Administration of ports

Abstract

The Ports of the World form a most important branch of the economic structure of those Countries which are situated upon the sea -board. They have a definite function to perform in the commercial life of a Country and have peculiar problems of their own. These are somewhat akin to the problems which are found in Municipalities or in the other transport public utilities though, unlike them, there is no uniformity in their ownership or administration.

Most ports are of considerable antiquity. The diverse histories and customs of the Countries in which they are situated have been largely responsible for the different forms of administration which are found, while local historical factors account for the differences between the administration of individual ports within the same Country. Nevertheless, all ports have the same economic functions to fulfil and the purpose of this Paper is to propose a form of administration for the ports of a Country, which would create uniformity in Port Administration throughout the World and provide a remedy for the many differing disadvantages which are exhibited in all existing forms of Port Administration.