Marketing of Container Terminals: The container port business has expanded by over 10.1 per cent per annum since 1990. Fuelled by the globalisation of the world economy this process will continue. Even cautious forecasts indicate that port demand will at least double to 2015 with between 550-630m TEUs handled in the world’s ports at that time.

This process places great strains not simply on the provision of new and better container terminals, but also underlines the importance of maximised returns on these massive investments.

Marketing of Container Terminals has the following specific benefits :

• It provides commercial policy benchmarks for container ports and terminals
• It includes new ideas for pricing terminal services
• New concepts for dedicated services aimed at keeping customers on board are detailed
• A framework for effective terminal promotion is provided
• Successful and effective strategies for the future are detailed
• Provides an understanding for competitor evaluation
• It is a guide for privatising ports in setting up a commercial policy

Marketing of Container Terminals condenses this experience and provides an essential guide to all those currently running, expanding or planning to develop new container terminals.

Marketing of Container Terminals draws together an overview of the major trends shaping the container terminal sector with a guide to the maximisation of returns.

Key specialists in the fields of container trade development and terminal marketing have prepared the study. It is designed as a handbook for those developing and marketing container terminals in an increasingly competitive environment.

Part I:Trends Impacting on Container Terminal Development

The study provides a summary of the key factors that are shaping the business.Globalisation is also a factor for the terminal operator – it is no longer sufficient to be competitive locally. Global productivity ‘benchmarks’ are being established and new projects must pass increasingly stringent IRR requirements. How does a developer tap the capital market?

Marketing of Container Terminals provides a review of the following:

• How big is the market – where is growth centred?
• Meeting customer needs – ship sizes/types and the terminal interface.
• Productivity – benchmarking container terminals.
• The True Costs of Container Terminals.
• Industry structure – who are the players and what are their strategies?
• Forecast Overview – OSC demand projections.

Part II: Developing and Marketing Container Terminals

Maximising returns on investment is largely a matter of marketing. Basic principles are well established but specific tailoring to the terminal market is less well understood. The study provides a detailed review of this dynamic process aimed at both new players and established operators in the market. The analysis is structured as follows:

1 Introducing the Container Terminal

2 Understanding Container Terminal Marketing

• The Service Fundamentals of Container Terminals
• The Complexity of the Stevedoring Industry
• Conclusions for marketing of container terminals

3 Market Research

• Objectives of market research
• Performing feasibility studies
• Forecasting demand in goingconcern situations
• Taking customer satisfaction surveys
• Preparing negotiations with customer profiles
• Liner terminals: Trend or wave?

4 Customer Behaviour in the Container Terminal Industry

• Defining the customer
• Decision making units
• Decision criteria
• Decision processes
• Market segmentation

5 Winning Marketing Strategies

• Market share or market scope
• Shipper or shipping line focus
• Cost and Service strategy
• Seaport or Network focus?
• Collaborative strategies
• Selecting the growth strategy

6 Servicing Customers

• The service mix of container terminals
• Service levels and performance
• Multi-user service concepts
• The co-producing customer
• Dedicated terminal concepts

7 Capacity Planning for Optimal Use

• Logistic flows on the terminal
• Capacity determining factors
• Rules of thumb for marketers
• Service and capacity strategies
• The role of the government

8 Effective Pricing for Stevedoring Services

• Who gets the invoice?
• Basic pricing
• Incentives schemes for customers
• Pricing for dedicated capacity
• Pricing strategies
• Container terminal cost structures

9 Promoting and Selling the Container Terminal

• Promotional strategies & targeting
• Selecting effective media
• Relationship marketing
• Creating transparency

10 Organising for Maximum Effectiveness

• Internal marketing
• Developing a professional integrated marketing approach
• Marketing planning
• Organising the marketing department

Appendix 1: Glossary of terms

Appendix 2: Internet resources

Appendix 3: Customer satisfaction questionnaire

Appendix 4: Tariff items