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Port Governance & the Implications of Institutional fragmentation: lessons from Colombia
What are the implications of institutional fragmentation in port governance? PortEconomics members Gordon Wilmsmeier and Thanos Pallis, the founder of PortEconomics - along with Sebastian Leon Schorch and Diana Lisseth Trujillo - explore the issue in their recently published port study titled “Port Governance and the Implications of Institutional Fragmentation: Lessons from Colombia” The research - published in open access format in Research in Transportation Business & Management - has gained insights from the dialogues on...
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What is happening in 2024 in the container ports of the Americas?
PortEconomics members Ricardo J. Sánchez and Eliana P. Barleta highlight that in the aftermath of the pandemic, the impact on container maritime trade was evident, as disruptions in global supply chains during the early months of 2020 affected international container trade. With the reopening of markets and the revival of economies, an increase in cargo movement was observed across all regions in 2021. However, global maritime activity experienced a slowdown following the onset of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, coupled with the...
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A new conception of port governance under climate change
In their latest paper, Jason Monios, Gordon Wilmsmeier - together with Gustavo Andres Martínez Tello, and Lara Pomaska -explore the evolving landscape of port governance in the context of climate change. Titled A New Conception of Port Governance Under Climate Change and published in the Journal of Transport Geography, the study argues that the complexities of climate change demand reevaluating how ports are managed. The authors highlight the increasingly polycentric nature of port governance, driven by the need for both mitigation and...
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PortGraphic: top 15 EU container ports in H1 2024
PortEconomics member Theo Notteboom compiled a table showing the year-on-year TEU growth in the top 15 EU container ports in H1 2024: While 2023 was characterized by a strong to moderate traffic decline in most ports, the first half of 2024 brought double-digit growth in 7 of the top 15 ports. The effects of the Red Sea crisis and the associated shipping network modifications are traceable in the West Med and the Atlantic coast, with Sines, Barcelona, and Valencia all recording robust growth. Gioia Tauro's growth accelerated in...
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Investment in European ports, challenges and opportunities from a circular economy perspective
by Peter W. de Langen In line with their “Memorandum for the European Elections”, the European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) recently published the “Port Investment Study 2024”, as an update of the ESPO 2018 study. This study shows that the changing and wider role of ports, comes with new and wider responsibilities and investment needs. Dr. Peter de Langen assisted ESPO with the survey, analyzed the responses, and co-authored the final report. Circular Flanders asked Dr. Peter de Langen to also reflect on the investments of...
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The socioeconomic impact of cruise activities: Heraklion, Greece
With cruise activities storming to new record levels, ports and destinations are reorganising their services and upgrading their infrastructures to sustainably host cruise calls and passengers. A critical part of this process is understanding the actual impact of cruise activities on a destination. In a recent study, PortEconomics members Thanos Pallis and George Vaggelas explored the socioeconomic impact of cruise activities in Heraklion, the major port (and city) on the island of Crete in Greece. The cruise port of Heraklion hosts...
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Renewable energy options for seaport cargo terminals with application to mega port Singapore
In the sphere of port sustainability, renewable energy options present a transformative potential for cargo terminal operations, particularly in mega ports like Singapore. In a recent study by Wei Yim Yap and PortEconomics co-director Theo Notteboom, titled "Renewable Energy Options for Seaport Cargo Terminals: Application to Mega Port Singapore," examines the feasibility and benefits of four renewable energy sources—underground thermal, solar, wind, and marine wave energy—in the context of seaport operations. The findings reveal...
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A Metric of Global Maritime Supply Chain Disruptions: The Global Supply Chain Stress Index (GSCSI)
The World Bank Group released a working paper titled "A Metric of Global Maritime Supply Chain Disruptions: The Global Supply Chain Stress Index" co-authored by Jean-Francois Arvis, Cordula Rastogi, Jean-Paul Rodrigue and Daria Ulybina. This paper explores the unprecedented disruptions in global containerized trade in recent years, emphasizing major events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2023 Panama Canal drought, and attacks in the Red Sea. These disruptions have caused significant delays and inefficiencies in maritime logistics,...
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