Contemporary port cities are at the intersection of global trade, urban transformation, and environmental change. They face multiple challenges relating to economic competitiveness, resource management, and social equity, but also offer unique opportunities for innovation and sustainable development. Despite the growing body of research on urban sustainability and port governance, there is still a lack of understanding of how stakeholder collaboration and multi-level governance can effectively drive systemic transitions towards more resilient, inclusive, and low-carbon port cities. This book addresses these gaps through an interdisciplinary empirical study of the city of Tangier, a rapidly transforming port city in the Global South navigating multiple sustainability challenges. This is then broadened to an interdisciplinary analysis of the evolving interconnections between ports and cities worldwide in the context of global sustainability transitions.

Within the academic landscape, this book makes a valuable contribution to the growing body of literature on urban sustainability, port-city interfaces, and stakeholder governance. It will be invaluable to scholars, researchers, and graduate students specialising in sustainable development, maritime studies, and regional planning.

Jihane Salim is a researcher and scholar specializing in the sustainability dynamics of port cities. She earned her PhD in Economics and Management in 2025 from Abdelmalek Essaadi University, focusing on the role of stakeholders in building sustainable urban-port systems, with a particular case study of Tangier. Her interdisciplinary work bridges management, urban planning, environmental governance, and marine studies, offering both theoretical insights and practical solutions for sustainable city-port interactions.

Mostafa Abakouy is a Professor at the National School of Commerce and Management (ENCG) in Tangier, Morocco, specializing in urban and regional development, port management, strategic marketing, and governance. He has led and contributed to numerous research projects on sustainable urban-port development, territorial marketing, and public policy, and serves as an expert evaluator.