A Secure Bet in the Maritime Supply Chain: Current Situation and Opportunities for Ports' Attractiveness

Extended research has been conducted related to how ports are capable to offer differentiated services for their customers, as well as how these decide to do business with one port rather than another. However, the literature about ports' attractiveness is not conclusive. This chapter identifies main drivers with respect to their relevance for managerial practices and proposes an agenda that tackles the obstacles that ports may find when aiming at enhancing their attractiveness. The chapter reviews the relevant literature, reports, and media to provide a comprehensive and up-to-date picture. It further opens the discussion related to exogenous, endogenous, and subjective factor of port attractiveness and how they influence stakeholders' decisions. The study concludes with proposals for further research.