The impact of the Panama Canal expansion on Panama’s maritime cluster

The Panama Canal is currently in the process of a major expansion effort. After the new set of locks is opened in 2016, significantly larger ships can traverse the Canal. The current lock system has been in place for over 100 years, even though the size of ocean-going vessels has expanded considerably. One impact is on Panama’s maritime cluster. It is expected that the expansion will result in greater demand for many of the goods and services provided by the cluster. This article examines the economic impact of the Canal expansion on Panama’s maritime cluster. Clusters of economic activity can result in economies of agglomeration and supply chain network effects. Without these economies and network effects, clusters would not have a competitive advantage over businesses that are not in a cluster. It is expected that with a larger cluster, both agglomerative economies and network effects will increase. But, which cluster components will grow and which will not be affected to a great extent? To what extent will bottlenecks appear? These are some of the questions that this article addresses.     

Can clusters be bi-polar? Exploring the case of the Piraeus port–maritime cluster

ABSTRACT

Further to being Greece’s biggest port, Piraeus has been a traditional pole of attraction for a plethora of organisations, companies, and institutions engaged in port- and shipping-related activities. Regional development literature has already indicated that the benefits deriving from adjacency and agglomeration economies are maximised when individual entities are organised in forming business clusters. Therefore, the paper critically addresses the existence of theoretical preconditions to a competitive port–maritime cluster formulation in wider Piraeus area. Based on a thorough review of cluster theory, the basic characteristics of clusters are identified to provide the analytical tools for examining the geographical concentration and economic specialisation in Piraeus. Field research in the form of in-depth interviews with leading shipping- and port-related business representatives and institutional bodies and the analysis of qualitative and quantitative data collected revealed that necessary preconditions for successful cluster formulation are met despite the inexistence of a formally recognised cluster. Two distinct poles of economic activity (shipping and port related) are recognised, demonstrating differentiated clustering behaviours and patterns of interaction with other players. The paper concludes with proposals deriving from this dual cluster structure and governance and the need for innovative, differentiated strategies.     

Innovation types in the Finnish maritime cluster

The Finnish maritime cluster is an important sector of Finland's economy. However, literature on innovative activities within the cluster is limited. This article focuses on Finnish shipbuilding and marine industry firms. Several innovation types are identified. These are analyzed according to general characteristics of firms. The data is from a survey of 148 shipbuilding and marine industry companies; most of the variables are ordinal scale and are analyzed with standard statistical survey methods. Considering the significance and past technological achievements of the sector the results indicate surprisingly low radical innovation related-activity and attitudes towards it. As well, the results provide no evidence to support previous research, suggesting that the shipbuilding and marine industry produces more organizational than technological innovations. The innovativeness of the firms varies according to distinct characteristics such as size, intensity of in-house and collaborative R&D activities, and level of internationalization. The empirical results provide a platform for policy implications and directions for future research; innovations concerning environmental efficiency are raised as an important future area of development.     

Safety culture in shipping

The emergence of a safety culture in shipping has been promoted, especially by the Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization. However, what is really meant by a safety culture? The adoption of the International Safety Management Code and of the amended International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, STCW 95, together with the introduction of Formal Safety Assessment in the IMO rule making process are considered as the major tools contributing to the emergence of such. This article examines the evolution of the concept of maritime safety concept during the last decades and discusses how the adoption of new international instruments has contributed to improve the maritime safety system. It provides possible definitions of maritime safety and safety culture and discusses how far the maritime safety system is from a culture of safety.     

