Thomas Vitsounis is a Research Fellow (Jean Monnet in European Port Policy) at the Department of Shipping, Trade and Transport (STT), School of Business, University of the Aegean. He was previously a PENED Research Fellow at the same Department, where he completed a PhD (2011) on the theme of “Balanced Port Performance Analysis: Port Users and Service providers Interactions, Generation of Relationships, and Measurement of Perceived Value”.
His scientific interests include port economics, policy and management - especially port performance measurement and users’ satisfaction – as well as liner shipping competition and international maritime policy.
Since 2010, Thomas has a key role in the “Port Performance Indicators: Selection and Measurement – PPRISM” project, undertaken by the European Seaports Organization (ESPO) and researchers from several European Universities, Thomas acts as coordinator of the academic partners and the industry. He also contributes as a Teaching Assistant to the undergraduate and postgraduate programs of STT- University of the Aegean, teaching in the courses: Maritime Economics, International Maritime Policy, Port Planning & Policy, Port Management and European Port Policy.
Thomas is the (co-)author of scientific papers published in scientific journals and presented in international scientific conferences, that examine issues related to port management, economics and competition, port performance measurement, port trends, challenges and opportunities, as well as coastal shipping concentration measurement and evaluation, and have been. He has also participated in research projects examine the structures of coastal and maritime markets, the development of national and European policies, the evaluation of European policies and the competitiveness of Greek seafarers – contributing as a research assistant in the books: “Transport: Life arteries for the islands” (in Greek), and “Greek shipping, employment and competitiveness” (in Greek).
Since 2006, he is the secretary of the Hellenic Association of Maritime Economist (HAME). He is also a founding member and technical administrator of PortEconomics.gr & Porteconomics.eu two web-based initiatives advancing knowledge exchange on port economics, management & policies. Thomas holds a BSc (Shipping Trade and Transport, Aegean, Gr 2004), an MSc (Shipping Transport & Transport, Aegean, Gr, 2005) and a PhD (Shipping Trade and Transport, School of Business, University of the Aegean, Greece, 2011).

• “Port Performance Indicators: Selection and Measurement (PPRISM)” Research project for the European Seaports Organization (ESPO), January 2010-December 2011, Junior Researcher, Academic coordinator

• “The dynamic evaluation of the Greek ferry system using KPI's. The Users' view” Research Study for the Institute of Local Government (ITA), Greece, June 2008 – January 2009,Scientific Associate, Research Group of the University of the Aegean

• “Analysis of the implication of the European Commission’s Green Paper on Maritime Policy” Research Study for the Centre for Analysis and Strategy, Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs & the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP). January 2007-June 2008, Scientific Associate, Research Group of the University of the Aegean

• “Transport: Lifelines for the Islands” Research Study for the Institute of Local Government (ITA), Greece, February 2006 – April 2006, Scientific Associate, Research Group of the University of the Aegean

• “Greek Shipping, Employment and Competitiveness” Research for the Union of Greek Seafarers, May 2006–September 2006, Scientific Associate, Research Group of the University of the Aegean 

• Pallis, A.A., Vitsounis, T.K., De Langen, P.W. and Notteboom, T.E. (2011, iFirst) Port Economics, Policy and Management – Content Classification and Survey, Transport Reviews, iFirst. 

• Pallis A.A., Vitsounis T.K. and De Langen P.W. (2010). Research in Port Economics, Policy and Management: A Review, Transport Reviews, 30(1), 115-161. 

Refereed Journals

J.1 Pallis, A.A., Vitsounis, T.K., De Langen, P.W. and Notteboom, T.E. (2011, iFirst) Port Economics, Policy and Management – Content Classification and Survey, Transport Reviews, iFirst. 

J.2 Pallis A.A., Vitsounis T.K. and De Langen P.W. (2010). Research in Port Economics, Policy and Management: A Review, Transport Reviews, 30(1), 115-161.
 

Under Review 

R.1 Lekakou, M., Vitsounis, T.K. (under review, 2010). Measuring market concentration in Greek coastal waters.

Book Chapters

Ch.1 Pallis, A.A. and Vitsounis, T.K. (2010). Key Interactions and Drivers towards Port Users Satisfaction. In: Hall, P.V., McCalla, R., Slack, B. and Comtois, C. (2010) Integrating Seaports and Trade Corridors», pp. 119-136, Aldershot: Ashgate (*). 

