The Spanish Port of Tarragona on the Meditteranean Sea was announced as the winner of the ESPO Award 2026 during a special ceremony held at the Vanhaerents Art Collection in the capital of Belgium, Brussels.
Around 200 guests gathered on Tuesday for this year's gala dinner to celebrate the achievements and innovative projects of European ports.
The evening took place in the presence of Apostolos Tzitzikostas, European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, who delivered a keynote address to the guests. His speech can be found here.
The ceremony also featured welcoming remarks by ESPO Chairman Ansis Zeltiņš, who opened the evening and addressed the European port community. His welcoming speech can be found here.
This year's ESPO Award recognised ports that make innovative use of their infrastructure and space, enabling them to continue fulfilling their core port functions whilst also creating opportunities for the city and its citizens. The winning project demonstrated how port and city activities can successfully coexist, bringing ports and their surrounding communities closer together.
The award was presented by MEP Sérgio Gonçalves, Member of the Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN) during a particularly festive edition of the ceremony.
Reflecting on the selection process and the quality of this year's submissions, Eamonn O'Reilly, Chairman of the ESPO Award Jury, commented, “The strong entries for this year’s ESPO Award from nine countries show that the objective of port-city integration is now firmly embedded in port strategies across Europe. Port infrastructure and port lands can be, and are being, developed to meet the wider needs of society and the environment without compromising the core function of ports. This year’s eleven projects showcase how ports of very different sizes and circumstances can respond to the new reality that ports must directly meet the needs of citizens, society, and the environment while, at the same time, providing essential infrastructure for cargo and passengers.”
Port of Tarragona, Catalonia
The President of Port Tarragona, Santiago J. Castellà, highlighted that “Parc del Port is a public space with a strong community focus, designed to provide people of all ages with the opportunity to enjoy outdoor activities, promote their health and well-being, and foster intergenerational interaction in a unique setting by the Mediterranean Sea. However, this project goes far beyond the creation of a green space. Above all, Parc del Port reflects the port development model championed by Port Tarragona: a model committed to sustainable urban planning, biodiversity conservation, and strengthening the port's integration with the surrounding territory.”
Port of Tarragona won the ESPO Award 2026 for its project, Park of the Port (Parc del Port). This project is an innovative urban redevelopment project that strengthens the connection between the port and the city. By replacing parking areas with green spaces, pedestrian paths, and cycling infrastructure, it promotes sustainable mobility and creates a more welcoming waterfront. With 200 trees, over 14,500 plants and smart water management systems, the park also supports biodiversity and climate resilience while preserving essential port activities.
Special Mention: Port of Dublin
The Irish port received a special mention from the jury with its project “Dublin Port Greenway: Dual-Use Port-City Infrastructure for Port Access, Nature, Heritage, and Community."
The objective of the project is to strengthen the connection between Dublin Port and the city by transforming previously inaccessible port areas into a sustainable and accessible public space. The 2.2 km Tolka Estuary Greenway provides safe walking and cycling routes while preserving essential port operations. By integrating biodiversity protection, maritime heritage, and recreational facilities, the project promotes sustainable mobility, community engagement, and environmental resilience, creating a shared space where port activities and urban life coexist.
Strong Competition, particularly this year
Out of eleven submissions, four projects were shortlisted for the 18th edition of the ESPO Award: The Port of Cork, the Port of Dublin, the Port of Reykjavík (Iceland), and the Port of Tarragona (Spain). All eleven submissions are presented in the ESPO Award Brochure 2026, highlighting the wide range of initiatives undertaken by European ports to strengthen their relationship with their cities and local communities.
ESPO Annual Report
On the same day, ESPO also published its Annual Report 2025–2026, providing an overview of the organisation's activities, key achievements, and policy priorities over the past year. The Annual Report is available to download here.
