Competition in Ports and Port Services

Ports, whether maritime, inland or river ports, are important pieces of infrastructure that serve a wide range of customers including freight shippers, ferry operators and private boats. One of the main functions of ports is facilitating the domestic and international trade of goods, often on a large scale. Competition in maritime ports and port services is central to countries with significant volumes of maritimebased trade. Inland and river ports can also play important transport roles within countries in particular for heavy or bulky goods where alternative ways of transport are more costly. Ports are, therefore, important for the functioning of the world economy and effective competition in ports and port services plays an important role in the final prices of many products. The roundtable discussion focussed on market definition, regulatory reforms and antitrust enforcement in ports and port services.