Evaluating the sustainability of scenarios for port city development with Boussole21 method

Abstract

This research aims to evaluate the sustainability of urban strategies in Skikda, a prehistoric, ancient, and Mediterranean port city of northeastern Algeria, known as by the Punic name Russicade. The port city of Skikda shows a diverse landscape of heritage sites and the industrial reality of a city, rich by its under-exploited cultural and tourist capacities. Nevertheless, the industrial port activities of the petrochemical refinery impose a state of urban vulnerability for the inhabitants and built, landscape, and natural heritage. The use of the open software Boussole21 of the "Smart" trend as a qualitative method allows assessment of decisions by the actors. The sustainability assessment (findings) shows that smart thinking contributes to the development of port performance and competitiveness in the international context.

La composition du paysage pétrolier des villes portuaires d'Afrique du Nord, le cas de Skikda (Algérie)

“…Where Skikda, is chosen to play the role of the eastern gateway of the oil trade. This city has become a major element of the petroleumscape and of the Algerian economy, as the major refinery of Algeria 3 , and the second Algerian maritime terminal for the export of gas and oil products from the extraction sites of the great Algerian Sahara (Ghennaï et al, 2022). Today, Algeria ensures the export of these hydrocarbon products by its 22 systems of transport by the pipeline (STP), which extends over a total length of 20 705 km on the Algerian territory.…”

“…The petrochemical complex of Skikda and the oil port present the main and basic components of the oil spaces and petroleumscape in Skikda, the petrochemical complex consists of two refineries, called RA1.K, and the refinery of Topping Condensate, RA2.K. equipped by two units of hydrocracking of fuel oil and treatment of naphtha surpluses, two complexes of liquefaction and separation of natural gas GL1K and GL2Z, the petrochemical complex CP2K, two petrochemical complexes in partnership, the Helison Complex, and the Helios Complex 5 (Ghennaï et al, 2022).…”

“…Since its installation, the industrial zone does not cease to develop and progress on the land or the sea, consuming more peri-urban spaces, which adds to the challenge of the industrialization of the territory. It consumes the beaches and the natural landscape, for the benefit of the development of the port infrastructures (Ghennaï et al, 2022); consequently, the sprawl of the petroleumscape invades the historical material heritage, and natural landscape thus threatening the maritime identity to Skikda.…”

“…It operates the refinery, the gas terminal and the oil port, as well as other spaces and oil companies in Algeria and abroad. The company of the Port of Skikda, by abbreviation EPS (Entreprise Portuaire de Skikda): is a public company which was created in 1982, it manages and operates all the ports of Skikda: the mixed port of Skikda, the hydrocarbon port of Skikda, the fishing ports of Stora, El-Marsa, Oued Zohor and Collo (Ghennaï et al, 2022).…”

“…On the other hand, the port company (EPS) has proposed to contribute with 30% of the cost of the development project of the mixed port of Skikda, based on a scenario of extension of the port, the creation of a new jetty, and the reconversion of the old part of the port into a Marina. However, the heritage landscape or the preservation of nature scape in Skikda, do not seem a serious priority for the government or oil companies (Ghennaï et al, 2022).…”