Maritime security guidelines: a study of Swedish ports’ perceived barriers to compliance

ABSTRACT

Due to the constant risk of piracy and terrorist attacks which cause disturbances within international shipping of goods, barriers to the adoption of maritime security guidelines (MSGs) at European ports have become prevalent. In this paper, a conceptual framework was created to explore the perceived barriers that prevent compliance with MSGs. To verify the conceptual framework, empirical data were collected using a mixed-methods approach, which was comprised of interviews with national experts and a survey of 47% of Swedish ports involved in the shipping of goods. According to the presented framework, the perceived barriers of Swedish ports to compliance with MSGs were linked to collaborations within the Swedish Maritime Security stakeholder network, available resources and educational knowledge about security culture. In addition, the perceived barriers of smaller ports were linked to the adaptation to MSGs at different levels and the absence of specific tools of maritime security management. Due to an increased interest in international shipping of goods, this paper is currently one of few that addresses the barriers to compliance with MSGs. Moreover, the paper presents a general conceptual framework, novel managerial implications and recommendations for future research.     

液化天然气(LNG)接卸港工程

介绍了LNG国际贸易、接收站建设、LNG运输船、接卸港口工程的选址及设计、分销输运方式，讨论了关于《液化天然气码头设计规程》（试行）的修订意见。     

Can ports increase traffic while reducing inputs? Technical efficiency of Spanish Port Authorities using a directional distance function approach

The focus of this paper is on the productive efficiency of ports. We estimate a directional technology distance function using parametric techniques to analyze the production technology and technical efficiency of a set of Spanish Port Authorities observed over the period 1993–2012. Technical inefficiency is conceived as the ability of ports to simultaneously expand a given output and contract variable inputs while maintaining quasi-fixed inputs and other outputs constant. Thus, for containerized cargo we address the following question: Given the amount of quasi-fixed inputs used by the firm and given the volume of the other outputs (liquids, solids, non-containerized cargo and passenger traffic), could ports increase their containerized merchandise while simultaneously reducing their variable inputs? Similar questions are asked for solid bulk and non-containerized general cargo. Our results show evidence of technical inefficiency among the ports in our sample. In particular, if the ports operated efficiently, we find that containerized cargo could be expanded by an average of over 6.4%, with an equivalent reduction in variable inputs. Solid bulk cargo and general non-containerized cargo could be increased by 4.1% and 6.1% respectively, with corresponding reductions in variable inputs. An implication of our results is that there is ample scope for specialization on the part of ports with no increase in infrastructure costs. Given that large investments in infrastructure have been made in Spanish port over the last decade, this opens the possibility of moving towards a management model based on taking advantage of existing capacity rather than new investments.     

Initial public offerings in the port industry: exploring the determinants of underpricing

The capital-intensive nature of the port industry and the long payback period of port investments traditionally determine high financial needs for operating the business. Due to the growing financial requirements for developing greenfield mega-projects and feeding international terminal operators’ overseas expansion, equity markets are expected to extend their role in promoting the industry. In this perspective, the underpricing phenomenon, which represents a direct cost for the issuer during initial public offering (IPO) and discourages companies from going public, is neglected by port literature. The paper explores the antecedents of IPO underpricing in ports. Building upon extant finance and port literature, firm characteristics, transaction features, and country-specific variables are tested as determinants of IPOs’ initial returns. For the aim of this study, 58 port-related IPOs taking place on international stock exchanges are examined, and ordinary least squares regression analysis is performed. The study offers unprecedented understandings of the phenomenon and supports port managers in facing financial challenges. Before launching the IPO, financial executives are invited to carefully identify time-window opportunities, and to monitor underwriters’ reputation when selecting financial partners. Findings bring insights for policymakers, as the public listing of port companies emerges a viable option for implementing port reform.     

Strategic intent: Guiding port authorities to their new world?

