Freight News, Sea

Much more than simply ships

[ September 10, 2019   //   Chris ]

Ports are long horizon businesses and must steer through the immediate storms, business leaders told a breakfast roundtable in London on 10. Delegates to the event, hosted by the UK Major Ports Group, the UK Maritime Minister, Chinese Government representatives and were told that ports had to do far more to succeed than simply handle ships.

They needed to play an active role in supply chains. A compelling proposition to customers has to be more than just the traditional role of goods handling and ports can play a vital role in as proactive links in broader supply chains as a

A modern major ports is much more than a point of transit. It is the home to a range of other economic activity and value addition. A particularly significant opportunity is port-centric logistics. But to maximise the potential for port-centric development models, the right planning processes have to be in place to unlock the ambition and capital of the port operator.

The modern port is also increasingly a gateway for data as well as goods. Digital platforms can realise major value through providing better visibility and increased supply chain efficiency.

And while te value of the UK’s ports to the economy is already considerable – £9.7bn in 2017 – maximizing the growth ambitions of the UK’s port operators is largely dependent to how well ports are connected to the major inland economic and population centres.

Tags: UPMPG