In the U.S., there has been little involvement by the national government in the use of the Internet or other kinds of technological advancements to move cargo more efficiently or to create a more attractive terminal. However, individual ports, including the Ports of Seattle and Tacoma, as well as Los Angeles and Long Beach are beginning to work on the utilization of new technologies to more efficiently operate terminals as well as to improve the logistics of freight movement.85
Labor and discussions of expanding trade, competition, the need to adapt new technologies, increase productivity, etc.
In the U.S,, at the Port of Seattle, they have had a number of discussions with longshore labor regarding the expansion of trade competition and the need to adapt to new technologies. They expect those discussions to be ongoing and believe, that in the long term, changes in labor agreements will be necessary to more efficiently utilize terminal space. They also involve labor in the marketing of their facilities.86
Markets
The number of foreign container ships entering Japanese ports has dropped significantly. Over the last 10 years Hong Kong and Singapore have seen the container volume rise five to six-fold,while Kobe and other Japanese ports have not seen anywhere near the same type of increase.87 A range of restrictions that have extended from limits on new entry and pricing, to limits on what carriers can and can not do on the docks has impaired competition at Japanese ports. The prior consultation system, restrictive government stevedoring licensing requirements, and work restriction practices have burdened foreign carriers for years. This has led to the decline in growth rates for Japan relative to other Asian ports over the past ten years resulting in lost jobs and revenue to competitive Asian ports.88 Japan's container terminals, compared to those of other Asian competitors, have become inefficient at a time when they are facing much competition.89
Containerization of general cargo traffic has progressed steadily over the last 20 years. There has been a doubling of world port container traffic between 1990 and 1998 to reach 175 million TEUs (Twenty Feet Equivalent Unit). Moves of empty containers are estimated to make up about 20% of the total. Container traffic is distributed unevenly. The Far East gets the largest share (45%). Europe (23%), North America (16%), Near and Middle East (6%), Central and South America (4%), and Africa (3%). Maritime freight costs, as a percentage of import values, have decreased from 6.6% on average for the whole world in 1980 to 5.3% in 1995.90
Container movements of freight are very competitive. It started with shipping companies and is now competitive with domestic and foreign ports. In the future, stevedoring companies will have a much greater access to markets and there will be a need to reorganize to accommodate this change.91
Ports want to attract more shipping companies - what should they do? Smaller shipping companies need to be encouraged to use public terminals. The larger companies in alliance with others need to be brought in to keep the terminals busy and reduce costs. To do this the terminals also need to be more “user-friendly” and change their organizational structure.92
