Port, cities and labour opportunities

During the past years several structural economic changes occurred in port operations. The shift of port organisation from labour based to capital based investments has created several unsolved problems for the local communities that are experiencing increasing – direct and indirect – costs and a reduction of the perceived benefits in hosting a port. In this scenario, labour in Italian port cities is becoming a major problem mainly because of the de-localization of major traditional port-related activities. The current paper focuses on the discussion of potential industrial sectors that may become strategic for the future of the port cities: the sea economy activities. These industries are not strictly related to the ports but harbours may be strategic in order to gain a competitive advantage to vie with the other provinces. Statistical data from national organisations (e.g. UnionCamere) and statistical institutions (e.g. ISTAT) are used in order to understand the trend of the port provinces in competing in these new markets. At the end of the paper policy and strategic ideas are proposed.