A Short Course on Modernization of Shipping Management

Name of the Lecturer: Prof. Dr. Christa Sys, University of Antwerp

Christa Sys currently is holder of the BNP Paribas Fortis chair on transport, logistics and ports at the Department of Transport and Regional Economics. Until October 2013, Christa Sys was scientific director of the Research Centre on Freight and Passengers’ flows. Next, she is course co-ordinator for the courses ‘Business Environment’, ‘Maritime Economics and Businesses’ and ‘Maritime Supply Chain’ at the Centre for Maritime and Air Transport (C-MAT). She also teaches at the Faculty of Applied Economics, University of Antwerp, the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, University of Ghent and at the University College Ghent, Faculty of Applied Business (Member of Ghent University Association). Her educational activities focus on (operational aspects of) maritime transport, transport economics and inland transportation. Her research centres on maritime economics and co-operation and competition in shipping.

She jointly graduated as a doctor in Applied Economics at the Ghent University and the University of Antwerp (December 2010). Her doctoral research dealt with the competitive conditions, the concentration and the market structure of the container liner shipping industry. This research was awarded by the Section of Technical Sciences of the Royal Academy for Overseas Sciences with the General Manager Fernand Suykens Prize for Port Studies.

Subject Description:

This course in Maritime Economics and Business focuses on issues that shape the maritime transport market. How is this market organised in practice? What role do the stakeholders play and how do they impact on the behaviour of shipping companies? How are price and cargo affected? Which kind of vessel is best suited for deployment on specific routes and/or loops, or for specific cargo types? What is the degree of competition in the container liner shipping industry? These and other crucial issues are analysed by means of economic tools.

In light of these developments, the following key issues are investigated duringthe course

-to focus on the shipping economics in general

-to discuss seaborne trade

-to elaborate about the merchant fleet in general and on the different segments (tanker, bulk, container liner shipping) in particular

-to discuss the competitive conditions, the concentration and the market structure of the container liner shipping industry;

-to elaborate upon ‘New Empirical Industrial Organisation’ models;

-to provide knowledge of the stakeholders involved: shipping companies, brokers, shippers, expedition companies, stevedores, governmental bodies, et cetera;

-to focus on the freight mechanism in the shipping

The course will be addressed from the triple bottom line (abbreviated as TBL or 3P’s, and also known as people, planet, profit).

Learning Outcomes:

After completing this module, the students should be able to:

-Understand the current events, recent developments and trends within the maritime sector

-Comprehend the principal theories of shipping market and shipping company’s economics

-Communicate on the organization of maritime transport

-Process information about the maritime players and their associated choices and strategies

-Perform quantitative analysis of the container liner shipping industry

-Produce, present and discuss a research report concerning a maritime economics theme

-Defend his/her assignment in an enthusiastic manner

Timetable:

Teaching Platform

https://vice.uantwerpen.be/