The Dutch Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management (in short the Ministry of Transport) asked the Transport Research Centre (AVV) to research the way in which, and the level at which their seaport policy contributes to improving the competitive position of the Dutch Seaports. An overall definition of the competitive position of ports doesn’t exist. The determinants that define the competitive position depend on the function of the seaport (place of business for industry and services or main port of cargo throughput) and the commodity (containers, dry bulk, liquid bulk). In addition, the competitiveness of seaports can be determined on different levels, namely: • Different ranges of seaports (Northwest Europe and Southern Europe); • Seaports within a range in different countries (The Hamburg-Le Havre range); • Seaports within a range in one country; • Inside a seaport. The Ministry of Transport is in the first place competent to establish the development of the main port function. Within this function, the literature describes several determinants of the competitiveness of ports: • Maritime: location (geographical), accessibility from the sea • Seaport: transit costs, infrastructure (wharfs, cranes), port services, quality of labour and labour organisation/regulation, customs and inspection, fiscal aspects and legislation, maintenance, environment and port policy; • Hinterland: Infrastructure, Transport services – intermodal connections, Accessibility • Other: Irrational, ICT infrastructure. This contribution proposes a link between the theoretical determinants and the way seaport users choose a seaport. Through interviews with users of the Dutch seaports (shipowners and shippers) and with the Dutch port authorities, the study will determine the importance of each determinant. Hereby a ranging of the determinants will be one of the possible results. The interviews can also give other determinants that are important for users when choosing a seaport, such as trends and developments in the world economy. Based on the results of this empirical research, an evaluation is made that will allow the Ministry of Transport to influence the competitive position of the Dutch seaports within the sphere of influence of the Ministry. For instance, if the results show that the labour market, or the exchange rate of the dollar, is an important determinant, the Dutch Ministry of Transport isn’t able to influence the development of this aspect. (Author/publisher)
Abstract