Exploring the applicability of electronic markets to port governance

The paper explores the rationale of embracing e-Governance models as a mean to improve port policy and decision making towards enhanced port performance and competitiveness. The paper establishes both the significance and the applicability of advanced port e-Governance models, based on e-markets typologies. The devised theoretical framework suggests that within the evolving variation of port structures, e-Governance, public-private interorganisational network models and in particular the e-market paradigm provide a great opportunity towards the 'smart networking' of the plurality of port actors, including public port authorities, terminal service providers, shipping companies, logistics and transportation companies, customs and other third parties.