 This course aims at analysing seaports and their development in a modern global context, taking into account both their multi-functionality and their potentiality to contribute to the welfare of regions and entire nations. Countries that have easy maritime access benefit from the advantages of an open economy. Moreover, their seaports often are a kind of trigger for achieving full economic development. The saying 'ports are more than piers' (MarAd, 1976) illustrates, that even for land-locked countries seaports play an important role whilst attaining full economic development.
Hence, seaports are quite important both from a macro-economic and microeconomic point of view. The conditions for achieving economic efficiency in port development therefore will be thoroughly examined. In practice it means that full attention will be paid at a complex of mostly interrelated economic issues. Within the framework of port economics, port planning and management, the following key issues are investigated:
- seaports and transport activities, i.e. seaports as the crucial links in product and transport chains;
- strategic port planning and port marketing;
- port statistics, port management, organizational structures in ports and port administration;
- port policy and the issues of subsidization, financing and investing in seaports,
- port competition and competitiveness;
- port labour and port productivity;
- port capacity and capacity utilization;
- port logistics and intermodality;
- port tariff systems and port charging principles;
- port industrialization, etc..
The course follows an entirely multi-perspective approach. That is to say, the viewpoint of the government, the port authority, as well as of the private enterprise located within the perimeter of the port, as well as all kinds of shippers or customers related issues (inside and outside the port) will be brought under discussion.
During lectures there will be some time for some project research or teamwork, whereas individual contributions through questions and comments of the students are always appreciated. The final evaluation will be based both upon these contributions and the oral defence of a port issue related paper, which is to be presented during the last session. A non-exhaustive list of potential topics will be made available in due course. In every presentation at least five keywords from the list of port economic keywords, which will be distributed during the first lecture, will have to be explained in detail.
Prof. Dr. W. WINKELMANS
Prof. Dr. T. NOTTEBOOM
|