谈谈“行政执法一面旗”与海事文件建设

“行政执法一面旗”建设，强调依法行政，执法为民理念，体现海事行政执法先进性，是社会主义核心价值体系的重要内容，是海事系统践行“三个服务”的重要举措，是海事事业科学发展的重要保证。海事文化是海事系统在长期水上安全监督、改革发展中倡导、积累、筛选、提炼形成的思想方法、价值取向和行为习惯，是海事核心竞争力的核心要素和重要组成部分，代表了海事发展软实力。文中通过探讨“行政执法一面旗”建设和海事文化建设的内在关系，以此加深对“行政执法一面旗”深刻内涵的理解，拓宽海事文化发展思路，促进海事事业又好又快发展。     

Analysing training and education in ports

The quality and availability of labour is important for the performance of ports. Insights from cluster theories are relevant for analysing training and education in ports, as ports can be regarded as clusters. In general, labour in clusters is relatively mobile, education services in clusters are relatively good and employees have a high willingness to invest in specific skills. However, skilled and talented labour still may be scarce, especially in regions with tight labour markets. Thus, in many clusters, including port clusters, firms and governments actively aim to improve the quality of labour. This paper presents an analysis of these efforts of firms and governments to improve the quality of the labour force in three seaport clusters. In this paper the concept of a ‘training and education regime’ is presented as an approach to analyse efforts of firms and governments to improve the quality and availability of labour. Important results of three case studies include first, the observation that the quality of training and education regime differs substantially between clusters. Second, the presence of aregime manager in Rotterdam adds to the quality of Rotterdam’s training and education regime. Such an organisation may be effective across countries and clusters. Finally, the presence ofleader firms, willing to invest in training and education also improves an education regime.     

立足未来国际海事履约新基点——我国应及早应对“目标型标准”（GBS）的挑战

文中介绍了“目标型标准”（GBS）的由来、现状及其在国际海事界的发展趋势。通过列举MSC会议所通过的诸多决议案以及已经生效的SOLAS修正案等情况，从必然性角度阐述了GBS作为未来国际海事界履约新基点的观点，提出我国必须及早对其进行研究，以确保我国未来造船、航运在国际上的应有地位。此外，文中以欧盟SAFEDOR项目为例，介绍了国外先进海事国家在GBS方面所投入的巨大精力以及其产出，提出了我国为积极应对GBS可以开展的若干工作意见。     

Pursuing maritime education: an empirical study of students’ profiles,motivations and expectations

This study reveals the profiles, motivations, and expectations of students pursuing undergraduate maritime programmes. Although a number of tertiary institutions offer maritime programmes, the characteristics and structures of the demands for such programmes remain under-researched. This paper illustrates and discusses the results of a survey completed by students pursuing undergraduate programmes in maritime business and management at three universities in Asia and Europe, and compares them with the findings of a database examining similar issues towards postgraduate students within the same institutions. Research highlights include the tendency of undergraduate students to combine studies and work, considering real-world experiences as a vital contributor to career prospects. Shipping (notably tankers, dry bulks and containers) stands out as the ideal professional paths within the maritime industries. Another key finding is that the current marketing strategies of the institutions are rather irrelevant. This paper provides a solid foundation for understanding the profile students pursuing maritime programmes and contributes to the effective planning and management of maritime programmes, thus to the overall professional quality of the maritime industries.     

A fuzzy Delphi-AHP-TOPSIS framework to identify barriers in big data analytics adoption: case of maritime organizations

ABSTRACT

Big data analytics has prospered in recent years and has triggered revolutionary changes in various industries. However, its adoption in maritime organizations is relatively lagged and there is no study addressing this phenomenon so far. This paper develops a fuzzy Delphi-AHP-TOPSIS framework to identify barriers in emerging technology adoption. A case study employs this framework to investigate the hurdles for big data analytics to be adopted in the maritime industry. The case study shows that the framework is useful in identifying and ranking barriers. The results unveil the most serious managerial, cultural, and technical barriers that impede the adoption of big data analytics in maritime organizations.     

