Shipping Economics Definition of the Term Paper

As other have pointed out, ports need to be prepared to handle the carrier industry special characteristics, in terms of "frequency, punctuality, reliability and geographical coverage" (Slack, 1996).

Further more, ports need to be able to keep down the landslide costs, in close connection with some of the things I have previously mentioned when referring to dry bulk cargo and transportation. The competition, brought about by the growing demand and growing numbers of competitors, is more and more significant and ports need to be able to offer the best services at the lowest prices. This means operability, flexibility and productivity at low landslide costs.

The container shipping industry, due to the cost challenge and necessity that every carrier is facing, is currently facing a concentration phase, where many of the international carrier choose vertical integration solutions in order to cut down on costs and gain a cost advantage. This means that many are becoming interested in some of the terminals on the routes that they operate, this trend being quite common in Europe. Below we have a table representing this growing trend. As we can see, MAERSK has significantly invested in terminals in Rotterdam (largest port in Europe), with participations in Bremen and Gioia Tauro.

As a parallel between the two forms of transport and the two industries, many of the challenges they face are similar. These are closely related to keeping costs down and to managing the land infrastructure. Storage facility requirements seem to be the foremost issue that needs to be taken into account. Both types of carriers require storage facilities in the terminals they use. As a difference, the pollution and environmental issue seems more of a concern in the case of dry bulk carriers that the container carrier, from obvious causes.

Presentation

Dry Bulk Carrier:

Commodities carried in bulk

Environmental issues, storage facilities, public safety requirements

Container Carriers

Highly competitive industry => the need to keep costs down => high proportion of landslide costs in overall costs => Many carriers have bought participations in terminals

Storage facilities - most serious requirement.The others more negligible

Bibliography

1. All data from ISL Publication SSMR Market Analysis No. 6. Executive Summary. On the Internet at http://www.isl.org/products_services/publications/samples/cargo.shtml. enor at http://www.isl.org/products_services/publications/pdf/COMM_6-04_short.pdf

2. Notteboom, Theo. Container Shipping and Ports: An Overview. Institute of Transport and Maritime Management Antwerp (ITMMA), University of Antwerp. Review of Network Economics Vol.3, Issue 2 - June 2004.

3. South Carolina State Ports Authority. On the Internet at http://www.port-of-charleston.com/online_tools/glossary.asp?first_letter=B

4. The Dry Cargo Industry. International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners (INTERCARGO). On the Internet at http://www.intercargo.org/index.htm

5. Maritime and Port Economics. University of Genoa - Professor Enrico Musso. On the Internet at http://www.enricomusso.it/lecture.html

6. Title 62.1 Waters of the State, Ports and Harbors. On the Internet at http://legis.state.va.us/codecomm/digest/2001/dig0168.htm

South Carolina State Ports Authority. On the Internet at http://www.port-of-charleston.com/online_tools/glossary.asp?first_letter=B

The Dry Cargo Industry. International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners (INTERCARGO). On the Internet at http://www.intercargo.org/index.htm

Maritime and Port Economics. University of Genoa - Professor Enrico Musso. On the Internet at http://www.enricomusso.it/lecture.html

Title 62.1 Waters of the State, Ports and Harbors. On the Internet at http://legis.state.va.us/codecomm/digest/2001/dig0168.htm

All data from ISL Publication SSMR Market Analysis No. 6. Executive Summary. On the Internet at http://www.isl.org/products_services/publications/samples/cargo.shtml. enor at http://www.isl.org/products_services/publications/pdf/COMM_6-04_short.pdf

Notteboom, Theo. Container Shipping and Ports: An Overview. Institute of Transport and Maritime Management Antwerp (ITMMA), University of Antwerp. Review of Network Economics Vol.3, Issue 2 - June 2004......