The thesis examines cooperation of ports in the North Adriatic. The thesis sets out by introducing the concept and the importance of ports and the origins of logistics and of Logistics and Distribution Centers. We then touch upon the main trends shaping modern maritime trade, containerization being the most prominent among them. Then we present the North Adriatic ports of Trieste, Rijeka, Venice, Ravenna and Koper, their ways of doing business, their organization and their coordinated efforts within the NAPA (North Adriatic Ports Association) which they jointly founded. Within the wider frame of inter-port cooperation, we explore the concept of port complementarity. We touch upon the different legal frames and organizational forms of the individual Port Authorities of these ports, assessing how these differences might affect a port’s way of pursuing business. A rather more exhaustive analysis is dedicated to the port of Koper, comparing it to other Adriatic ports. Towards the end, we compare the business practices of the North Adriatic ports to those of Rotterdam, the main European port, touching upon the specific situation of Trieste, Koper and Rijeka, which is unique and deeply rooted in the region’s troubled past. The thesis concludes with some finishing ruminations, followed by a personal perspective on the possible future prospects of Koper becoming a “green” port.
|
