid, C.L.J. (eds.). Marine ecosystems: human impacts on biodiversity, functioning and services. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2015.
· Teaching material provided by the teacher.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam consists of an oral test
ICAR/02 - HYDRAULIC STRUCTURES, MARITIME ENGINEERING AND HYDROLOGY - University credits: 6
Lessons: 48 hours
Professor:
D'Alessandro Felice
Professor(s)