In the maritime industry, there exist a range of actors which offer various activities and stand for different functions. Suppliers (shipyards, educational institutes, bunker, provision), ship owners and ship management companies, intermediaries (ship agents, ship brokers, freight forwarders), customers (charterers, shippers), port authorities, customs, stevedores, class and survey institutions, insurance companies, and banks are the actors in maritime transportation system.
Maritime transportation is at the core of global freight distribution in terms of its unparallel physical capacity and ability to carry freight over long distances and at low costs.
The operative task of maritime logistics is to convey cargo with ships on rivers, channels and seas at minimal costs, fuel consumption and emissions. For this purpose, optimal shipping networks and maritime transport chains have to be designed, implemented and operated. Maritime logistics is formed by a combination of transshipment functions and maritime services at ports.
Liner shipping networks are developed to meet the growing demand in global supply chains in terms of frequency, direct accessibility and transit times. Expansion of traffic has to be covered either by increasing the number of strings operated, or by vessel upsizing, or both. As such, increased cargo availability has triggered changes in vessel size, liner service schedules and in the structure of liner shipping.
International maritime freight transport is composed of two main segments, the modes which are flexible in their spatial allocation, and the terminals, as locations, which are not. Shipping lines have a level of flexibility in terms of route selection, frequency and levels of service, but port terminals have a fixed capacity that if not used can imply serious financial consequences.
Maritime logistics
