Course on Port Design in Urban Areas
Online course of 300 hours in port design in urban areas. 6 modules covering the port-city relationship, port planning, port infrastructure design, operation and access, and port sustainability, applying Royal Legislative Decree 2/2011, ROM 3.1-99 and ROM 2.0-11 with AutoCAD Civil 3D, with an assigned technical tutor.
Course on Port Design in Urban Areas — studying from Australia
Australia's infrastructure pipeline is substantial, covering roads, rail, ports, water and urban development across major cities such as Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth. Rail engineering is especially active, with projects including Sydney Metro and Melbourne Metro. Smart city initiatives draw on sensors, data platforms and digital twins to improve transport, utilities and public services. Employers include state transport authorities, engineering consultancies such as Aurecon and WSP, and major contractors. Engineers work on design, asset management, construction oversight and sustainability.
Fees for Australia: A$712 (AUD), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Australia
Typical roles
Questions from Australia
Does a SEIUM qualification meet Australian civil engineering registration requirements?
No. Civil engineers in Australia typically need an Engineers Australia accredited degree to pursue Chartered status, and state and territory rail and infrastructure regulators set their own requirements. SEIUM's private qualifications are not accredited by these bodies, so employers or regulators decide how much weight they carry.
Which Australian employers hire in civil, rail and smart cities?
Australia has public infrastructure agencies, rail operators, engineering consultancies and councils working on urban and smart city projects. Employers usually prioritise accredited qualifications, licensing and project experience. Ask potential employers whether a private online qualification would be considered alongside your experience.
Is the course workable alongside work, and what does it cost?
The courses are 100% online and taught in English, so you can study from anywhere in Australia without a student visa. Specialist courses take 300 hours, diplomas 800 and master's 1,900, so plan your time accordingly. Fees are payable in instalments, employer sponsorship may be possible, and you will have an assigned technical tutor.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Analyse the functional and urban relationship between port and city.
Plan the layout of a port in an urban area.
Design port infrastructure using the ROM Recommendations.
Integrate port access and mobility with the city.
Apply port sustainability and environmental protection criteria.
Assess the operability and safety of the facilities.
Prepare the preliminary design of a port integrated into the city.
Who it's for
- Port engineers.
- Port authority planning technicians.
- Waterfront urban planners.
- Port infrastructure consultants.
- Maritime project managers.
- Port environmental technicians.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to join port authorities.
What you'll work with
- Royal Legislative Decree 2/2011 (consolidated text of the Spanish State Ports and Merchant Navy Act)
- ROM 3.1-99 (design of the maritime configuration of ports)
- ROM 2.0-11 (design and construction of berthing and mooring works)
- ROM 0.0-01 (general procedure and design bases for maritime and port works)
- MARPOL 73/78 (prevention of pollution from ships)
- ISPS Code (security of ships and port facilities)
- Regulation (EU) 2023/1804 (deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure)
- Law 21/2013 (environmental assessment)
- AutoCAD Civil 3D
- SMC (Coastal Modelling System)
- MIKE 21
- AnyLogic
- QGIS
6 modules
1.1Historical evolution of the port-city relationship1.2Port functions: commercial, fishing, leisure and cruise1.3The Spanish port model and port authorities1.4Port space utilisation plan1.5Urban integration of port waterfronts1.6Regeneration of port areas: Barcelona, Bilbao and Hamburg1.7Access mobility to the port1.8Urban conflicts and externalities1.9Port-city governance models1.10Case study: analysis of the port-city interface in Valencia
2.1Traffic and demand forecasting2.2Infrastructure master plans2.3Capacity of terminals and quays2.4Layout of docks and basins2.5Depths and navigation channels2.6Manoeuvrability and ROM 3.1-992.7Wave agitation and operability2.8Zoning of uses2.9Development phases2.10Practical exercise: sizing a cruise dock
3.1Gravity and piled quays3.2Floating pontoons and marinas3.3Fenders and moorings3.4Pavements for port yards3.5Yards and reclamations3.6Breakwaters in an urban setting3.7Dredging and material management3.8Port utility networks3.9Passenger maritime stations3.10Workshop: design of a marginal quay
4.1Road and rail access4.2Integration with public transport4.3Cruise terminals and passenger flows4.4Urban port logistics4.5Port community systems4.6Security and protection: ISPS Code4.7Internal emergency plan4.8Smart ports and digitalisation4.9Energy in the port: onshore power supply (OPS)4.10Lab: simulation of passenger flows
5.1Air quality in urban ports5.2Noise and light pollution5.3Water and sediment quality5.4Ship waste management (MARPOL)5.5Energy efficiency and renewables5.6Environmental management systems: PERS and EMAS5.7Adaptation to climate change5.8Public spaces and public uses5.9Communication with the community5.10Case study: quay electrification plan
6.1Analysis of the city and the existing port6.2Demand and uses study6.3Definition of the layout6.4Design of the main infrastructure6.5Access and mobility6.6Urban integration and public space6.7Environmental assessment of the proposal6.8Budget and construction phases6.9Report and presentation6.10Final project: final review with your tutor
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within the intake, so it fits around your work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is AutoCAD Civil 3D, SMC (Coastal Modelling System), MIKE 21, AnyLogic and QGIS, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Tests are studied on real procedures for sizing docks and channels, planning urban port waterfronts and planning port access and mobility. Assessment is continuous per module, plus the final project.
Standards covered: Royal Legislative Decree 2/2011, ROM 3.1-99, ROM 2.0-11, ROM 0.0-01, MARPOL 73/78, ISPS Code, Regulation (EU) 2023/1804, Law 21/2013.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior qualification is required.
- An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 300 hours over 3 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with AutoCAD Civil 3D, SMC (Coastal Modelling System), MIKE 21, AnyLogic and QGIS, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute certificate, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
No prior qualification is required; you need an internet connection, a computer able to run the programme software and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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