Most of the world’s civilization started near the bodies of waters whether beside the river or the sea. The sprouting of a community in these areas is brought by the fact that bodies of waters became entry points for trade. Many communities has sustained the lives of is people by trading especially when monetary trade is not yet instituted. With the growing popularity of air transportation even in bringing different trading products from one place to another, would the role of seaports diminish in the future? Air transportation is undoubtedly faster than sea transport but what would be the cutting edge of maintaining and modernizing seaports? This paper seeks to elaborate on the continuing role of seaports not only in trade but in a large scale development.
Quoting Crossroads of Transport Network, the perception of ports has changed throughout history. Before, it only served as haven for ships that were used for exploration, now it is viewed as the window to the world where trade is made. Seaports have become “generators of wealth and prosperity” for certain nations. A modern port still provides shelter but moreover, it generates added value, accommodates a wide array of industrial activity and remains a gateway to the world. Furthermore, it provides jobs for many as it becomes a center of expertise and technological advancement.
According to the Elements of Shipping by Alan Branch (2007), seaports today serve as links in the transport chain which make them trading centers. Seaports link other mode of transportation in terms of delivering products and services among manufacturers, distributors, resellers and customers and end-users. Branch elaborated factors that enhance the role of seaports as trade areas. These include the following: There is a driven need to make the facilities of ports more efficient in terms of technology and management; port trades in India, China, Brazil and Russia are growing where 95% volume in India’s international trade is served by seaports; larger containers can only be transported by the sea; seaports pave ways to the construction and usage of roads and railroads for faster and better distribution and transport of goods; and it keeps the trade going especially among archipelagic areas.
Exploration to Trade
During the era of exploration in the 15th and 16th centuries, Europe was the lead region in exploring the rest of the world. Its seaports surrounding the Mediterranean Sea was where many civilizations and maritime power emerged. Today, European seaports serve as the main component of trade and are translated as innovative ways of partnerships.
Not known to many history books is the presence of trading seaports in Asia even before the Western exploration reached the region. The Chinese could have been the first major civilization that sailed throughout Asia and exchanged their goods between different people. Their historical presence in many nations is proven by many sophisticated work of arts like jars, clothing and painting from China. All of these exchanges happened because of the presence of seaports. Though those ancient seaports were not as complicated as those of today, these seaports have paved way for people to trade not only their products and services but moreover, their ideals and culture. The aim of people to reach and explore the rest of the world has become an instrument for trade and the continuous development of seaports until today.
Seaports have been essential to migration, as well. During the times when air transportation was not yet possible and may be expensive, many people reached other countries through sailing and docking into seaports. There they begun to look for jobs and adopt ways of living. Many of the first immigrants worked as porters and fishermen serving the seaports. Many of them also become trader themselves. “Ports act as magnets for industrial installations and logistic services and facilitate a range of other activities such as fishing, leisure and recreation. (Crossroad of Transport Network)”
Seaports and Reduction of Poverty
Gichiri Ndua (2006) wrote a paper tackling the importance of seaports in the alleviation of poverty in Kenya. The paper relates how seaports have been avenue for people to look for jobs and how they have opened opportunities of trade and investments. “They act as magnets in attracting labor and in times of break bulk cargoes were a major source of direct employment. (p.9)” These roles of seaports are not only present in Kenya but could somehow translate to many nations in the world. According to him, “ports could influence development through distribution, hence poverty reduction.” Seaports allow the free movement of merchandise in the region. Though it is not as free as one could imagine seaports enable goods to be transported for distribution and consumption. In the current time, many people if not all are dependent to trade, be it manufacturers or end users. Seaports, in this note, expand this dependency and facilitate the development of the well-being of people surrounding them or those who are directly benefited in the trading arena. The connection of seaports to alleviation of poverty is also enlightened by the road networks built towards the ports and other infrastructures, which signifies development in the area. These infrastructures include hotels, market establishments, storage buildings and parks that serve as resting places to both people and goods and merchandise.
Dependency to Seaport
Almost all of European Union’s external trade and half of its internal trade enter and leave in numerous seaports. Cargoes and passengers both come and go in the seaports. “Seaports enable a modal shirt of transport from Europe’s highly congested to more environmental friendly shipping. (ESPO, p.2)” The presence of seaports, as derived from the document also helps in keeping the pollution at low maintenance. Sea transport is still the least polluting transport mode. The European Union regards their seaports as means to bring prosperity among their nations. Seaports help them in their trade and in the continuous development of maritime environment. Also, seaports allow them to continuously explore areas of the world.
In conclusion, the role of seaports are not diminishing yet increasing. In the course of trade and as the world becomes more global and populated, the demands for manufacturing and industrialization becomes greater; thus the roles of seaports remain and continue to develop.
References
Branch, A. (2007). Elements of shipping. Taylor and Francis
“Crossroads of Transport Networks.” European Sea Ports Organization. Retrieved April 9, 2009 from http://www.espo.be/downloads/archive/2f7f415a-12ca-4337-9ee7-c278af0d92a0.pdf
Ndua, G. (2006). ROLE OF FUTURE SEA PORT AUTHORITIES IN THE LIGHT OF REGIONAL INTEGRATION AND POVERTY REDUCTION. Transport Event Management. Retrieved April 9, 2009 from http://tem.msomail.co.uk/assets/GichiriNdua1.pdf
“A future maritime policy for the European Union: Initial views on the forthcoming Green Paper of the European Commission” European Sea Ports Organization. 6 October 2005. Retrieved April 9, 2009 from http://www.mif-eu.org/Green_Paper_ESPO.pdf
