The Logistics Sector on the Southern Shores of the Western ... - cetmo

<strong>The</strong> <strong>Logistics</strong> <strong>Sector</strong>on the Southern Shores of the Western Mediterranean October 2010IntroductionGiven the general approach defined by the EuroMed Transport Forum by virtue of the RTAPand by the Group of Transport Ministers of the Western Mediterranean (GTMO 5+5), i.e. tohelp improve transport and logistics services in the five Maghreb countries, and given thepoint of view adopted, which focuses on improving operators based on a cluster approach,this study has two complementary objectives:• To understand the viewpoint of public and private operators in the transport and logisticssector on the situation affecting the provision of services and the most important andmost urgent measures and solutions for modernizing logistics companies and subsectors;to obtain information on the current state of government plans aimed atmodernizing the sector. In-depth on-site interviews were used to attain this first objective.• To use the available information obtained in the field, or from other sources, to conductour own strategic study of the competitiveness of the logistics sector and the futurechallenges it will face; to propose coherent initiatives using the cluster approach, whichrequires cooperation between the players involved. <strong>The</strong> study, along with the initiatives itsuggests, was developed on a dual scale: for each of the countries analysed, and for thesouthern shores of the Mediterranean as a whole.<strong>The</strong> content of the report is divided into five parts (see diagram below):Chapter 1Player ProfileDescription of ServicesWhat is the sector composition?What are the operating conditions for businesses?Chapter 2Major ChallengesCompetitive analysisWhat factors are holding back modernization?Does the current situation of the cluster foster profitability andthe modernization of operators?Chapter 3Modernizing StrategiesSolutions put forward by the government and by public andprivate operators.Chapter 4SWOT AnalysisConclusionsTo what extent does the future scenario affect businesses?Recommendations and proposals.Chapter 5<strong>The</strong> Cluster ApproachHow can a cluster approach help modernize logistics‐sectoroperators?<strong>The</strong> first part concerns the description of logistics clusters in each of the countries studied. Itis interested not only in operators, but in all those involved in the sector. Since services are aderived demand depending on the social and economic structure of each country, its politicsand its situation within the global economy, the study starts with an overview of the widercontext of the logistics sector. It then offers a preliminary, schematic definition of the clustermap which, since it relates to a given country, only includes the principal players involved.<strong>The</strong> map is completed by a description of the characteristics and standard of the serviceprovision.CETMO 3