The Italian coast has about 700 ports, which are different in typology, dimension, role, and ownership. Historically, this has led to the significant fragmentation of governance and space and a lack of cooperation that ports and cities still experience today. Among all ports, small and medium-sized ports (SMPs), such as marinas, small touristic harbors, and moorings, are the most affected. Unlike the main ports, where spatial and strategic regulation planning fall under the port authority’s responsibilities, SMPs are a combination of public and private management and are, therefore, excluded from national and regional planning and larger strategies. Improving SMPs’ cooperation at the regional level can drive more effective sustainable management among related activities (tourism and the fishing sector) and reduce pressures on the land–sea interaction (LSI). In filling the gaps, this article challenges the existing legal framework, planning tools, approaches, and initiatives and may pave the way to establishing a better-integrated national governance for SMPs. In conclusion, this paper identifies two main opportunities that can support the steady establishment of governance and the systematic harmonized development of these SMPs. The first one is offered by maritime spatial planning (MSP) as a strategic and legal tool whereby SMPs are recognized and, if financially supported, could find incentives and measures for their development. The second one is through European projects, programs, and initiatives such as Framesport as drivers in establishing a common ground among public and private interests and as a cooperation engine at a local scale.

Ocean literacy (OL) has increasingly been recognised as a key enabler of participatory marine governance, with potential synergies with maritime spatial planning (MSP). These links are particularly evident in stakeholder engagement processes, which are mandated by the European MSP Directive and supported by international institutional guidelines. OL can facilitate these processes by fostering informed participation, enhancing public awareness, and supporting educational and cultural goals aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 14 “life below water.” Within the framework of the EU‐funded Regions to Boost National Maritime Spatial Planning‐MSP project, a methodology was developed to support the design of a Regional Ocean Literacy Strategy aimed at strengthening MSP implementation at the sub‐national (NUTS‐2) level. This article outlines the development of a structured toolbox to support regional OL strategies and presents the results of its empirical testing in the Sardinia region. The findings indicate that regional actors acknowledge the relevance of OL for marine management and that existing assets—such as environmental education networks and cultural initiatives—can be effectively mobilised through a strategic framework. The study demonstrates the feasibility and replicability of the approach, offering a model that can be adapted and transferred to other regional contexts across Europe.

The Ocean Decade has provided a unique framework for fostering science‐informed practices that necessitate a rethinking of human relationships with the sea. The 2024 UNESCO Venice Declaration for Ocean Literacy in Action highlights the need to develop “ocean‐centric design.” While the environment‐centred design is well‐established, the ocean‐centric design remains underexplored, particularly regarding its epistemological foundations. This article defines ocean‐centric design as an approach to expanding ocean literacy dimensions and driving change across disciplines. Integrating design methodologies (civic design method) and concepts like bodies of water, Hydrocene, and perspectives from the blue humanities, the study proposes a framework and devises indicators to help designers ensure their practices are ocean‐centric. These indicators aim to foster a stronger connection with the ocean among society while addressing the Ocean Decade’s Challenge 10 “restoring society’s relationship with the ocean.” To validate these indicators, they are applied to a selection of ocean‐design case studies to assess whether the designs are inherently ocean cycle‐centric or merely contextualised within an ocean setting. Ultimately, the article seeks to expand the scope of environment‐centred design by introducing and emphasising a blue epistemology. The article introduces ocean cycle‐centric design, expanding environment‐centred design and integrating ocean literacy into resilient design practices for a restored human‐ocean nexus.

Framed as a speculative essay, the text introduces the ‘Siphonophorae Society’ as a metaphor for the interdependence of human communities and water across porous land–water boundaries. Inspired by the biology of siphonophore colonies, it proposes ‘hundred-eye seeing’ as a multiperspectival epistemology that integrates human, more-than-human, and amphibious futures. It reframes ocean citizenship as water citizenship, articulating a relational mode of belonging grounded in hydrosocial interdependence. Through the Venice Lagoon, it contrasts technocratic planning with amphibious living and imagines adaptive collective futures in the Hydrocene.

