Smaller ports’ evolution towards catalysing sustainable hinterland development

ABSTRACT

From simple organizations as gateways for goods and passengers, ports have evolved and transformed into complex organizational systems with multiple functions. Besides providing cargo, logistics, and other kinds of services to its customers, modern ports engage in the development of their hinterlands. Sustainability, evolving from environmental actions over the years, has become the core of many modern ports’ approach towards hinterland development and port competitiveness. While the literature is concerned with and presents examples of large ports implementing sustainability initiatives, the literature is scarce on smaller ports. This article addresses this gap by exploring qualitatively the case of the Port of Aalborg, a medium-sized port in Denmark, and its evolution towards using sustainability for port and hinterland development. The research focuses on the actions behind environmental development at the port. Its evolution is mapped and explored using the analytical framework developed based on the (larger) ports’ development and their roles. The findings from the Port of Aalborg case exemplify how smaller ports can evolve to drive the sustainable development of their hinterlands and contribute to a better understanding of this kind of port.     

基于AHP-RS的沿海都市带主要港口评价实证分析

区域港口群资源整合已成为当前航运业发展热点之一,文章从港口规模角度,研究区域范围意义下的主要港口评价问题。以改进后的港口吞吐量和集装箱吞吐量指标为基础,构建区域范围意义下的主要港口评价指标体系,以国内外沿海都市带为例,运用AHP-RS法对都市带内主要港口进行相关评价分析。为客观认识和评价港口自身相对规模水平提供参考,也为沿海都市带框架下的区域港口群有序规划发展提供了依据和思路。通过实例验证了AHP-RS综合评价法在港口评价应用中的科学有效性,值得进一步推广。     

Stakeholder Perceptions of Seaport Resilience Strategies: A Case Study of Gulfport (Mississippi) and Providence (Rhode Island)

Climate change is having and will continue to have a range of negative impacts on social–environmental systems. Many ports, with their coastal locations and essential roles in regional and national economies, face particular exposure to storm impacts that may worsen with climate change. Currently in the United States port resilience planning falls primarily on port operators. Engaging a wider range of stakeholders in long-term seaport functioning may reduce risks from disruptive and potentially irreversible impacts of climate change. This study uses empirical data gathered through two case studies of highly exposed U.S. ports, Gulfport (MS) and Providence (RI), to identify strategies that port planners and external stakeholders consider feasible for enhancing their port's resilience. This article categorizes these resilience strategies and suggests the potential role that different stakeholders could play in facilitation and implementation.     

欧洲港口物流发展对唐山港发展的启示

港口物流已成为现代物流链中的重要节点,在区域经济发展中具有重要的地位和作用。介绍了欧洲的主要港口物流发展的经验。阐述并分析唐山港口物流发展的优势和存在的问题。提出唐山港口物流的发展对策。     

全球典型中转港发展格局、特征及趋势研究

全球海运的发展催生出以转运货物形式服务于周边区域和远洋运输的中转港,它们在全球贸易及运输体系中占据重要地位,形成了明显的特征格局。在中转港形成因素及分类研究的基础上,总结全球范围中转港发展格局和发展特征,探讨不同区域中转港的发展趋势。结果表明,当前全球航运格局重心在亚太地区,国际中转港主要分布在远东-西欧-北美主航线,而扼守关键区位则容易催生出中转大港。同时,未来各区域的中转港发展将随着经济全球化与国际贸易的深入发展而变动,并受船舶大型化、服务软环境等显著影响。     

港口群系统的竞争合作与演变发展

阐述港口群系统从港口地域组合到港口运输体系的演变发展过程,形成各个港口地域组合之间既相互竞争又相互合作的关系,从而建立港口群系统整体发展的评价指标。通过对港口之间的协商博弈模型的分析,提出了有序管理港口群资源的运作模式。     

Sustainable development in seaports: a multi-case study

Seaports are a vital part of the maritime transport industry and have a key role in integrated transport chains and regional economies. However, ports are also sites of environmental pollution originating from land-based activities, ship movements and ports’ own activities. It is, therefore, increasingly recognised that economic growth in ports must be balanced with environmental protection and social progress. This has led to enhanced appreciation of the need for sustainable development (SD) in ports. Whilst much has been written about port environmental practices in European and American ports, there is limited synthesis and comparison of sustainable port practices from different parts of the world. Furthermore, in-depth case analysis and critical examination of the practices and challenges of sustainable port development in a globalised era is limited. This paper presents findings from a qualitative multi-case study that aimed to compare sustainable policies and practices of ports in four different continents and to understand the dilemmas, challenges and opportunities they face in attaining SD. This paper reports findings pertaining to the following research questions: (1) What policy frameworks do ports adopt to attain sustainable development? (2) What specific sustainable practices do ports utilise to manage environmental aspects such as air pollution, water quality, ballast water, dredging and disposal of dredged materials, waste disposal, hazardous substances and land/resource use? (3) What are the driving and constraining forces in achieving sustainable development in ports? Port authorities were studied by reviewing documents and secondary data. The following ports were studied: Port of Long Beach (USA), Port of Rotterdam Authority (The Netherlands), Sydney Ports Corporation (Australia) and Transnet Limited that owns and manages South African ports. Findings of the study demonstrate that the SD paradigm has gained momentum, albeit to differing degrees, in the functioning, organisation and the very ethos of case study ports. An important theme from all case studies is that, whilst there is definite progress towards SD, several practices deemed to be sustainable can be controversial and must be critically examined from the perspectives of different stakeholders including shippers, port-related businesses and the local and global community. Lack of data to monitor environmental impacts, economic costs of implementing sustainable practices and complexities of international, regional and national regulations were other constraining factors. On the other hand, reconciling differences between stakeholders and capitalising on economic opportunities, operational efficiencies and cost savings offered by environmental friendliness can advance port SD. Public–private partnerships and policies negotiated by involving all stakeholders were found to foster port sustainability. Most importantly, this study found that, with globalisation, environmental impacts of ports are not always localised. ‘Sustainable’ practices can have unintended consequences in other parts of the world. Therefore, globalisation necessitates a more critical and global analysis of port operations and environment practices in order to be truly sustainable. Although the scope of the research findings is limited to case study ports, the lessons drawn can be constructively applied to any port operating within an institutional system of structured SD.     

