A systems framework for the sustainable development of a Port City: A case study of Singapore's policies

Abstract

Port city, which serves as a link between the local economy and the global economy, is an interaction of both urban and port systems, giving rise to its complex and dynamic nature. While the development of a port city is an aspect that requires continual research and monitoring, the current literature addressing the issue of sustainable development in port cities is rather limited. In addition, empirical studies often analyse the port system and the urban system separately, with little research attempting to integrate the two systems. This paper aims to narrow the gap by adopting the systems theory to develop a systems framework for sustainable development of port city, and in particular illustrating its application in the case study of Singapore. The three aspects of sustainability for the port system, city system and port-city policies are discussed. The analysis shows that the positive relationships between the port and the city in Singapore far outweigh the negative relationships. Singapore could continue developing its port, to maximise the positive relationships economically and socially, while minimising the negative relationships environmentally.