Ships,ports and developing countries

From being largely uniform in character 20 yr ago, cargo handling technology has become varied with specialised, often larger vessels in many trades. Maritime transport through its impact on the port can have a profound influence on the spatial aspects of development. Investment costs for the new technology are high and successive improvements result in more rigorous location selection processes and increasing concentration of activity. Choice of technology becomes a critical issue and should be influenced by considerations of timing, spatial impact, appropriateness and overall development benefits. Greater dispersion may be achieved by the development of inland terminals or the adoption of more flexible technologies such as that offered by the barge carrying ship.