On December 5, 2025, the 7th KoMet Day took place at the Regionalverband Ruhr in Essen, focusing on “Green Transformation Ruhr.” The event brought together experts from academia, public administration, industry, and civil society to discuss future-oriented strategies for a sustainable Ruhr Metropolis.

We are pleased that Prof. Frederik Ahlemann co-moderated Session 2. Together with Dr. Jan-Hendrik Kamlage (RUB) and Dr. Klaus Krumme (UDE), he guided an engaging discussion on the evolving role of ports in multi-stakeholder processes for green transformation.

Session 2: “Ports Can Do More”

This session explored:

• Ports as urban hubs of transformation
• Strategic engagement of diverse stakeholder groups
• Governance, information management, and coordination challenges
• Embedding sustainability as a guiding principle in transformation processes

The key introductory lecture by Dr. Klaus Krumme and the practical insights from Alexander Garbar (duisport) provided valuable input. Three thematic tables further deepened the conversation, focusing on stakeholder engagement formats, governance and knowledge flows, and sustainability perspectives.

Scientific Exchange & Networking

Earlier in the day, the program offered diverse perspectives on green transformation — from urban biodiversity and integrated urban development to the awarding of the KoMet research prizes to Dr. Katja Schimohr and Dr. Lisa Sieger. The keynote by Prof. Dr. Maren Urner added further inspiration on sustainable thinking and action.