Viewpoints
Viewpoints
Viewpoints
The Analyst: starting on the right footing
COMMENT: Last year was a year of differing fortunes for Belgium seaports, writes Peter de Langen. Volumes in Zeebrugge dropped by over 20%, from more than 2m teu to slightly over 1.5m teu, and PSA decided to close down its container terminal in the port. Meanwhile, volumes in Antwerp grew. Antwerp grew with roughly the amount of volumes that was lost in Zeebrugge, and here MSC and PSA are expanding and relocating their jointly operated terminal. Antwerp Port Authority is also pushing ahead with the development of a new dock, the so...
Viewpoints
Refections on quality in ports
The combination the three port products- 1. Transport hub, 2. Value-added logistics hub and 3. Industry, the strengthens of the overall port complex and the market segments for these three products were at the centre of PortEconomics co-director Peter de Langen presentation during the two-days workshop organised by the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport, on 21-22 February in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Peter focused on the Golf Cooperation Countries (GCC) transition challenges and analysed the quality for container...
Viewpoints
The Analyst: integration key to development
By Peter de Langen COMMENT: In many countries, port development and the development of, often adjacent, sites for industrial activities is traditionally done by different, state-owned entities, writes Peter de Langen. This is the case in South Africa, where one organisation is responsible for Coega port and another is responsible for the adjacent industrial zone. Similar examples can be seen in Brazil and Indonesia. There are ongoing discussions about the benefits of an integrated model. I would argue that such an integrated...
Viewpoints
Portgraphic: Top 15 european container ports in 2015
By Theo Notteboom The portgraphic shows the top 15 container ports in the European Union in 2015 based on container throughput expressed in TEU. It also includes container growth figures compared to 2014 and pre-crisis year 2007. What can we observe? 1. The total volume of the top 15 ports saw a small traffic decline of 1.6% compared to 2014, or one of the worst y-o-y growth figures in Europe's container history. Only the dramatic year 2009 brought a larger drop in container throughput handled by the top 15 ports (i.e....
Viewpoints
PortGraphic: economic crisis and ports - the greek case
By George Vaggelas The Greek economy is going through the eighth year of economic recession as the economic crisis in Greece started at the end of 2008 and continues today. In this environment, Greek ports tried to respond to a series of challenges such as the reduction in consumption in the internal market, the reduction in the competitiveness of the Greek economy as well as some inherent challenges such as the resuction of ports personnel. The PortGraphic outlines how Greek ports (and more specifically the 12 ports operating as Societe...
Viewpoints
Using information and making more of existing infrastructure
By Jonas Constante According to a recent report by the consulting firm Mckinsey & Co, across Europe as a whole, infrastructure congestion costs 1% of GDP. In 2013, globally, $400 billion a year could be saved by making more of existing infrastructure through improved demand management and maintenance. The digitalization can create value for private and public stakeholders involved in the logistic port sector through various initiatives, among which we highlight: i) eGovernment and the creation of administrative single...
Viewpoints
Thoughts to share: Why and how to measure port performance?
How to measure port performance? Logistics performance is a strong determinant of national economic competitiveness. Understanding and decomposing the components of logistics performance can help countries to improve efficiency of logistics systems as well as the functioning of related infrastructures, services, procedures and regulations. A sound and comprehensive set of national-level performance indicators is critical for high-level policy dialogue, preparation and implementation. Invited to participate in the Roundtable on Logistics...
Viewpoints
PortGraphic: big vessels are not, yet, calling Black Sea ports
By Thanos Pallis Within the first 15 years of the 21st century cruise passenger movements in the Black See ports increased remarkably, the cruise ports in the region hosted in 2014 a total of 204.351 cruise passenger movements and 359 cruise vessel calls. Fifteen years earlier, just 55.237 cruise passenger movements were recorded at the very same ports, with the number of cruise calls standing at just 87 calls in aggregate. The PortGrafic presents a distinctive feature of cruise development in the region: Contrary to what has happened in...
Viewpoints