The seaport-hinterland interaction plays an increasingly important role in shaping supply chain
solutions of shippers and logistics service providers. Scarcity concerns combined with concerns over
the reliability of transport solutions have led seaports and hinterland corridors to take up a more active
role in supply chains. This contribution looks at port developments and logistics dynamics in Europe
and proposes some steps towards a further integration between seaports and the hinterland. The key
point put forward in this paper is that the competitive battle among ports will increasingly be fought
ashore. Hinterland connections are thus a key area for competition and coordination among actors.
The paper approaches port-hinterland dynamics from the perspective of the various market players
involved, including port authorities, shipping lines, terminal operators, transport operators (rail, barge,
road and short sea) and logistics service providers. The paper will address the impact of horizontal and
vertical relations in supply chains on the structure of these chains and on the relationships between
seaports and the intermodal hinterland. Who takes or should take the lead in the further integration of
ports and inland ports and what actions have been taken so far by the market players in this respect,
will be examined. The incentives for market players to vertically or horizontally integrate will be
analyzed against the backdrop of the nature of the market in which the various players operate.
