Maritime Policy & Management · 1995 · 160 citations · 7 references
Port IndustryEngineeringTransport LogisticTradePort EngineeringPort PolicyIndustrial OrganizationOperations ResearchBarrier To EntryIncreased CompetitionManagementLogisticsLogistics ModelAntitrust EnforcementPublic PolicyContainerizationFleet ManagementSupply Chain ManagementPort ManagementCost RecoveryCompetition PolicyBusinessBusiness StrategyRegulationMaritime Cooperation
Port competition increasingly centers on logistics performance, prompting questions about public policy, local autonomy, and the need for scale‑economy and inter‑port cooperation to enhance services. The paper argues that the port industry should adopt harmonized, cost‑recovery‑based policies grounded in economic principles as an international standard.
The increased competition faced by ports is more focused than previously on the performance of logistics systems of which the individual terminals in ports are critical hubs. The changes in competitive conditions raise issues about appropriate public port policies and strategies of port managements. This paper argucs that the port industry should (and is) moving in the direction of more harmonized policies based on economic principles. Port policies based on cost recovery from users of port facilities and services need to be adopted as the international standard. The competitive environment favours considerable local autonomy. Port management, in addition to possible direct responsibility for terminal management, needs to focus on activities with economies of scale or scope. Such activities, which span the requirements of terminals and may even warrant inter-port cooperation, enhance the services available for many port users.
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