Natural Resources Governance

Natural Resources Governance

Gap Analysis of the Implementation of Iranian Port Environmental Regulations in Comparison with International Port Environmental Management Standards

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Ehsan Shayanfar
Saber Ghasemi
Department of Environmental Science, Faculty of Natural Resources, Bandar Abbas Branch, Islamic Azad University, Bandar Abbas, Iran.
10.22059/jnrg.2026.411815.1099
Abstract
Objective: This study aimed to identify the implementation gap in Iran’s port environmental regulations in relation to the environmental governance framework and standards of the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH).
Method: A qualitative approach was adopted using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 12 experts and compared with international frameworks, including PERS, EMAS, ISO 14001, EcoPorts, and WPSP.
Results: The findings identified five major dimensions of the implementation gap: governance and institutional coordination; infrastructure and technological capacity; legal and regulatory systems; human capacity and organizational culture; and environmental management, monitoring, and continuous improvement. The main barriers included fragmented institutional governance, inadequate environmental monitoring and performance evaluation, insufficient green infrastructure and technological capacity, weak enforcement mechanisms, limited professional training, and inadequate integration of sustainability indicators into port management practices.
Conclusions: The findings indicate that reducing the environmental implementation gap in Iranian ports requires a shift from fragmented regulatory approaches toward an integrated environmental governance system. Strengthening institutional coordination, developing comprehensive environmental performance assessment mechanisms, modernizing green infrastructure, enhancing professional and organizational capacities, improving enforcement mechanisms, and incorporating sustainability indicators into port management can contribute to greater alignment between Iranian ports and international environmental standards. The study provides a framework for addressing implementation barriers and supporting more effective and sustainable environmental governance in Iranian ports.
Keywords
Environmental Regulations
Green Ports
IAPH
Implementation Gap
Port Governance.
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Natural Resources Governance
Volume 3, Issue 3
Summer 2026
Pages 75-90