ECONOMICS OF TRANSPORTS AND LOGISTICS

The course aims to provide the conceptual framework and some analytical tools useful for understanding the transitions currently taking place in the world of transport and logistics at different geographical scales: global, European, Italian.
The transitions analysed will include both the 'digital transition', the 'green transition' and the 'geographical transition' that are restructuring global, regional (European) and national markets. Particular emphasis will be given to the geographical transition (or geotransition) that is reshaping the globe between globalization and fragmentation.
On a global scale, the focus will be on maritime transport connecting the world's regional markets and manufacturing locations, primarily along global supply chains. Particular attention will be given to the effects on maritime transport resulting from the adoption of the successive waves of technical progress triggered by the container revolution
On a European scale, trade relations between Europe and Asia – the world's new economic centre of gravity – will be analysed both from an Asian perspective (such as China's Belt and Road Initiative) and from the perspective of long-term European transport policy (infrastructure), as outlined in the current Trans-European Transport Network under review. and from the point of view of the new role of the Mediterranean Sea.
On an Italian scale, we will focus on a transport planning exercise: the elaboration of "preferable priorities" to maintain or possibly improve the international competitiveness of: manufacturing, incoming international tourism and "new economy" (hybrid manufacturing and non-tourism services)

Knowledge of the evolution of freight transport flows at a global, European and Italian level
Knowledge of the main models of analysis of the determinants of the geography of freight transport flows and their interaction with the geography of infrastructure networks

Principles of general and applied (regional and transport) economics, basic knowledge of economic geography and strategy and organization design, working knowledge of English language.

CONTENTS OF THE COURSE
COURSE CONTENT
The global economy and its future scenarios;
The 21st Century as an Asian and African Century
International trade and globalization processes;
Global free trade between multiliberalism and new protectionism
Digital, green and geographical transitions at the global, European, Italian scale.
Shipping and global supply chains.
Maritime Freight and Technical Progress Triggered by the Container Revolution
International trade between Europe and Asia as seen by China's Belt and Road Initiative and the Trans-European Transport Network under review, both from the point of view of the new role of the Mediterranean Sea.
The "preferable priorities" of transport infrastructure in Italy for the purposes of the international competitiveness of manufacturing, incoming international tourism and "new economy" (hybrid manufacturing and non-tourist services)

SUGGESTED READINGS:
1 COSTA, P., MARESCA, M. (2014). The European future of the Italian port system. Venezia, Marsilio (skipping pages from 121 to 216)
2) ITF-OECD (2022). ITF Transport Outlook 2022. OECD Publishing
3) UNCTAD (2023) Review of Maritime Transport, 2023
4) Slides distributed during the course and avaiable online

The exam takes place through a written test consisting in answering some questions related to the topics discussed in the course.
The question will be formulated in order to verify the ability to use concepts and methods acquired and used in the course with reference to Italian, European and world realities

Cooperative learning and case studies. Students are required to actively paticipate to the classroom debate

English

None

written