Port Management and Maritime Logistics

Rotterdam is Europe’s largest port, which is transitioning into a zero emissions port. Learn about maritime economics, port management and container logistics. In this minor you will get a close encounter with the port and interact with port professionals. You will visit the port expansion project Maasvlakte 2, explore the city ports and engage with case-based assignments and serious games.

You will visit the port expansion project Maasvlakte 2, explore the city ports and engage with case-based assignments and serious games.

Rotterdam is renowned as one of the largest port and shipping centers of the world. The port of Rotterdam is situated in one of the most competitive port regions in the world. Internationally, the port and city are famous for its large scale port development projects, sustainability, engagement with stakeholders, and cluster governance, entrepreneurship and proactiveness towards embracing new technologies. This minor broadens the horizon of students towards the highly dynamic world of shipping, ports and transport.

This minor offers bachelor students the possibility of understanding the processes underlying international transport networks from an economics, operations and management perspective. It is an opportunity to learn about international and maritime transport, terminal and port management, intermodality and hinterland transport, and the interrelationship between port and region from a multidisciplinary perspective.

In this minor four main topics will be discussed:

• Maritime Economics, which deals with the transportation of goods by sea.

• Port Economics and Management, which deals with the economics and management of seaports.

• Container Logistics and Inland Network, which deals with container logistics from a door-to-door perspective

• Integration Case and Port City Case (the latter if for non-ESE students only).

Students are challenged to use and integrate the knowledge from these modules in case assignments. This minor brings students in close encounter with port and maritime professionals. Students take advantage of learning from the port of Rotterdam, engage with both academia as well as professionals from the port and terminal companies. We use serious games for experiential learning to better understand theoretical concepts.

Ports play an important role in contributing to reducing CO2 emissions to virtually zero by 2050, which necessitate the port to explore and develop into new techniques, new players and partnerships and new value propositions and business models. The focus of this year will be on how port development companies contribute to the sustainable development goals and implement ‘zero emissions, zero waste’ strategies.
Overall course objectives are:

• Understanding of the processes that underlie port management and maritime logistics from an economics, operations and management perspective.
• Undertake a policy analysis of a port (development) company strategy.
• Make a basic simulation model and assess the competitive position of a port towards its hinterland.
• Design a sustainable and/or digital business model for a port (development) company.
• Undertake an integrative methodology to assess the role of ports and maritime companies towards sustainable transport.
• Critically assess the interaction and interdependencies between ports and its regions.

• Curiosity counts: This is a broadening minor, which means this minor requires a curious and inquisitive mind on the world, such as geopolitics, international trade but also societal debates on sustainability, climate action and circularity.
• Language: A proficiency in English, both verbal as in writing is a prerequisite to write papers.
• Digital skills: A good command in Excel is recommended, but not a prerequisite.
• Class attendance: Tutorials are mandatory
• Off campus activities: Off campus activities may consist of a visit to the World Port Days, a port excursion, visits to companies,
  and maritime museum.

Lectures, workshops, group assignment, serious games, guest lectures, port-city discovery, tutorials.

Modules

1. Maritime Economics
2. Port Economics and Management
3. Containter Logistics and Inland Network
4. Integration Case
5. Port City Case (not for ESE students)

Teaching Methods
We will be using a combination of teaching methods: Lectures, tutorials, serious games, case study education, outdoors activities. We use a method which is based on the Skillsheets methodology (Van Tulder, 2018) which has two axes: from input (attending lectures, reading, observing) to output (writing, presenting), and from individual / study management to team/project management. The combination of these skills will enhance the student’s ability to conduct research in a group as well as independently.

Teaching material
The lectures provide the best insights of what will be examined. Pre-readings for the lectures are based on book chapters, as well as on articles from scientific journals. An overview of articles will be provided via Canvas at the start of the course. We strongly recommend students to buy the books, rather than to read (summaries) from internet.

Books to order per module:
Maritime Economics: Maritime Economics by Stopford (selected chapters), UNCTAD Review of Maritime Transport, most recent publication.
Port Economics & Management: Towards a better port industry by De Langen (selected chapters)
Container Logistics & Inland Networks: selection of scientific articles.

Examination
All students will follow the module 1, 2 and 3. There will be one (digital) exam, which will be composed of three parts, one for every module. The minimum grade for the exam is a 4.5. A lower grade cannot be compensated. Next to the exam there is the integration case (module 4). The students will work on the case in a team of 3 students. Students are free to compose their own teams. The integration paper will be assessed by means of a rubric which will be made available upfront via Canvas.

Students who opt for the 15 ECTS variant need to make the port-city assignment (Module 5). Also this assignment will be assessed by means of a rubric, which will be made available upfront via Canvas.

Attendance and participation in activities of the integration case are mandatory.

The grade for the exam and every assignment needs to be at least a 4.5. A lower grade cannot be compensated. You will have to take a resit of the exam when the grade is below 4.5. A final grade of 5.5 is sufficient to pass the minor.

12EC:
Assesment written exam modules: Maritime Economics (ME), Port Economics & Management (PEM), Container Logistics & Inland Networks (CLIN)
Weight: 50%
Case : Integration Cas (84%)
Port Constructor (16%)
Weight 50%

15 EC:
Assesment written exam modules: Maritime Economics (ME), Port Economics & Management (PEM), Container Logistics & Inland Networks (CLIN)
Weight: 50%
Cases: Integration Case (68%), Port Constructor (16%), Port City Case (16%)
Weight 50%