Ch.2 Vitsounis, T.K. and Pallis, A.A. (2011, forthcoming) Interaction, Relationship and Value Generation in Supply Chain Oriented Ports. In: Song D.W. and Panayides, P. (2011, forthcoming) Maritime Logistics: Contemporary Issues, Emerald, forthcoming.

(*) Denotes full-text reviews book chapters.
 

International Conference Papers (full-text review)

C.1 Vitsounis, T.K. and Pallis, A.A. (2010). Creating value for port users: Port value chains and the role of interdependencies. International Association of Maritime Economists Conference 2010, (CD ROM) Lisbon, Portugal.  

C.2 Pallis, A.A. and Vitsounis, T.K. (2009). Ports in Supply Chains: Measuring Users’ Value and Satisfaction. “Integrating Maritime Transport in Value Chains’ International Workshop”, Montreal, June 10 - 12, 2009.

C.3 Pallis, A.A., Vitsounis, T.K., De Langen, P.W. and Notteboom, T.E. (2009). A content analysis of published research in port economics, policy and management (1997-2008). International Association of Maritime Economists Conference 2009, (CD ROM) Copenhagen, Denmark.   

C.4 Pallis, A.A. and Vitsounis, T.K. (2009). Drivers towards users’ satisfaction in container ports - An exploratory study, International Association of Maritime Economists Conference 2009, (CD ROM) Copenhagen, Denmark.   

C.5 Pallis, A.A. and Vitsounis, T.K. (2009). Port performance: Measuring port users perspectives. World Conference on Transport Research – Special Interest Groups 2 2009, Antwerp, Belgium. 

C.6 Lekakou, M., Vitsounis, T.K. (2008). Measuring market concentration in Greek coastal waters. International Association of Maritime Economists Conference 2008, (CD ROM) Dalian, China. 

C.7 Pallis A.A., Vitsounis T.K. and Langen P.W. de (2008). Port Economics, Policy and Management: Bibliometric and Content analysis of published research. International Association of Maritime Economists Conference 2008, (CD ROM) Dalian, China.

C.8 Pallis A.A. and Vitsounis T.K. (2008). Towards an Alternative Measurement of Port Performance: Externally Generated Information and Users’ Satisfaction. International Forum of Shipping, Ports and Airports 2008, (CD ROM) Hong-Kong, May, 2008.  

C.9 Lekakou, M., Xydeas, E., Vitsounis, T.K. (2007). An Investigation of the Greek Coastal Shipping Market in the Aegean Archipelago. 1st International Scientific Conference of the Hellenic Institute of Transportation Engineers, University of the Aegean, Greece, Chios, 10-12 May 2007.

C.10 Pallis A.A. Langen P.W. de and Vitsounis T.K. (2007). Port Research: Research Networks, Themes and Methods in Port Economics, Management and Policies. 11th World Conference on Transport Research, (proceedings: CD-Rom format), Berkley CA, US June 2007. 

C.11 Pallis A.A., Vaggelas G.K. and Vitsounis T.K. (2007). Improving Port Services Competitiveness: Trends, Challenges and Opportunities. XVII Conference of European Research Network on Services and Space, Finland, September 2007.

Contributions in Books (acting as Research Assistant)

CB.1 Theotokas G. Lekakou M.B., Pallis, A.A., Syriopoulos T. and Tsamourgelis G. (2008). Greek Shipping, Employment, Competitiveness, Athens: Gutenberg. 

CB.2 Chlomoudis K., Lekakou M., Panou K., Papadimitriou E., Syriopoulos Th. and Tzannatos E. (2007). Transport: Life arteries for the islands, Athens: Papazisi.

Newspapers Articles

N.1 Studies in Shipping, Transport and International Trade: Corresponding to the needs of the globalised Greek-owned shipping (with Vaggelas G. and Progoulaki M.) (in Greek). “Naftika Chronika”, No 125, December 2009.

N.2 Greek ports industry: Competitiveness strategies, with Pallis A.A., “Imerisia – Special edition Shipping, June 2009

N.3 Greek container ports competitiveness: Users perspectives do matter, with Pallis A.A., “Naftika Chronika”, English edition, No 122 May 2009.

N.4 Codification of purchasing activities of a maritime company, “Logistics and Management”, Vol. 48, July – August 2006, pp. 44-45.

Scientific & Professional Meetings

M.1 Vitsounis, T.K. (2009) “Vital questions of Greek ports seeking answers”, Hellenic Chamber Transport Association meeting, 22 May, Piraeus.