European Port Policy
European Port Policy
European Port Policy
Levels of global port integrity
The levels of port integrity around the globe and the development of a Global Port Integrity Platform has been the theme of an initiative that is currently developed by the Maritime Anti- Corruption Network (MACN), with the contribution of PortEconomics members Thanos Pallis, Gordon Wilmsmeier, Evie Kladaki and Luisa Fernanda Spaggiari Castro. The Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN) is a global business network working on several initiatives serving the vision of a maritime industry free of...
European Port Policy
Carriers investments in container terminals destined to alter calls schedule
Carriers announcements that they have acquired stakes in container terminal operations in North Europe, bring to the attention a port study that clearly demonstrates in a quantitative manner that ports have a much higher chance of receiving vessel calls of an alliance when one or more alliance members are having a terminal stake in the port. Big news from German ports in the last weeks. The first changes were noted in Hamburg as Cosco has undertaken a strategic investment to receive a 35% minority share in the Tollerort terminal operated...
European Port Policy
Visibility and verifiability in port governance transparency
Transparency remains an under-analyzed topic in port research, and previous research has shown that port decision-making and governance reporting are inconsistent across countries. While transparency might be imposed through legislation or voluntarily adopted, effective transparency also includes (a) an organization’s willingness to consistently communicate and make transparent information available to internal or external stakeholders and (b) the stakeholder`s expectations on the visibility and verifiability of information. Ιn...
European Port Policy
National Integrated Maritime Policies: vision formulation, regional embeddedness
Integrated maritime policies (IMPs) provide a comprehensive governance framework to support the sustainable use of the seas and oceans while ensuring a horizon of prosperity for the population of the surrounding coastal regions. PortEconomics co-director Theo Notteboom along with Hubert Paridaens (Antwerp Maritime Academy), developed a study, published in the academic journal Sustainability, on how IMP governance can be arranged to support more effective policy integration. The authors identify and discuss a number of key strategic and...
European Port Policy
The Analyst: unconventional steps to combat crime?
Drug crime has been present in ports for centuries and is unlikely to ever go away, writes Peter de Langen. In some ports, like Rotterdam and Antwerp, much more attention has been given to drug crime recently. It is increasingly clear that workers in various activities, such as terminals, container depots and warehouses are vulnerable. Criminal groups actively try to get these workers to work for them. Given the huge ‘street value’ of drugs, the financial benefits for the workers are huge. Yet it does not stop there,...
European Port Policy
Future scenarios for maritime transport in Europe
The IV Strategic Plan of the Port of Barcelona, recently presented, includes a projection on the maritime traffic trends in Europe for 2040. PortEconomics member Peter de Langen partnered with the consulting firm blueFocus, analyze these trends two decades ahead to establish long-term traffic forecasts. Given the difficulties in making reliable forecasts, the scenario technique was used to predict this future. This is how the four scenarios arise in the IV Strategic Plan of the Port of Barcelona. The starting point of the maritime traffic...
European Port Policy
GREPORT 2020: all about Greek ports
Download GREPORT 2020 here GREPORT2020, the third edition of the biannual report on Greek ports is now available to be freely downloaded via PortEconomics. The report contains sections on Latest developments in Greek port policyCargo throughput trendsPassenger movementsFinancial standing of Greek portsDevelopments per port The third edition of the flagship report for Greek ports contains an additional section "Focus" containing a review of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Greek port system and the evolution of Greek...
European Port Policy
PortGraphic: how big is the Antwerp-Zeebrugge merger?
About two weeks ago, the port authorities of Antwerp and Zeebrugge in Belgium announced they are starting the process towards a full merger. The new merged entity will bear the name "Port of Antwerp-Bruges". Theo Nottteboom, PortEconomics co-director, comments "While the transition to a low-carbon port is high on the agenda, the merger will also create a large container port complex combining the large upstream facilities of Antwerp with coastal container terminals in Zeebrugge. Combined these terminals handled about 13.8 million TEU...
European Port Policy