Course content
This course advances students' understanding of the management and economics of international shipping, an industry of critical importance to global logistics and multinational corporate strategies. Beyond its central role in facilitating international trade, the shipping industry provides an interesting empirical setting for the application of management theories. The course aims to equip students with the skills to analyze shipping markets, formulate business strategies for shipping firms, and critically evaluate business opportunities within a highly volatile and globalized industry. A strong emphasis is placed on sustainable practices, including investment in innovative technologies, leveraging opportunities for improved environmental performance, and integrating corporate sustainability into business decisions.
Focusing on both recent developments and future challenges in the shipping industry, the course offers insights from the perspectives of shipowners and policymakers alike. It applies models and theories from micro- and macroeconomics, strategic management, and innovation to the study of shipping markets, while incorporating theories from international economics and governance to explore maritime policy and regulation. Through this comprehensive approach, students gain the ability to identify emerging trends in shipping markets, technological innovation, and regulatory frameworks, and to critically assess and capitalize on new business opportunities in this dynamic sector.
The course is divided into two main parts:
1. In the first part of the course, we will look into the global role of shipping and the characteristics of different shipping segments. The students will be introduced to the economics of shipping segments, as to understand how business decisions take place in this context. In this part we will also focus on freight market forecasting, ship management and innovation. Strategic and operational considerations will be discussed, with a specific focus on the application of existing managerial and economics concepts to shipping.
2. In the second part we will focus on the current developments in the shipping industry and how shipping firms should respond to such developments. The discussion will focus on geopolitical instability, sustainabilty and the climate crisis, digitalisation, technological innovation and new regulation, among other topics.
See course description in course catalogue