Resumen de Spanish Container Ports Integration in The Maritime Network
Maritime transport is the backbone of global trade, a component driving globalization. Over 80 %of world trade in volume terms and over 70 % in value terms is done by sea; these proportions areeven higher in most developing countries. This unceasing growth in maritime trade raises importantquestions concerning the development of ports role in worldwide transport. In recent years, containershipping has resulted in a specific network connecting the main ports together and these ports to smallerones by regular feeder services which tend to use smaller size containerships. The development of theport system is concentrated in large ports, which attract considerable container traffic.This paper aims to present a survey of the current situation of container shipping in the Spanish portswhich, comparing to north western European ports, have quite small markets and limited hinterlandsthat by consequences reduce attractiveness of ports. It focuses on the integration of ports in the con-tainerization networks and on the organization of regular lines. The research was carried out usingmainly Automatic Identification Data (AIS). The data acquired from AIS systems constitute a newmeans of information which allows to perform multiscale, diachronic and synchronic analyses. A desk-top study as well as a statistical analysis which has required the construction of a database are alsoused. By focusing on vessels, shipping companies and ports, this communication considers the processof containerization in Spanish ports with a special attention on ports’ network
