The Performance of Seaport Clusters - RePub - Erasmus Universiteit ...

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The internationalization regime in the LMPC
The Performance of Seaport Clusters
In the LMPC the World Trade Center (http://wtcno.org/) is the most important institution in
the internationalization regime. The WTC promotes international trade and more generally,
the internationalization of the members of the WTC. For this purpose seminars, courses
(including language courses) and business trips are organized. The WTC has a broad
membership base.
Metrovision, a public private partnership of greater New Orleans, used to organize trade
missions. However, the effects were hard to quantify, and the willingness to participate by
the business community remained limited; hence, these activities were discontinued.
Metrovision now works on a project basis. Even though they still promote the
internationalization of firms, the scope has been reduced.
The internationalization regime in Durban
Most firms in Durban engage in internationalization on their own. Even though the experts
indicate that some sort of collective action would be in the interest of all actors in the port
cluster, no arrangements to coordinate internationalization have been created. Hence, the
organizational infrastructure is underdeveloped. Internationalization is important in the South
African context. The dominant ‘mode of internationalization’ is the inclusion of South African
firms in international networks. The leader firms are generally well-positioned in international
networks, but not willing to include other South African firms. The associations do not play
an important role: firms from the cluster do not cooperate to visit foreign trade fairs.
The internationalization regime in Rotterdam
The majority of experts indicate that internationalization is not a CAP. Firms have individual
internationalization strategies, coalitions for joint internationalization efforts are not regarded
as important. Only for one specific segment of the cluster, firms that are active in port
consultancy and training, is a coalition for joint internationalization formed. This coalition,
Rotterdam Maritime Group (http://www.port.rmg.nl/) is a ‘networking device’ and an umbrella
to jointly tender for contracts.
The RMPM encourages internationalization by organizing and hosting trade missions.
Furthermore, Rotterdam representatives can support the internationalization of firms from