The role of design in fostering circular strategies through digitalization in waterborne passenger urban mobility ecosystems

Waterborne mobility can promote more sustainable cities by reducing traffic congestion, energy consumption, noise, and pollution emissions, however, to fully realize its sustainable potential there are still challenges to overcome. Digitalization can play a critical role in enabling circular strategies and fostering a required holistic approach, which expands the circularity towards an ecosystem perspective and encourages long-term and comprehensive sustainable solutions. The article introduces an ongoing PhD research investigating how design strategies can support the stakeholders of the waterborne passenger mobility ecosystem in fostering circular practices through digitalization. The study addresses the issue through a systemic perspective aiming to define the waterborne passenger mobility (WPM) ecosystem and to identify criticalities and new opportunities for the sector to trigger circular economy using digital technologies. The research objectives and questions, the methodological framework, preliminary findings, and anticipated contributions are detailed.