The relations between dry port characteristics and regional port-hinterland settings: findings for a global sample of dry ports

This paper aims at defining generic characteristics of dry ports by carrying out an analysis using a large sample of dry ports from around the world. The dataset includes details on 107 inland terminals worldwide. All dry ports in the database have been selected from studies in the extant literature before being shortlisted to fit our research scope. Data collected include terminologies used, actors driving the development, terminal throughput, total area, services provided and the relation with the corresponding seaport(s). Using statistical analysis, the paper examines how dry port parameters are influenced by (1) a different terminal set up, like sea-driven and land-driven development, developed and developing system, dry port functions; (2) specifications of the seaport with which the dry port is connected, i.e. seaport traffic, connectivity, utilization, etc. and (3) the transport leg linking dry ports and seaports. The findings could be applied to the planning and development of inland nodes from the perspectives of different stakeholders.     

比利时港口产业集群建设及启示

概述了比利时主要港口的情况。详细介绍了比利时港口产业集群的现状。分析了港口产业集群对区域经济和港口发展的促进作用。同时对我国港口的发展规划和产业集群的建设提出了建议,对我国港口产业集群建设有一定的借鉴。     

新时期广东省沿海港口发展环境分析与发展战略思路探讨

经过30多年的改革开放,广东省沿海港口已基本形成了布局合理、层次分明、与地区生产力布局高度相关的港口发展格局。当前,广东省港口正面临新的发展环境,需要对未来港口发展方向和思路进行重新梳理。针对广东沿海港口发展现状与发展环境,以国家区域发展战略实施为导向,对广东省沿海港口的长远发展进行战略思考,为相关行业部门制定战略规划提供参考。     

第四代港口对中国港口建设的启示

旨在探讨第四代港口对中国港口建设的重要启示,以期为新形势下的中国港口建设提供理论支撑。基于前期研究及联合国贸发会的港口代际发展模型,研究并指出第四代港口是积极主动参与国际经贸决策和组织各类经济活动的前方调度总站,分析了第四代港口的主要特征及其对我国港口建设的重要启示。主要结论是：中国港口建设应大力发展和吸引陆向腹地物流,进一步加强国际航运中心建设以及优化港口布局。     

基于位序-规模法则的区域港口群发展演化规律

为合理利用港口资源、减少恶意竞争,提出基于位序-规模法则的港口群发展演化规律研究方法。以吞吐量为衡量港口规模的指标,以变异系数、基尼系数等指数研究区域港口群规模差异,以首位度指数判断区域港口群是否服从位序-规模分布,进而基于位序-规模理论研究区域港口群规模分布,定量分析区域港口群发展演化规律。实例分析以欧盟港口群为研究对象,结果表明:欧盟港口群规模差异较大,不均衡程度会逐年增大;欧盟港口群符合位序-规模法则,随着港口位序由高到低,吞吐量增长率会随之减小。     

Examining stakeholder participation and conflicts associated with large scale infrastructure projects: the case of Tema port expansion project,Ghana

ABSTRACT

Balancing economic activities with socio-environmental considerations has become a global standard for the construction of large scale infrastructure projects, including ports. In this discourse, stakeholder participation and environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA) have been stressed as important tools that can help port managers to co-create values, avoid conflicts and promote inclusive growth. Drawing on qualitative research tools and stakeholder theory, this paper explores whether and to what extent local stakeholders’ inclusion has substantial influence on addressing their socio-cultural concerns and interest. This is illustrated with a case study of an ongoing port expansion project at Ghana’s largest port of Tema. The findings suggest that although the port authority conducted an ESIA and engaged local stakeholders as part of the planning process, this did not translate into preventing the loss of valuable cultural resources of the local communities. The port authority did not place ‘value’ on cultural resources of the local communities that cannot be expressed in monetary terms. Further, lack of good faith engagement with local stakeholders led to conflicts in some cases that triggered a court action and delays. The paper concludes that stakeholder participation if not applied well, can become a ‘post-political’ tool.     

