Globalisation implies international mobility of goods and services, as well as persons and capital. Inevitably, such 'flows' underline the significance of seaports and airports as throughput, storage and/or processing nodes. This paper examines the growing importance of ports in a globalising world. Firstly, the paper focusses on the specific goods flows. The increase in and altered structure of international business and goods flow has undoubtedly impacted on the port sector and the enhancement of port competitiveness has, in recent years, become a goal in itself. The following section, 'Globalisation and ports: some unmistakable trends' looks in more detail at the three most important market players: the ship-owners, the terminal operating companies and the port authorities. The final section, 'An attempt at channelling the uncertainty' discusses how the sector will evolvein the future. For the covering abstract see ITRD E141216.
Samenvatting