The origins of the Association date back to 2001, when, on the basis of a protocol of agreement signed between Spanish, Portuguese and Italian ports and cities, the initial core of the institution was created in Lisbon under the name “RETE 2001“. Its promoters chose the name RETE, an Italian expression meaning “network”, “red”in Spanish”, “rede” in Portuguese and “network” in English, a term which, together with the phrase “for the collaboration between ports and cities”, clearly explains the mission of the Association.

The work carried out in this initial phase, the scientific and professional approach to port-city relations and the growing number of new members, led to the creation of the Association, which acquired its formal identity in Venice in April 2004.
With the aim of becoming an international network of port cities and ports, RETE has been contributing to the understanding of the port cities phenomena three main areas of activity: the “Advanced Nodes”, training and dissemination, in particular with its two journals: the PORTUS magazine and the PORTUSplus journal.