Following the financial tsunami many organisations are facing greater risks to their sustainability. Strategic collaborations in logistics networks, of which ports are a significant node, reduce risks for all organisations in the network, increase an organisation's ability to access efficiencies such as economies of scale and create opportunities for learning. The knowledge learnt from collaborators is enhanced by managing the key relationships and forming a strategic intent to learn for mutual benefit. Mutual benefits may include market information or innovation. As Awad and Ghaziri (2004, p. 17) comment ‘Beyond efficiency and productivity, the real benefit of collaboration is innovation.’ The more central the port authority is in this network, the greater are the opportunities for learning. Three key factors are critical for port authorities to integrate knowledge from networks; firstly, there are levels of common knowledge that enable effective communication, including concepts, behavioural norms, language and experience. Secondly integrative efficiency requires organisational routines which foster knowledge sharing through frequent, coordinated activities that are repetitive. Thirdly efficient structures within the port authority help maintain effective and efficient communication to minimise the knowledge loss on integration. Strategising provides opportunities for port authorities to steer the critical path between maintaining their current sources of competitive advantage and developing future resilience through innovation opportunities provided by learning from their trading networks. Port authorities, by developing skills in reading the collective mind and interpreting information available in trading networks, can foster resilience into the future. Given the current risky prognosis for the short-medium term following the financial tsunami, instigating strategies that may lessen those risks may be an option for port authorities.     

Productivity change in Nigerian seaports after reform: a Malmquist productivity index decomposition approach

ABSTRACT

During the 1990s, Nigerian seaports were considered inefficient, unsafe due to massive cargo theft (wharf rat phenomenon) and one of the most expensive port systems in the world. This resulted in long turnaround times for ships and increased container dwell times. As a result, port operations were transferred to the private sector through concession contracts. This paper employs a Malmquist productivity index (MPI) technique to benchmark pre-and post-reform total factor productivity growth of the six major Nigeria seaports (Apapa, Calabar, Onne, Port Harcourt, TinCan Island and Warri) for the period 2000–2011 which represents six years before (2000–2005) and six years after (2006–2011) the reform. The results indicate progress in technical efficiency of the ports after reform but deterioration in technological progress. Overall productivity growth was higher in the pre-concession period compared to the post-concession period. The source of pre-concession period productivity growth was technological progress while the change in productivity of the post-concession period is generated by an increase in scale efficiency. This suggests that concessionaires have not brought in the much anticipated investment in modern technology to drive port efficiency. The ports of Calabar and Apapa experienced the highest productivity growth while lowest result was Onne.     

Explaining shipping company participation in voluntary vessel emission reduction programs

Ports are under increasing pressures to increase sustainability and reduce the local and global emissions impacts associated with their operations. Due to limits on their jurisdictional authority, ports may design effective voluntary programs and appropriately motivate participation from global shipping companies that visit their ports. This paper investigates the success of the Vessel Speed Reduction Program at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach and uses qualitative methods to analyze the factors that contributed to the success of the program at reducing local air quality pollutants. In particular, why did individual private firms participate in a non-required, voluntary effort? This research found that external pressures such as community concerns about emissions and regulatory threats are important to motivating voluntary behavior and may even be more important than financial incentives. Furthermore, simplicity of program design, clear goals and presence of a monitoring mechanism are important in influencing participation. These findings broaden our understanding of the business strategy behind slow steaming and its applicability as an operational practice as much work to date is focused on how fuel prices and financial incentives influence the choice for shipping companies to slow their speeds. While the VSR program led to significant emission reductions, an additional lesson for voluntary programs is the need for them to evolve and strive for continuous improvement.     

Exploring the conditions for inclusive port development: the case of Indonesia

Governments around the world are adopting inclusive growth agendas. The ambition to align economic growth ambitions with broader-based social benefits is increasingly embraced by corporations to limit the ‘negative externalities’ and enhance the ‘positive externalities’ of their operations. Therefore, micro-level corporate strategies and macro-level national ambitions meet at the meso-level of networks and clusters. This requires societal spheres to collaborate and search for alternative governance constellations. In this discourse, port development is only recently receiving attention. In March 2018, ports around the world signed the World Ports Sustainability Program declaration, which aims to contribute to the sustainable development goals (SDGs), whilst a number of national port (master) plans have started to include social along with environmental standards. Extant studies on partnering and stakeholder inclusion in port development are proliferating but are primarily aimed at environmental rather than social (inclusion) issues. This paper adopts an exploratory research design to consider conditions for inclusive port development. A novel taxonomy considers port development as a driver for inclusive growth, where partnerships are the missing link between micro-level business strategies and macro-level effects in the port region and economy at large. This paper shows the first findings and delineates areas for further research.     

聚类分析在长江三角洲地区港口分类中的应用

分析了长江三角洲港口分类的必要性，阐述了聚类分析的原理和应用方法，应用聚类分析对长江三角洲港口进行了分类，并提出了定位建议。为港口分类和布局提供了依据和方法。     

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.