Knowledge management for maritime logistics value: discussing conceptual issues

This paper introduces the concept of maritime logistics value as one of the most significant strategic goals that maritime operators want to achieve. The value is reflected in operational efficiency (e.g. reducing lead time and business costs) and service effectiveness (e.g. flexibility, responsiveness and reliability in the service). Drawing from key theories and practices in strategic management such as knowledge-based perspective and social network embeddedness perspective, this paper adopts a knowledge management strategy as a way to create and sustain the maritime logistics value. A conceptual framework is established for the exploration of the way to acquire knowledge and the effectiveness of the acquired knowledge in maximising the maritime logistics value. Following the parameters of this framework, the positive relationship between social networks, knowledge acquisition and maritime logistics value is identified, and its relevant theoretical and practical implications are discussed.     

Situation analysis forecasting: the case of European maritime clusters

Within the literature concerned with aspects of competitiveness, innovation and strategic management of industrial clusters, the body regarding forecasting of strategic management is still nascent. This work aspires to render a contribution within the domain of strategic management forecasting, through the indicative case of European maritime clusters. For this end, a two-tier model is formulated. A quantitative strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) methodology that derives from the fusion of a quondam situation analysis and crosstabs’ theory is generated. This leads to the utilization of the crosstab’s conditional probabilities as transition probabilities; the latter are called to compile the transition matrix of a Markov chain. Through this methodology, and the successive Markov chain’s transition matrices, strategic forecasts are extracted for a devised European maritime cluster case. This work relinquishes a novel application with respect to strategic management forecasting, that provides a dichotomy of practical interpretations and scenarios for quantitative situation analysis. Thus, it may enable effective real-time decision-making for strategic management and/or policy drafting. The situation analysis forecasting model may find applicability in a plethora of practical and theoretical cases, wherein forecasting may be desirable. It may as well pertain to an intrinsic methodology for situation analysis forecasting of maritime clusters.     

Looking Beyond Cargo and Cruise Ships: Promoting Academic Marine Research and Clean Technologies as an Economic Development Strategy for Ports

The Port of Los Angeles (Port) is the largest container port in the Western Hemisphere, and a catalyst for business activity and employment. Historically, the majority of the Port's workforce lived in the communities directly adjacent to the Port. However, in the latter half of the last century, jobs and economic activity began to shift away from the Port, causing public attitudes in the local communities to change. Instead of being viewed as the source of their livelihood, local residents began to view the port as a generator of environmental impacts and industrial blight. Formidable community opposition to Port growth and modernization ensued. Employment within the Port district peaked in the mid 20th century at 100,000. By 2009, the Port had only 12,700 jobs. To re-establish and maintain a long-term positive relationship between the Port and its neighbors, the Port needed to increase the numbers of local residents in the port on a daily basis. The Port looked beyond its traditional role of cargo handling, to leverage creation of new water-dependent job clusters. The strategy incorporates elements of the traditional cluster concept by proposing to co-locate and create synergies between technology developers, university researchers, and marine and maritime industries.     

New technology and maritime training in the 21<Superscript>st</Superscript> century: Implications and solutions for MET institutions

This paper examines the impact of new technology on MET institutions in the 21^st century and discusses to what extent global MET institutions can enhance and enrich traditional practices through access to new technology and the use of innovative teaching and assessment methods within a sustainable and achievable framework. It notes the diverse standards and access to new technology by MET institutions across the globe and discusses the implications for them if they are to remain competitive and viable. The paper concludes that maritime institutions can benefit from the use of new technology, but only through rational planning and sustainable staged growth. A series of continua of technical development is provided to assist institutions, from the smallest to the largest, to plan for technical development and growth in a rational and feasible way.     

对涉外海洋科学考察活动的海事管理责任分析

文中从海事行政执法的角度,探讨海事部门对涉外海洋科学考察的管理责任,研究如何针对不同性质的涉外海洋科学考察进行管理,从而规范合理、合法的科考活动,切实维护国家海洋权益。     

Characteristics and consequences of the cruise traffic seasonality on ports: the Spanish Mediterranean case

