Thematic Area
Thematic Area
Thematic Area
The emerging port: inland logistics of Amazon
By Jean-Paul Rodrigue The emergence of e-commerce has allowed for new forms of logistics and freight distribution that are starting to have noticeable impacts on ports and terminal operations. This digitalization of retail required the setting of physical distribution components relying on home deliveries, which include several facilities designed and positioned to answer demand promptly. E-commerce is a distributional form of consumption since demand is dependent on the available distribution capabilities, particularly its...
Thematic Area
PortEconomics coordinated CruiseDialogue2020 marked by success
PortEconomics has scientifically coordinated the most successful Cartagena Cruise Dialogue on “Cruise, Ports and Cities” which took place in Cartagena, de Indias, from 19 to 21 February 2020, Focused on “Preparing Ports, Cities, and Destinations for the next day of cruising”, the Cartagena dialogue involved a unique blending of industry and academia interactions. PortEconomics members involved in the study of cruise ports joined 100 participants and had the opportunity to discuss with cruise ports, destinations, and tourism...
Thematic Area
The role of seaports in green supply chain management
The latest portstudy of PortEconomics members Theo Noteboom and Larissa van der Lught along with Niels van Saase (Erasmus Centre for Urban, Port and Transport Economics (Erasmus UPT), Rotterdam, The Netherlands), Steve Sel and Kris Neyens (VIL-Flanders Innovation Cluster for Logistics, Antwerp, Belgium) analyzes the role of seaports in the greening of supply chains in two ways. First, the fields of action to pursue GSCM objectives in ports are identified and grouped. In the empirical part of the study, this typology is used to analyze green...
Thematic Area
Top 15 container ports in Europe in 2019: TEU volumes and growth rates
By Theo Notteboom The cargo volume handled remains a key performance indicator for ports. While also other indicators related to logistics performance, sustainability, innovation and economic impact are gaining ground, it remains relevant to observe how cargo volumes have evolved over time. The table shows the top 15 container ports in the European Union in 2019 based on container throughput expressed in TEU. It also includes container growth figures compared to 2018 and pre-crisis year 2007. The final TEU figures for Felixstowe were...
Thematic Area
The emergence of Piraeus port in the global shipping networks
By George Vaggelas A decade after the concession of Pier II to COSCO Pacific, followed by the construction and the commencing of operations of Pier III and three years after the sell of the 51% of the shares of Piraeus Port Authority SA to COSCO Shipping Co., the port of Piraeus is advancing among the top container ports in Europe and internationally. In 2018, Piraeus port was the second biggest container port in the Mediterranean, the sixth biggest in Europe and the 37th in the world. No doubt, the presence of an International Terminal...
Thematic Area
Port choice by intra-regional container service operators: decision-making techniques between Malaysian and other Asian ports
Intra-regional container service operators are challenged to design regular and reliable liner services connecting regional ports at the lowest cost and shortest transit time while considering customer demand. This port study of PortEconomics member Theo Notteboom co-authored by Noorul Shaiful Fitri Abdul Rahman (International Maritime College Oman, Sultanate of Oman), Muhamad Nasir Rahmatdin (University Malaysia Terengganu, Malaysia) and Mohammad Khairuddin Othman (University Malaysia Terengganu, Malaysia), focuses on the selection of ports...
Thematic Area
Port labour in the era of automation and digitalization. What’s next?
The maritime and port industry experiences significant changes due to technological, operational and organizational developments. PortEconomics member George Vaggelas co-authored with Camille Leotta (University of Genoa, Italy) a port study that investigates current and future challenges for port labour in the light of the main trends shaping the port competitive environment. In this perspective, the evolution of port labour is argued to be driven by technology related factor, i.e., digitalization and automation. Digitalization can increase...
Thematic Area
The European container port scene 2019 and outlook for 2020
By Theo Notteboom The year 2019 brought a range of challenges and opportunities for European container ports. In this contribution we summarize the main developments and present an outlook for 2020. Container volumes up, but concern about rising trade barriers The year 2019 will go down in history as a year that brought healthy container volume growth for most European container ports, although growth slowed down in the second quarter. The year-on-year growth figures for the top 15 European container ports in the first nine...
Thematic Area