江苏沿海港口开发与物流业发展研究

江苏沿海港口物流业已经初步形成协调发展、层次分明、重心突出的格局,但与它们承担的任务相比还有很大差距,港口物流资源有待进一步整合开发。在借鉴国内外港口物流业发展实践经验的基础上,提出江苏沿海港口开发与物流业发展战略,以期提高江苏沿海港口物流业的整体效益,充分发挥江苏沿海港口物流在区域经济发展中的提速作用。     

Norwegian port connectivity and its policy implications

The importance of a seaport depends on how well it is connected in a transportation network. A port’s connectivity is therefore one of the key issues in determining its competitiveness and developments in regions and countries. We construct a port connectivity index for major Norwegian ports based on a unique dataset derived from the automated identification system (AIS) for multiple vessel types over a 7-year period. Port connectivity is evaluated empirically by the number of unique vessel visits, vessel sizes, and cargo sizes. The research has implications for port authorities and policy makers in the areas of port planning, infrastructure investment, short sea shipping promotion, and environmental policies. The contributions of this research are twofold. First, the methodology linking the AIS vessel-tracking system with port connectivity is a pioneering empirical application of maritime big data. Second, the port connectivity index is constructed for multiple vessel types and regional port groups, which is an improvement from the current literature where conceptual measures are constructed based on hypothetical and usually too simple optimization rules. The methodology can be easily expanded to other regions in the world.     

新时期江苏沿海港口物流发展策略探析

在对新时期江苏沿海港口物流发展中存在的主要问题诸如港口规划、需求结构、建港成本、集疏运体系、可持续发展动力等进行辩证分析的基础上提出相应策略。     

集装箱枢纽港的成长模式探讨

港口(码头)达到满负荷营运通常需要5年以上的时间。一般说来,港口越大,其成长速度就越快。那些率先取得竞争优势的港口能够成功地成为地区性枢纽港,而那些不能率先取得足够货运量的港口往往会成为中小型的支线港口。只有某些具备适当前提条件的港口才能成为地区性集装箱枢纽港。此外,港口要成为地区枢纽港,还需具备地理位置、硬件和软件方面的条件。     

基于DEA 的山东省港口与区域经济的协调发展

在分析港口与区域经济互动发展的基础上,构建了基于DEA模型的港口城市经济和港口有效性的横向评价模型及随时间动态变化的港口与区域经济互动的纵向评价模型。横向评价结果表明:青岛属于港口和城市经济双有效城市;威海属于城市经济有效,港口无效型城市;烟台和日照则属于双无效城市;各港口发展程度各异,全省经济发展不平衡,存在着较大的地区差异。纵向评价结果表明:2000—2009年港口与区域经济未能实现系统双向有效协调。在此评价基础上,提出了促进山东省港口与区域经济协调发展的针对性战略举措。     

Regional governance of port development in China: a case study of Shanghai International Shipping Center

When China enters the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and becomes more involved in the global economy, her major seaports will be pivotal places where the international shipping and terminal operators interact, conflict and co-operate with the local and the central governments. To demonstrate and understand these interactions, this article analyzes the case of the Yangtze River Delta (YRD), where the competition, co-operation and governance of Shanghai and Ningbo, the two largest ports on Chinese mainland, concern all stakeholders from the central and local governments of China to the container terminal operators and shipping lines overseas.

This paper first develops a conceptual framework for analyzing port development in a regional context. The article then introduces the case of the Shanghai International Shipping Center with a focus on the efforts of the Shanghai Government to establish a regional hub port, which also involves two nearby provinces. This case study reveals the course of the decision-making processes and the power networks currently governing the port development in the YRD. Two domains of port governance are discussed: the role of port authorities in port internal governance, and the crucial influences of local and central governments on the port external governance. It provides evidence that the power of shipping lines and international terminal operators are not as prevalent as in many ports in western countries. It is suggested that the lack of good regional port governance in the region is due to structural problems in administration.     

Evaluating determinants of attractiveness and their cause-effect relationships for container ports in Taiwan: users’ perspectives

The attractiveness of ports is usually a pre-requisite and necessary condition for ports to achieve competitiveness, as well as the springboard to explore the competitive advantages of ports. To determine whether a port is competitive, it is necessary to explore whether it boasts certain factors that make the port attractive to users. The main purpose of this article is to apply the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method and the Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) technique to evaluate key determinants of attractiveness and their cause/effect relationships for container ports in Taiwan. The empirical results showed that: (1) Top six determinates of attractiveness for container ports are ‘ample cargo sources,’ ‘favorable port charges,’ ‘dense ship network and routes,’ ‘low transshipment costs,’ ‘efficient wharf operations,’ and ‘adequate wharfs and back-line land,’ respectively. (2) Among the above six determinants of attractiveness, ‘ample cargo sources’ is the cause determinant. Three determinants of port attractiveness, ‘favorable port charges,’ ‘dense ship network and routes,’ ‘low transshipment costs,’ which are the effect determinants. They are affected by the determinants of attractiveness of ‘ample cargo sources’. In addition, this study discusses the above findings and expects to provide the study results to Taiwan’s port authorities for reference.