The Competitive Position of Seaports: Introduction of the Value Added Concept

The performance of a seaport can be assessed in strategic terms by means of portfolio analyses based on traffic volumes expressed in nominal tons. This article suggests that differences in the creation of value added among traffic categories can greatly contribute to such strategic assessment. A weighted analysis of traffic data allows the identification of market niches with potential for future development. However, the actual weighing of traffic volumes usually lacks transparency and is based on weighing rules which have only limited validity. Therefore, these rules cannot be viewed as appropriate for a generalised use in the context of seaport comparisons. In this paper, an ‘Antwerp rule’ and a ‘range rule’ are developed, based on relevant maritime traffic information. The former rule can be usefully applied to data on the Antwerp port, whereas the latter allows the introduction of the value added concept in comparative traffic studies that include all ports in the Hamburg-Le Havre range. The introduction of intrinsic cargo handling tons in port comparisons enables ports with important volumes of general cargo, such as Antwerp, Zeebrugge and Hamburg, to improve their competitive position.International Journal of Maritime Economics (2000) 2, 107–118; doi:10.1057/ijme.2000.10