This study explores how purposefully designed communication tools can enhance shared understanding and alignment on Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) and blue economy concepts across European and Arabic-speaking Mediterranean contexts to overcome holdbacks (or barriers) that may prevent policy harmonization and implementation. Building on previous initiatives such as MSP-MED and MSP-GREEN projects, the research responds to the persistent linguistic and cultural barriers that often limit cross-basin policy dialogue. A mixed-methods approach combined expert consultation, participatory co-design, and interactive validation. An initial focus group of Italian, Algerian, Spanish, French and Tunisian MSP experts identified key communication needs for translating MSP principles and sectoral knowledge, fisheries, aquaculture, marine renewable energy, and environmental protection, into accessible and locally resonant formats. Based on these input, three communication formats were co-developed and tested: multilingual factsheets, short social-media animations, and flashcards in Arabic, French, and English. The materials were evaluated by Mediterranean stakeholders during a dedicated workshop, through a Mentimeter survey with ranking, Likert-scale, and open-ended questions. Results highlighted the importance of Arabic terminology consistency, contextual examples, and hybrid dissemination strategies bridging expert and policy audiences. The findings shows that tailored, multilingual communication tools can significatively improve inclusiveness, comprehension, and engagement in transboundary MSP processes. By addressing both linguistic and visual dimensions, the study contributes to the development of an evidence-based framework for communicating marine policies and sustainability transitions across the Mediterranean region.

As climate change accelerates, ocean acidification and rising sea temperatures are among the most critical drivers of ecological degradation, disrupting marine habitats and accelerating biodiversity loss across coastal and marine ecosystems. In this context, Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) represents a key governance instrument for addressing cumulative environmental pressures and guiding climate adaptation in marine spaces. However, the effectiveness of MSP depends not only on the integration of scientific data and sectoral priorities but also on the meaningful inclusion of diverse knowledge systems and stakeholder perspectives within a broader ocean citizenship framework.This contribution examines the Scenario Workshop and Adaptation Pathways (SWAP) methodology as a participatory methodology for operationalising climate adaptation within MSP, with participatory cartography embedded as a core component. Within this framework, SWAP aligns indicators derived from scientific knowledge with stakeholders’ insights and expectations in order to translate climate data into actionable strategies. Its core objective is to embed climate adaptation and mitigation measures into MSP by engaging public institutions, maritime sectors, and local communities in the co-production of knowledge and the joint development of adaptation pathways. Through structured dialogue, collaborative mapping, and scenario-building exercises, the process addresses regional marine climate risks, such as ocean warming and acidification, that drive biodiversity loss and threaten both ecological integrity and key economic activities, including aquaculture, fisheries, maritime transport, and tourism.Drawing on recent research in participatory mapping, critical cartography, and conflict-sensitive spatial planning, the contribution argues that participatory cartographies within the SWAP process function as tools that connect adaptation processes, outputs, and emerging outcomes, and that can be mobilised as qualitative and spatial indicators within adaptation monitoring frameworks. By integrating local observations, expert knowledge, and future-oriented scenarios, participatory cartographies make visible spatial vulnerabilities, ecological trade-offs, and contested priorities that are often overlooked in top-down assessments within MSP processes.The contribution builds on experiences from the INCORE-MED project, with particular attention to the SWAP workshops to be implemented in Northern Sardinia in February 2026. SWAP workshops, which include climate risk perception maps, are discussed as instruments for adaptation monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL), capturing local knowledge, risk perceptions and spatial prioritisations, and reflecting governance arrangements. The contribution concludes by synthesising the workshops’ outputs and outlining recommendations for embedding SWAP methodologies into MSP and adaptation assessment frameworks, supporting more inclusive and policy-relevant approaches to measuring climate adaptation.