Cruise traffic is a maritime business and tourist typology that has expanded significantly in the past two decades. The seasonality of the industry affects maritime traffic, generating negative effects for the primary stakeholders involved in the configuration of a cruise itinerary. This article focuses on cruise traffic seasonality from the perspective of cruise ports by analysing a sample of 13 ports on the Spanish Mediterranean coast. The variable used was cruise passenger movements during the period 2000–2015. The main objective of this article is to analyse cruise traffic seasonality in order to identify a pattern, classify through a cluster analysis, and identify the changes in seasonality during the period. Specifically, a threefold analysis has been performed, with the additional goal of providing a series of counter-seasonal suggestions and strategies to apply in the management of cruise ports. First, the seasonality pattern of each port was determined. Second, a cluster analysis was conducted to classify ports into clusters with homogeneous seasonality patterns. Third, an analysis was conducted to identify the changes in seasonality during the period of analysis using the coefficient of variation and the Gini coefficient. This article concludes the existence of two port clusters with different seasonal patterns.     

谈海事普法教育工作新理念——“执法普法”

文中指出了目前海事普法教育工作存在的主要问题,提出了海事“执法普法”的新理念,最后提出了以“执法普法”提高海事普法教育工作实效的几点措施.     

Contributions to maritime economics—Zenon S. Zannetos, the theory of oil tankship rates

This paper discusses the importance of Zannetos' 1966 book for the development of maritime economic thought. The main contributions of the book are recounted, and the empirical work in the book is reviewed.

The analysis of the present paper is a citation research on the maritime economics literature that refers to the book. Of the 42 papers in the set, about one-third refers to the book in general. A total of 35 papers refer to one or more elements of the book, with an equal number of references to: (1) the term structure of freight rates; (2) the empirical findings on the form of the supply curve; and (3) on the verification of his results.

The general conclusion of the citation analysis is that, apparently, a number of elements of his work are still very valid for current maritime economics thinking, while maritime economists have disregarded several other elements. The latter seems unjustified for some of the business structure observations that are made in the book, such as the notion that the ship is the firm, and the elasticity of expectations. The former observation is the basis for virtually all empirical work in maritime economics that is based on individual contract data (all freight rate analysis is of this nature), and the second is the basis for the analysis of investment behaviour in shipping, investigations of cyclicality and so on.

Zannetos can definitely be seen as the initiator of the important field of term structure analysis in maritime economics. In addition to this, there are several topics in the 1966 book that are as yet unexplored, and deserve empirical scrutiny.     

Risk assessment framework for exposure of cargo and ports to natural hazards and climate extremes

There is an increase in risks and catastrophic losses in maritime transport including ports and cargo. Significant losses have been associated with large scale natural hazards, such as earthquakes, tsunami, cyclones, and other extreme weather events. This paper identifies the main gaps in understanding maritime risks in transportation research. The gaps are attributed to insufficient empirical work available from the maritime transport and logistics research community to guide multi-risk and natural hazards impact assessment on seaport and cargo. In addition, disaster studies communities have barely made adequate efforts to understand and assess port and cargo risks arising from multi-hazards and disaster events. This paper examines existing conceptual frameworks concerning exposure and risk assessments of natural catastrophe’s impacts. Furthermore, the paper identifies trends and gaps in risk assessment frameworks in the field of disaster studies that can be beneficial for maritime risk research. The authors propose a new risk assessment framework that can guide future research and multi-hazard risk assessment processes at different scales of maritime risks.     

船舶留置权若干法律问题探讨

船舶留置权是债权担保的主要方式之一,阐述船舶留置权的概念、特征及修船实务中行使船舶留置权的几个法律问题。     

EU maritime transport

The purpose of this paper is to summarize the European maritime transport policy within the context of maritime politics at large. At the outset the legal framework conditions and supportive instruments for the shipping and port industries are presented. Against the background of recent accidents at sea, such as the sinking of ERIKA and PRESTIGE, the EU legislation on maritime safety is of particular interest as it is both complex and rapid in reaction to environmental needs and political pressure. Finally, the sensible relationship between the EU as a regional organization and the IMO as “the competent international organization” is discussed with a view to reconcile possible rivalry and to suggest a complementary cooperation between the two organizations.