Abstract

International audience; For millennia, the Mediterranean has been one of the most active trading areas, supported by a transport network connecting riparian cities and beyond to their hinterland. The Mediterranean has complex trade patterns and routes--but with key differences from the past. It is no longer an isolated world economy: it is both a trading area and a transit area linking Europe and North Africa with the rest of the world through the hub-and-spoke structure of maritime networks. Understanding how trade connectivity works in the Mediterranean, and elsewhere, is important to policy makers, especially those in developing countries in the Mediterranean, concerned with the economic benefits of large investment in infrastructure. Better connectivity is expected to increase trade with distant markets and stimulate activities in the hinterland. This book is a practical exploration of the three interdependent dimensions of trade connectivity: maritime networks, port efficiency, and hinterland connectivity. Because of the complexity and richness of maritime and trade patterns in the Mediterranean, the research book combines both a regional focus and globally scalable lessons. This book is intended for a wide readership of policy makers in maritime affairs, trade, or industry; professionals from the world of finance or development institutions; and academics. It combines empirical analysis of microeconomic shipping and port data with three case studies of choice of port (focusing on Spain, Egypt, and Morocco) and five case studies on hinterland development (Barcelona; Malta; Marseilles; Port Said East, Egypt; and Tanger Med, Morocco). Document type: Book

Abstract

The typical voyage of a barge transporting maritime containers inland, consists of visiting a set of terminals where loading/unloading operations occur. The required stowage plans must meet stability requirements during all transport phases and avoid costly re-handling operations. In this paper, we formalize this problem and consider a typical dry-port transport system. We propose a comprehensive mathematical model that seeks to maximize stowed containers. To solve it, we develop a hybrid metaheuristic approach, based on local search and an industrial solver. Numerical experiments, based on real-world data, provide insights into the performances of the proposed framework and current stowage practices.

Abstract

Being one of the few remaining communist States in the world, North Korea offers a good example of a constrained economy facing dramatic internal and external pressures. Although land transport dominates in North Korea due to border trade with China and Russia, maritime transport better reflects its position in the global economy. Based on worldwide vessel movements at all ports connected to North Korea between 1985 and 2006, indicators of maritime connectivity closely match the country's evolution according to its political and economical changes. Alongside with a spatial contraction of forelands stemming from diplomatic isolation, industrial decline, trade embargo, and infrastructure dereliction after the collapse of the USSR (1991) and the nuclear crisis (1993-1994), results also show a process of regionalization and port concentration in Northeast Asia at a time of increased openness, cooperation projects, and foreign investments following the inter-Korean summit (2000) and the economic reforms (2002). Finally, comment are given about internal factors such as inter-regional disconnection, transport system dereliction, logistics costs, and accessibility that result in a growing divide between East and West co

Abstract

Over the years, the evolution of the air transport sector has determined important changes in the tourism industry. One of the consequences of the liberalization of air transport has been the development of the “hub-and-spoke” system, used by traditional airlines in order to be more efficient in a highly competitive environment. As air traffic significantly developed worldwide, “hubs” became highly connected places concentrating an increasing number of transit passengers. At the same time, the liberalization of the airline industry has stimulated both airline and airport competition, therefore, vertical partnerships have become an interesting option for airlines, as well as airports. Moreover, considering that transiting traffic represents a potential tourism market, tourism organizations have also started to get involved in the process. “Stopover tourism” is a new type of tourism based on the partnership between airlines, airports and tourism organizations, with the purpose to turn transiting passengers into stayover tourists. This paper focuses on building a better understanding of how “stopover tourism” type programs can enhance tourism development, identifying the characteristics of this form of tourism and the measures that need to be taken by the authorities in order to encourage its development and investigates the possibility of implementing it in Romania. In order to achieve these objectives, the research was conducted using analysis of secondary data included in several scientific journals and publication, as well as primary data collection, through qualitative research, having as interviewees, experts from the airline industry and from tourism organizations in Romania. Document type: Article