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Exposure of Greek ports to marine flooding and extreme heat under climate change: an assessment
Monioudi, I.N.; Chatzistratis, D.; Moschopoulos, K.; Velegrakis, A.F.; Polydoropoulou, A.; Chalazas, T.; Bouhouras, E.; Papaioannou, G.; Karakikes, I.; Thanopoulou, H. (2025). Exposure of Greek ports to marine flooding and extreme heat under climate change: an assessment. Water 17(13): 1897. https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/w17131897
In: Water. MDPI: Basel. ISSN 2073-4441; e-ISSN 2073-4441
Peer reviewed article  
Available in  Authors 
Author keywords
    climate change; seaport resilience; coastal flood; extreme heat impacts; port operational thresholds
Authors  Top 
  • Monioudi, I.N.
  • Chatzistratis, D.
  • Moschopoulos, K.
  • Velegrakis, A.F.
  • Polydoropoulou, A.
  • Chalazas, T.
  • Bouhouras, E.
  • Papaioannou, G.
  • Karakikes, I.
  • Thanopoulou, H.
Abstract
    This study assesses the exposure of the 155 Greek seaports to marine flooding and extreme heat under climate change. Flood exposure was estimated through a threshold approach that compared projected mean and extreme sea levels to high-resolution port quay elevation data. It was found that while relatively few ports will face quay inundation, the majority will experience operational disruptions due to insufficient freeboard for berthing of commercial vessels under both the mean (80%) and extreme sea (96%) levels by 2050. For selected ports, 2-D flood modelling was undertaken that showed that the used ‘static’ flood threshold approach likely underestimates flood exposure. Future heat exposure was studied through the comparison of extreme temperature and humidity projections to operational and health/safety thresholds. Port infrastructure and personnel/users will be exposed to large material, operational and health risks, whereas energy demand will rise steeply. Deadly heat days (due to mean temperature/humidity combination) will increase, particularly at island ports: 20% of Greek ports might face more than 50 such days annually by end-century. As ports are associated with large urban clusters, these findings suggest a broader health risk. Our findings suggest an urgent climate adaptation need given the strategic socio-economic importance of ports.
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