The Performance of Seaport Clusters - RePub - Erasmus Universiteit ...
The Performance of Seaport Clusters - RePub - Erasmus Universiteit ...
The Performance of Seaport Clusters - RePub - Erasmus Universiteit ...
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Chapter 7 – Analyzing the <strong>Performance</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Seaport</strong> <strong>Clusters</strong> 79<br />
diverse traffic base and relatively many activities related to cargo handling. Durban is the<br />
port with the second highest throughput <strong>of</strong> Africa, and has a much more diverse traffic base<br />
than the largest African port, Richards Bay, where coal is by en large the dominant<br />
commodity.<br />
Furthermore, these three ports are important for the regional economy. All three generate<br />
substantial employment (about 8-15 % <strong>of</strong> all jobs) in the region. <strong>The</strong> port and related<br />
industries are clearly a ‘specialization’ <strong>of</strong> the three regions involved.<br />
Finally, all three ports are located in urban regions <strong>of</strong> similar size. <strong>The</strong> regions are relatively<br />
small in relation to the cargo throughput. All three ports serve large hinterlands: Rotterdam<br />
serves North West Europe, Durban serves South Africa and Southern Africa and <strong>The</strong> Lower<br />
Mississippi serves the mid-west <strong>of</strong> the United States. Thus, all ports have a transit function.<br />
Table 13 shows three characteristics <strong>of</strong> these three cases.<br />
Table 13: Three characteristics <strong>of</strong> the cases (2002)<br />
Port Total throughput Container throughput Estimate <strong>of</strong> inhabitants in the<br />
metropolitan region<br />
Rotterdam About 320 million tons About 6 million TEU About 1.2 million inhabitants<br />
Durban About 48 million tons About 1.2 million TEU About 1.2 million inhabitants<br />
Lower<br />
Mississippi<br />
About 381 million tons (420<br />
million metric tons)<br />
About 0.3 million TEU About 1.4 million inhabitants<br />
Sources: RMPM (2003) Louisiana Ports Association (2003) National Port Authority <strong>of</strong> South Africa<br />
(2003)<br />
7.6.1 <strong>The</strong> port <strong>of</strong> Rotterdam<br />
<strong>The</strong> port <strong>of</strong> Rotterdam is located centrally in the Northwest <strong>of</strong> Europe. <strong>The</strong> port is situated at<br />
the end <strong>of</strong> the rivers Rhine and Maas, Europe's most important inland waterways. Inland<br />
connections by inland waterways, rail, highway and pipeline are well developed. <strong>The</strong> port<br />
serves a large hinterland, including parts <strong>of</strong> Germany, Austria and Switzerland.<br />
Rotterdam is by far the largest port in the Netherlands: about 75% <strong>of</strong> the total throughput <strong>of</strong><br />
the Netherlands is handled in Rotterdam and about 45% <strong>of</strong> all value added in Dutch