IAPH launches World Ports Tracker Survey

IAPH new quarterly report globally and per region will help ports to detect trends early on and enhance resilience

IAPH new quarterly report globally and per region will help ports to detect trends early on and enhance resilience

IAPH is inviting ports to become part of the IAPH World Ports Tracker community by responding to a short 8 question survey on a quarterly basis, commencing as of today with a deadline of 17th June for Q2 2022. The first in-depth report will then be written by IAPH’s experts Professors Theo Notteboom and Thanos Pallis and sent to IAPH member participants and survey respondees three weeks later in early July. The cycle will then be repeated with further reports expected on Q3 2022 in October and Q4 2022 in the early New Year.

The World Ports Tracker first report for the container port business, launched at #IAPH2022

A regular contribution to the IAPH member flagship magazine Ports & Harbors (see pages 20-25) will elaborate on the non-survey part of the tracker exercise, namely quarterly container port statistics based on S&P Global Port Performance Program data. In future editions the regular article will also provide a summary of the main findings of the previous quarter, with additional sources being referenced.

Professor Thanos Pallis speaking at the recent IAPH 2022 World Ports Conference in Vancouver

Interviewed in the the recent Ports and Harbors May-June Edition, Professor Thanos Pallis commented on the experience gained with his colleague Professor Theo Notteboom during the pandemic with the IAPH-WPSP COVID19 Port Economic barometer : “As we processed the data and published it within a maximum of 10 days of receiving it, we could explain exactly what was happening at ports at the time, by region and by activity. We also kept the questions short and to the minimum, a successful formula, which we will keep with this new tracker, with very similar content.”

Professor Theo Notteboom

Professor Theo Notteboom added : “The second part of the IAPH World Ports Tracker exercise, i.e. this planned survey, will track critical aspects of the evolution of the global port industry to understand the challenges that ports are facing, both regionally and globally.”

Using structured answering options, the survey will consist of eight consistently repeated questions with three additional questions to be added once per year. The first eight will focus on number of cargo vessel calls expected, current hinterland transport conditions, current capacity utilisation of warehouses/ distribution facilities, cargo throughput expectations, cruise and passenger vessel call size and frequency and staff availability. The three yearly questions put to ports will focus on the situation of planned investments, potential capacity extensions or terminal upgrades, and any major changes foreseen in land use.

As with the IAPH-WPSP COVID-19 Barometer, all information obtained will be treated in a confidential manner and only aggregated data will be published. No reference will be made to individual ports.

Ports can respond to the survey through this link.

Contact for the release: Victor Shieh, IAPH Communications Director

Email : victor.shieh@iaphworldports.org

Tel : +32 473 980 855

About IAPH

Founded in 1955, the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) has developed into a global alliance of 161 port authorities, including many of the world’s largest port operators as well as 126 port-related businesses. Comprised of 87 different nationalities across the world’s continents, member ports handle approximately one third of the world’s sea-borne trade and well over 60% of the world container traffic. With its NGO consultative status recognized by the IMO, ECOSOC, ILO, UNCTAD, UNEP, and WCO, IAPH leads global port industry initiatives on decarbonization and energy transition, risk and resilience management, and accelerating digitalization in the maritime transport chain. Its World Ports Sustainability Program has grown into the reference database of best practices of ports applying the UN Sustainable Development Goals and integrating them into their businesses.