A theory on the co-evolution of seaports with application to container terminal development in the Rhine-Scheldt Delta

How do seaports evolve in relation to each other? Recent studies in port economics and transport geography focused on how supply chain integration has structurally changed the competitive landscape in which individual ports and port actors operate. Port regionalization has been addressed as the corresponding new phase in the spatial and functional evolution of port systems. However, these studies lack theoretical foundations that allow us to empirically assess both the role of the institutional context and of strategic agency in the competitive (spatial and functional) evolution of regional (integrated) port systems. The paper presents a theoretical framework to analyze and understand the co- evolution of seaports in a regional context by making use of the concept of windows of opportunity. The empirical part will unravel the role of seaport-based co-evolution in the processes aimed at positioning market players and ports on the container scene in the Rhine-Scheldt Delta.co-evolution, seaports, regionalization, institutions, economic geography

Hacker Combat: A Competitive Sport from Programmatic Dueling & Cyberwarfare

The history of humanhood has included competitive activities of many different forms. Sports have offered many benefits beyond that of entertainment. At the time of this article, there exists not a competitive ecosystem for cyber security beyond that of conventional capture the flag competitions, and the like. This paper introduces a competitive framework with a foundation on computer science, and hacking. This proposed competitive landscape encompasses the ideas underlying information security, software engineering, and cyber warfare. We also demonstrate the opportunity to rank, score, & categorize actionable skill levels into tiers of capability. Physiological metrics are analyzed from participants during gameplay. These analyses provide support regarding the intricacies required for competitive play, and analysis of play. We use these intricacies to build a case for an organized competitive ecosystem. Using previous player behavior from gameplay, we also demonstrate the generation of an artificial agent purposed with gameplay at a competitive level

Flexibility in Port Selection: A Quantitative Approach Using Floating Stocks

Ports provide a number of logistical choices concerning storage, onward transport, and postponement. We investigatethe routing flexibility offered by ports with a central location with respect to the hinterland. This flexibilityis investigated using an illustrative case in which a number of alternative strategies are evaluated by means ofsimulation. Detailed cost data was used for the illustrative case. The combination of a simulation model anddetailed cost data allows us to quantify the value of the rerouting flexibility. A combination of using regionaldistribution centers and a European Distribution Center results in the lowest cost per container.supply chain;floating stock;intermodal transport;inventories;port selection

Regulation of Port Charges in Spain: Global versus Local Competition

This article examines the determinants of traffic volumes and the revenues per tonne generated by Spain’s port authorities. The interest of the study lies on the strong differences between port authorities in a context of strict regulation but that provides some scope for price competition. We find that port charges influence the amount of traffic that a port is able to generate. Furthermore, we find clear evidence of local price competition and report mixed results for global competition. Revenues per tonne are higher in ports operating more international regular lines and with multinational terminal operators, while they are lower in ports with nearby competing facilities and where the market share of the dominant shipping firm is high

The Post-War Port Industry Development Models: the Effects on the Economic Development of the Port’s Hinterland.

The economic development of the port industry that followed the Second World War was based upon two economic theories trends. Until the late 70’s the model based on Keynesianism forms the basic idea for ownership, infrastructure, investment, pricing policy and role of ports. Since the early 80’s neoliberalism is adopted as a new model of development oversetting what was taken for granted until now and employing a new basis for the port production. Within this framework container ports are the spearhead. The reformed container port industry focuses on container terminals as links in the logistics’ chain with effectiveness in port production and in the integrated logistics’ chain being their main aim. For this purpose private investment and private port operators come forth. This paper tries to examine whether and in what ways the modern port affects the economic development of its local (port city) or broader (region) hinterland. How is this accomplished in the age of globalized economy?

ANALYSIS OF THE BENEFITS OF INTRA-PORT COMPETITION

Intra-port competition is widely regarded as beneficial, for the competitiveness of ports, for local and national economies and for consumers and exporting industries. The aim of the paper is to analyse the benefits resulting from the presence of intra-port competition. Even though this issue has been addressed before, a thorough and complete overview of the effects of intra-port competition, enabling conditions for intra-port competition and policies in case of lacking intra-port competition are absent. The paper presents first a short overview of previous studies dealing with intra-port competition. Second, it discusses the two main arguments underlying the benefits of intra-port competition. In this context, attention is given to the relation between intra-port and inter-port competition. Third, the paper examines the conditions under which these arguments are valid and intra-port competition can be introduced. Possible policy responses to limited or absent intra-port competition are discussed in this section as well. Fourth, the need to introduce effects of intra-port competition in port modelling is briefly. Finally, the paper presents empirical evidence of the effects of intra-port competition.ports, intra-port competition, regulation, port policies

Compositional data techniques for the analysis of the container traffic share in a multi-port region

The statistical techniques based on compositional data are applied to investigate the evolution of the traffic share of the container throughput in a multi-port system. Compositional vectors are those which contain relative information of parts of some whole. The application of conventional statistical techniques to compositional data may lead to erroneous conclusions and spurious correlations. Therefore, compositional data (CoDa) should be treated taking into account their own mathematical structure. The so-called log-ratio approach provides a set of transformations that allow to apply conventional statistical techniques to the transformed compositional data samples. Thus, the objective of this paper is double. As a first stage it aims to introduce the CoDa formalism and highlight its potentiality in the port container throughput analysis as example of transport system providing an applied example: the container throughput evolution in the Spanish Mediterranean Ports system during the period 1976–2015. Second, based on the previous analysis, the aim is to characterize the container throughput in SpanishMed ports and its temporal evolution. The CoDa analysis clarifies the interpretation and data association of the container traffic throughput evolution in function of some selected change points: boom of containerization in 1990s and 2008 crisis. This contribution proves that the CoDa methodology is useful to investigate the complexity of the transport disciplines in order to understand and to manage the spatial integration that results from the movement of people and freight.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

INLAND/OCEAN WATERBORNE TRANSPORTATION INNOVATIONS AND PORT CHARGES

Public Economics,