ECONOMICS AND MANAGEMENT OF PORT ACTIVITIES

The Economics and Management of Port Activities workshop is a course designed to lay the cognitive foundations in the field of ports, logistics and transport. The idea that one would like to perpetrate with this workshop is to combine lectures with meetings with operators in the sector (public and private), in such a way as to develop a 360° knowledge of the port ecosystem under a trans-scalar logic: thus starting from the local aspects, linked to the Adriatic ports, and then broadening the focus to a national, European and finally global level. This architecture will then be deepened by considering the evolution of port development models within the city-port relationship, the main actors and stakeholders involved in maritime transport, the different types of ships and routes, the structure of a port and much more.
Finally, the considerations dealt with from a theoretical point of view will be applied through the interventions of various experts from the logistics and transport sector, who will contribute to enriching the workshop's training offer.

The Economics and Management of Port Activities Laboratory proposes to provide students with the tools to understand the dynamics of port operation and development, following a multi-scalar and multi-level approach. In this sense, the aim of the Laboratory is to offer practical knowledge that can be put into practice should your interests lie in the field of logistics and transport.

No specific prior knowledge is required. However, please check the following address for possible pre-requisites courses:

https://www.unive.it/web/fileadmin/user_upload/cdl/et4/doc/propedeuticitaET4.pdf

Part One: Geographical framework
- The geographical scale of reference in multi-scalar logic (the local, regional and global scale)
- The spatial organisation of transport
- Analysis of transport flows on a global scale

Part Two: Port Functions
- Gateway ports, transshipment hubs and port hinterlands
- Hub&spoke models - Point-to-point models
- Different types of maritime routes
- Port hinterlands - Road, rail, river corridors

Part Three: Stakeholders in Maritime Transport
- Shipping companies role and evolution
- Terminal operators
- Logistics Services
- Technical/nautical services
- Rail Operators
- MTOs (multimodal transport operators)

Part Four: Choke Points and Bottlenecks
- The implications of maritime Choke Points
- Suez Strait Crisis
- Strait of Hormuz crisis
- Panama Water Supply Problems

Part Five: Development Patterns in the City-Port Relationship
- Stages of port development (from emporium port to modern port)
- Main models of port development (Anyport, MIDAs, Port Triptych, Hoyle)
Part Six: Port Structure
- Terminals - Functions and Implementation
- Operating Means in Terminals
- Different modes of freight transport (bulk, containerised traffic, etc.)

Part Seven: The Port System Authorities
- The role and functions of Port Authorities in Italy and in the world
- The Italian system and law 84/94
- The technical-nautical services
- The fundamental documents of port authorities (Three-year Operational Plan, Port Master Plan, Energy and Environmental Planning Document)

Part Eight: SmartPorts - Energy and Digital Transition
- Green transition and sustainable development models
- Energy Hubs
- Adaptation and mitigation measures
- Port digitisation processes

- Port Economics, Management and Policy - Theo Notteboom, Athanasios Pallis, Jean Paul Rodrigue, 2022.
- The geography of transport systems - Jean Paul Rodrigue, 2020.

Other materials provided by the lecturer:
- Slides
- Supplementary readings
- Presentations by external experts

The assessment of learning will take place through the oral presentation of a research project, carried out individually or in groups, in which students will be asked to investigate a topic of their interest from among the topics covered during the course.

oral

A. Scores in the 18-22 range will be awarded in the presence of:
- sufficient knowledge and applied understanding with reference to the syllabus;
- limited ability to collect and/or interpret data, making independent judgements;
- sufficient communication skills, especially in relation to the use of specific language relating to the
economic operation of public services;
B. marks in bands 23-26 will be awarded in the presence of
- discrete knowledge and applied understanding with reference to the syllabus;
- discrete ability to collect and/or interpret data, making autonomous judgements;
- fair communication skills, especially in relation to the use of specific language relating to the
economic operation of public services;
C. marks in band 27-30 will be awarded in the presence of
- good or very good knowledge and applied comprehension skills with reference to the syllabus;
- good or very good ability to collect and/or interpret data, making independent judgements;
- fully appropriate communication skills, especially in relation to the use of specific language
relating to the economic operation of public services.
D. Honours will be awarded in the presence of knowledge and applied understanding with reference to the
syllabus, excellent judgement and communication skills.

They consist of frontal teaching, preparation of a thesis and meetings with operators and experts in the sector.
In this context, frontal teaching activities also aim to promote learning through activities that encourage role playing, problem solving and brainstorming.

- The programme presented represents an outline of the activities that the lecturer intends to propose in the course of the lectures, however, this could be (partially) adapted to the research interests of the students.
- The possibility of taking part to visits to logistical and port infrastructures or other field activities for interested students is not excluded.

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Cities, infrastructure and social capital" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development