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Report on port activity of Latin America and the Caribbean 2018
Container throughput in ports of Latin America and the Caribbean increased by 7.7% in 2018 in comparison with the previous year, according to Port Activity Report of Latin America and the Caribbean 2018 by ECLAC. This analysis is based on the performance of a sampling of 31 countries and 118 ports and port areas in the region. According to the data of the sampling compiled by ECLAC, in 2018 the East Coast of South America (ECSA) recorded a 12% increase in the activity of ports and port areas, measured in terms of volume. Meanwhile,...
PortStudies
Models of cruise ports governance
The last two decades the structure, strategies, and operational frameworks of cruise ports changed in too many respects. Infrastructure renewal and construction has been accompanied by a wave of reform in cruise ports governance. Cruise ports management has matured with sophisticated strategies involving port professionals and linked port service providers and stakeholders. Operational practices have been reformed serving the changing features of the deployed (bigger) vessels and the modern cruise product. The reorganisations have in...
PortStudies
Ιnternationalization of port managing bodies
PortEconomics members Michaël Dooms, Larissa Van Der Lugt, Francesco Parola, Giovanni Satta, joined by Dong-Wook Song (World Maritime University) in their latest port study, published at the scientific journal Maritime Policy and Management, aimed to establish a framework being conceptually able to explain a variety of internationalization strategies and related activities employed by port managing bodies (PMBs), as defined by the European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) in 2018, considering their hybrid nature. Having identified a potential to...
PortStudies
The Nicaragua Canal: potential impact on international shipping and its attendant challenges
The construction of an interoceanic canal in Nicaragua, a longstanding controversy, has once again become a source of concern in recent years, in both the global shipping industry and the world at large. Since the canal was green-lighted by the Nicaraguan government, scientists and specialists have sharply criticized its potential to inflict lasting environmental and societal damage. The vocal doubts raised by many experts regarding the canal’s feasibility have resulted in several recent postponements of construction. Studies of the...
PortStudies
Are container volumes in transhipment hubs more volatile than in gateway ports?
PortEconomics members Theo Notteboom, Francesco Parola and Giovanni Satta co-authored a study "The relationship between transhipment incidence and throughput volatility in North European and Mediterranean container ports". This study has recently been published in Journal of Transport Geography (74, pages 371-381). It is often argued that ports with a high sea-sea transhipment share (T/S) are more vulnerable than gateway ports which rely more on hinterland cargo. It is less clear whether the vulnerability of T/S oriented container ports...
PortStudies
PortReport 3 | Reflections on the future of container ports in view of the new containerization behavior
Download PortReport No 3 - Reflections on the future of container ports in view of the new containerization behavior. Almost from its inception, there has been a clear upward trend in the disruptive force of the container during its use. However, a relative decrease in container movement has been seen in recent years although the explanation of which goes beyond disturbances in the world economy. PortEconomics member Ricardo Sanchez along with Eliana Barleta notice that the inter-annual change in throughput with respect to changes in GDP is...
PortStudies
The relations between dry port characteristics and regional port-hinterland settings: findings for a global sample of dry ports
The latest port study of PortEconomics member Theo Notteboom co-authored with Lam Canh Nguyen (Vietnam Maritime University) aims at defining generic characteristics of dry ports by carrying out an analysis using a large sample of dry ports from around the world. The dataset included in the study details on 107 inland terminals worldwide. All dry ports in the database have been selected from studies in the extant literature before being shortlisted to fit our research scope. Data collected include terminologies used, actors driving the...
PortStudies
Cruise shipping and green ports: a strategic challenge
Cruise is a maritime activity on continuous growth for more than three decades. With the positive direct and indirect impacts diffused to the port cities or nearby touristic destinations, cruise seaports are gaining importance. The interest in hosting more cruise calls and cruise passenger movements has been supported, in general, by broader communities and decision makers. Still growing cruise business, like any other economic activity, is also associated with externalities raising social, economic, and environmental questions and...
PortStudies