Study on supply chain challenges in container shipping : the port operator's perspectice

Abstract

The role of the port operator in this globalized era increased significantly with the development of global supply chains. The objective of the report is to identify how current issues and challenges faced by ports will affect overall port operator’s productivity and performance, followed by provision of recommendations on how port operators can deal with these challenges. The discussion in the report were made without much consideration for current economic woes, as it is deemed that the recession is only temporary, and that world trade, global container trade and ultimately global port throughput will continue to grow vigorously in the near future. Main challenges faced by port operators highlighted in the report include the ever increasing size of vessels, the chronic problem of port congestions and mergers and acquisitions of shipping lines. Some recommendations made for these problems are best practices adopted by ports world wide, while others such as ‘sharing concept’ are derived personally. Other challenges and issues faced by ports, such as competition from other ports, cost pressures, lack of space for port expansion and port security issues are only highlighted in Section 5, but without any forms of recommendations.