PORTUSplus – published by RETE, International Association for the Collaboration between Ports and Cities – is an open-access journal, peer reviewed and indexed, dedicated to the multidisciplinary study of themes concerning the relationship between port and cities and urban waterfronts. Promoting the communication and development of scientific research, that plays a increasingly relevant role in our society, PORTUSplus invites scholars and researchers, experts and professionals to respond to the call for papers “Research Themes”, sending original works and research results in the several disciplines inherent to the themes described below.

Presentation

PORTUSplus – published by RETE, International Association for the Collaboration between Ports and Cities – is an open-access journal, peer reviewed and indexed, dedicated to the multidisciplinary study of themes concerning the relationship between port and cities and urban waterfronts.

The Journal publishes and promotes scientific products and investigations – original works, studies experimental or theoretical, research results, etc. – concerning different fields of interest and from around the world.

The objective is to encourage the dissemination of knowledge and stimulates the international debate, promoting an systemic and interdisciplinary approach in the investigation and application, also exploring the interaction between policies and practices in the process.

Promoting the communication and development of scientific research, that plays a increasingly relevant role in our society, PORTUSplus invites scholars and researchers, experts and professionals to respond to the Call for papers “Research Themes”, sending original works and research results in the several disciplines inherent to the themes described below.

Themes of Interest

The topics addressed in the papers may concern the plurality of involved dynamics in the evolution of urban waterfronts and contemporary port cities, from the point of view of different scientific-disciplinary approaches (economic, social, city-planning, cultural, etc.). In particular, the proposals should concern an issue related to the thematic areas specified below:

• History Of Port Cities
• Economy And Business
• Contemporary Port Cities And New Port-City Relations Models
• Future Scenarios: Planning And Perspective
• Restructuring Urban-Port Waterfronts
• Architecture And Port City Landscape
• Urban-Port Development And Environmental Sustainability
• Culture And Identity
• Port City Didactics
• Communication Resources And Tools
• Infrastructures, Transport, Intermodality, Logistics
• Port, City And Territory
• Others (Special Issues)

Process of Paper Submission

PORTUSplus publishes exclusively papers that have not been published previously and are not under consideration for publication elsewhere, rigorous, well-written, high-quality, high-impact papers, with findings of basic/experimental research and development, as well as applications and innovative practices to generate discussions and new prospects.

Participation in the selection for publication in PORTUSplus Journal requires to answer the "Call for papers" before the established deadline and following the instructions for the online “Submission Step by Step”.

Acceptance of papers is based on originality and importance of observations and investigations, works quality and evidences validity, presentation clarity, and relevance both for readership and for fields of interest of the Journal.

Language

Articles must be submitted exclusively in English (American English, translated or revised by a native speaker or professional in translation). If deemed appropriate by the Author(s), the same work may also be presented eventually in a second language among those admitted by the Journal (French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish).

Deadline for Paper Submission

The deadline for the submission of papers is July 30, 2023.

Subsequently the documents deemed suitable and in line with the standards of the Journal are subjected to a double-blind peer review process (neither the Authors nor the Reviewers know the identity of each other) to avoid bias in the evaluation.

Any submission received after the deadline is reviewed afterwards for possible inclusion in the following issue of PORTUSplus.

Peer Review Process

The papers are submitted to evaluation through anonymous procedure by part at least two members of the Panel of Reviewers, composed by prestigious academics and experts in different disciplines (planners, architects, engineers, geographers, historians, sociologists, etc.), with the collaboration of Scientific Advisory Board and Editorial Board members.

The contributions are evaluated on the basis of the specific criteria (originality of approach and methodology; scientific-academic level; quality and clarity of content; completeness and order of presentation; importance in disciplinary sector; scope of application of results; contribution to the international debate, illustrations, references; etc.), relying on competence and experience of Reviewers in thematic fields of interest for the Journal.

Publication of Selected Papers

The papers, selected by the Editors in accordance with the indications by Reviewers, are published in PORTUSplus with the ISSN code (2039-6422), the International Standard Serial Number that identifies uniquely a serial publication.

The articles will be published collectively, after the completion of the review and editing process, as part of a single issue of the Journal, with the table of contents.

The papers will be available on the Journal website at the latest by the end of December 2023.

Open Access

All articles published on PORTUSplus are made freely and permanently accessible via the internet, immediately upon the publication, without restrictions, charges and embargo period. The articles are available to a wide audience and internationally, on the principle that the open access support a greater exchange of knowledge and experiences.

License

All articles published in the PORTUSplus are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND) which allows an restricted use of the works: to copy, distribute, display and perform only verbatim copies of the work, not instead derivative works and remixes based on it (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Any of the above conditions can be waived only with the permission of the Author(s) and Publisher.

As for instead the papers presented to the Journal, the Author(s) represents and warrants that contents, figures, tables and all other materials produced have been created and processed personally, and do not infringe in any way the existing copyrights, or the rights of any third party.

Journal Policies

The Journal makes available on the website all its policies, which include detailed information about submission, editorial processes, guidelines for different users, copyright, etc. All parties involved in the production activities and process are being introduced and informed around their rights and responsibilities to ensure smooth and ethical publishing process.

Scientific Editor

Carola HEIN, Doctor of Engineering. Full Professor and Head, Chair “History of Architecture and Urban Planning” at the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment. Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands. Professor at Leiden University, Erasmus University, UNESCO Chair Water, Ports and Historic Cities.

Editor In Chief

Oriana GIOVINAZZI, Architect, Journalist. PhD in Urban Planning and Publics Policies, IUAV University of Venice, Italy. Editorial Coordinator and Managing Director of PORTUS Magazine. RETE - International Association for the Collaboration between Ports and Cities, Venice, Italy.

Email: info@portusplus.org