On October 20th from 12 noon to 2 pm, the Rutgers Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT) will host a seminar on port logistics. Click here to learn more and register.

This two-hour webinar will provide an overview of trends and developments in maritime transport and the shipping industry, and their impact on the port sector. Consolidation in container shipping, the emergence of global terminal operators, increasing cargo volumes and vessel sizes, horizontal integration through the increasing role of global shipping alliances and vertical integration along the supply chain have major impacts on ports with economic, social and environmental implications. Against this background and to remain competitive, ports need to better position themselves within the global marketplace, which may require investment in new infrastructure, equipment and technologies, as well as in modern management strategies and business models.

Furthermore, the role of ports in facilitating global supply chains, even during the recent COVID-19 pandemic, will be discussed. Lessons learnt from the recent pandemic, during which ports played an essential role in the short-term response to COVID-19 by facilitating transport of vital commodities will be presented. Such lessons will be assessed in relation to response in previous crises; vulnerability of maritime transport and ports and the need to increase sustainability and resilience of these systems; potential changes in port governance that are needed to withstand and address current and future challenges and their implications. Special emphasis will be given on the role of technology in dealing with the increased complexity of operations, the pressures for increasing revenues and decreasing costs, and the need for transition to different types of energy.
Seminar Outcomes: 
This webinar will provide insights on how the US ports compare to global developments on the above aspects, with emphasis on the role of public sector officials and on governing the relationship between public sector and international companies operating in a global environmental.