Maritime transport has experienced remarkable growth over the past two decades and has become one of the key pillars of the global economy. Consequently, container traffic has gained a crucial role in the efficiency of the global economy and international freight transport. In this thesis, I explored the fundamental theory of the hub and spoke system and the development of Northern European hub ports, with a focus on the ports of Rotterdam, Hamburg, and Antwerp.
The aim of this thesis was to provide a comprehensive investigation and analysis of the operations and challenges faced by ports in Northern Europe within the context of hub development.. In the first part of the thesis, I provided an in-depth overview of the hub-and-spoke system and how it adapts to changes in global trade dynamics and technological advancements.. I additionally explored the necessary infrastructure and capabilities a port must have to function efficiently as a hub.
In the second part of the thesis, I focused on a comparative analysis of the most important Northern European hub ports: Rotterdam, Hamburg, and Antwerp. In this analysis, I highlighted the differences and common characteristics and provided insights into the success of the strategies and development of individual ports. Special attention was given to trends in automation and sustainable development, which are becoming increasingly important aspects of modern ports.
Despite limitations such as restricted access to data and focusing solely on Northern European ports I attempted to provide a comprehensive overview and analysis of the key factors influencing the development of hub ports. And to present strategies used by these ports to address current challenges and opportunities in global maritime transport.
|
