From centrality to intermediacy in the global transport network? Ukraine’s trials and tribulations as a potential transit country

Ukraine currently is in a very complex economic and political situation, which in itself represents a pivotal point for its further recovery and evolution. Nevertheless, the rise of economic centres in Eastern and Central Europe creates opportunities for Ukraine to develop short sea shipping services (via the Black Sea) and water and land-based hub-feeder networks to and from these areas. This paper provides an academic study of the potential of Ukraine in taking up a role in emerging distribution systems in East and Central Europe facilitating the cargo transportation from regions such as Central Asia, Caucasus and even more distant overseas areas. Based on the concepts of intermediacy and centrality as introduced by Fleming and Hayuth (1994) the role of Ukraine in the global and regional transport networks will be analysed in order to assess to what extent particular regions in Ukraine can serve as important gateways to Europe. An extensive review and synthesis of the published studies during the last 20 years on Ukraine’s transit flows and transit function will be presented. The obtained results will be contraposed to the results obtained from about 20 interviews conducted with transport business representatives in Ukraine and abroad. Based on the outcome of bottlenecks and deficiencies in Ukraine’s transport system, the optimal road map for Ukraine’s integration into the European transport network will be defined

The development of river-based intermodal transport: the case of Ukraine

It should be noted that the (inland waterway transport) IWT in Ukraine currently is in its infancy in comparison with other land based transport means (rail and road) and with other countries that possess navigable rivers. This paper is an extension of the research initiated by Grushevska and Notteboom (2015) where the concepts of intermediacy and centrality were introduced in order to assess the role of Ukraine in the global and regional transport networks. The list of key obstacles for Ukraine’s intermediacy function included IWT related barriers such as: (i) deficient inland waterway infrastructure, (ii) high IWT costs (fees for bridges, locks etc.) and (iii) pilotage charges. To date the transportation to/from ports is mainly fulfilled by road or by rail based multimodal transport solutions. We present the unutilized potential of Ukrainian IWT that needs to be efficiently exploited for the benefit of the national economy and national transport system. This study intends to enrich the limited academic research on IWT systems in a transition stage, as exemplified by the case of Ukraine

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

Network design and cost model for container transportation via the Dnepr river

Inland waterway transport (IWT) in Ukraine is currently in its infancy stage in comparison with other land based transport modes (rail and road) and with other countries that possess navigable rivers. This paper is an extension of the research initiated by Grushevska and Notteboom (2015, 2016) where the concepts of intermediacy and centrality are introduced in order to assess the role of Ukraine in the global and regional transport networks. The list of key obstacles for Ukraine’s intermediacy function includes such IWT related barriers as: (i) deficient inland waterway infrastructure, (ii) high IWT costs (fees for bridges, locks etc. ) and (iii) pilotage charges. To date the transportation to/from ports is mainly fulfilled by road or by rail-based multimodal transport solutions. We have analysed the unutilized potential of Ukrainian IWT that needs to be efficiently exploited for the benefit of the national economy and national transport system. This study intends to enrich the limited academic research on IWT systems in a transition stage, as exemplified by the case of Ukraine

The awarding of seaport terminals to private operators: European practices and policy implications

The awarding of port services to private operators has become one of the most important tools for port authorities to retain some control on the organization and structure of the supply side of the terminal market. This paper discusses the awarding of terminals in European ports from an EU legal and policy context. It also seeks to provide in-depth information on current practices and perceptions of port authorities around Europe on tendering and contractual arrangements linked to the awarding of terminals. The relevant issues relate to the terminal awarding processes, the duration of the terminal award contract and the contract stipulations. The paper also seeks to understand whether the practices are influenced by factors such as terminal size, the competitive environment in which the port operates and the geographical location

The impact of innovation on dock labour : evidence from European ports

The market environment of ports and terminals is continuously pushing terminal operators to achieve higher levels of dock labour performance. This paper proposes an original conceptual framework to identify, classify and evaluate innovative initiatives of terminal operators addressed to enhance dock labour performance. We link the innovation concept to a market-driven perspective on the organization of dock work in light of changing market requirements. The conceptual approach not only considers technological innovations, but also organisational and regulatory innovations. The framework is used to analyse a set of innovative initiatives of terminal operators in European seaports. The findings reveal that innovative initiatives can have very different characteristics and ramifications when looking at the type of innovation, the boundaries of innovation, the nature of the actors involved, the (expected) magnitude of impact and the impact of labour performance

IAPH-WPSP Port Economic Impact Barometer One Year Report: A survey-based analysis of the impact of COVID-19 on world ports in the period April 2020 to April 2021

This report analyses and summarizes the main trends and findings of the IAPH-WPSP Port Economic Impact Barometer. The results of the past 16 Barometer reports are revisited, while an update on the current situation is provided through an additional survey round for week 15 of 2021 (mid-April 2021)

Dry ports as extensions of maritime deep-sea ports: a case study of Vietnam

This paper focuses on dry port as a key notion in port-hinterland development. We first discuss the concept of dry port by reviewing existing literature. Then, we explore the reasons behind the emergence and development of inland node systems in different geographical, economic and institutional contexts. Next, the paper presents a classification of dry ports based on a multitude of factors and dimensions and the respective benefits to different parties. The study then focuses on the specific characteristics of dry ports and associated transport networks in developing countries. In the last part, we present a case study on the dry port system in Vietnam by reviewing the seaport and inland transport system and analyzing the current status of inland terminals in Vietnam. To conclude, a SWOT analysis is presented with regard to the development of the dry port network in Vietnam, followed by recommendations for policy makers