Law Ports

After being mentioned in the guidelines of the Government for the port and maritime
sector, similarly to what is already happening in neighboring Spain, soon is expected to
be prepared a new Law on Ports, even that does not change anything, certainly will have
advantages .

Certainly join the various acts currently held by simplifying and clarifying, or at least
update it. But with some additional effort can not stop here. It will be a unique
opportunity to improve the legal framework of the ports.

Regardless of the issues that are preparing to "move" more or less, and objectives that
will be set for the new law, it would be important to state at the outset the broad
principles that should be coherent and fit the new law , evaluating the choices during the
work of the legislature.

In this context, would contribute to the discussion:

1. Free Competition

There is a vast work that can be done in opening the sector to the economy, with clear
advantages for customers and for the economic development of the country, eliminating
barriers to entry for new competitors in the various segments of services in ports, such
as stowage.

It is also important to clarify the time limits of the concessions, indexed them to the
levels of investment by dealers, and minimizing them as much as possible to allow a
constant competition in the market through competition, with benefits for customers,
terms of quality and price. The Court came to defend this idea in its most recent reports.

It makes sense that the port companies do not have the freedom to hire people who
understand or negotiate with the employment agencies that serve other sectors of the
economy. Moreover, it is important to a clear separation between providers of skilled
temporary workers and stevedoring companies, without cross-ownership of any kind.

Should be well defined a very limited set of basic port services in the public interest,
which would have some protection or technique. The rest should be liberalized without
constraints of any kind.

2. Competitiveness
Ports and port companies should be encouraged to reduce costs and profit margins, with
impacts on the final prices to customers.

To this could be awarded the most competitive and punished those who sold at prices
higher, public bodies, private enterprises port. It would be important to support the
objective of reducing costs in the port authorities, such as staff, adapting it to current
reality, changing it to their diplomas. Fewer resources are needed, but more skilled.

Mechanisms could be implemented in the concessions that limited the profitability of

the dealers to normal oligopolistic market, forcing even the expertise of accounting and
disclosure of business plans and reports and accounts on the Internet in a transparent
manner.

There should be free price competition between ports, where port authorities and
companies keep their net profits, covering their costs. When the results were negative,
prices will not fall.

3. Maximizing the Impact on Economy

The impacts on the economies of the ports are more than 80 euros for every euro of
public investment, they say the medical experts, more than any other transport sector.

However, the state tends not to give due importance to the ports. To invest millions and
millions on bridges, airports, highways and railroads and almost nothing in the ports.

With 1% of the value of a bridge over the Tagus, can be built a port terminal state of the
art. However, the state has no investment in ports increasingly to private.

We must realize that in Europe, in all countries, the United States are strongly
committed to public investment in ports. Spain, France. Belgium, Netherlands,
Germany. Only then will become the most competitive economies, since the ports are
important centers of economic development.

The roads give ratings, but the ports generate jobs.

4. Less State Best State

Reduce costs and fees, reduce bureaucracy, reduce staff, definitely out of the operation
of berths and terminals, to reduce the presence in the provision of port services. Let the
market work.

Improving the monitoring of public service, lease it, simplify procedures and
computerization, to focus on the existing and potential customers, providing the services
of ports, make the investments in new public piers and embankments to lease, improve
the facilities. Regular and give transparency to the market.

Can these be the guidelines for the new role of the ports.

5. Logistics Integration

The Law of ports should not be the ports, but an overview of the logistics, allowing
better integration, ensuring the ability to carry out value-added logistics in ports, no
extra stowage, thereby taking advantage of the "dead time "the charges.

Missing areas to expand logistics in ports, it is important to find and define their stocks
and bonds.

The issues of intermodality should be considered in view of the fluidity of logistics

networks and the facilitation of movement.

6. Business Diversification

You can not look at the ports to mere points of loading and unloading of ships.

These are but a business, it is important to add value, diversify services and markets.

The focus on recreational boating, business, leisure, farming, tourism, logistics, among
others, should be increasingly a reality.

7. Security Guarantee

The safety of navigation and ship operations in port security from the beaches and
estuaries, the safety of persons and property, national security, control and detection of
illicit and illegal transport of people should be subjects of the election authorities public.

This is a public good, which is a function of the upgrade.

8. Social and Environmental Responsibility

Today the environmental and social aspects are the responsibility assumed by
companies.
You can not pollute more and more, to consume all the resources of future generations,
leaving them a legacy of irresponsible, taking the nature of everything, without giving
anything in return.

Preserve, revitalize, harmonize, make, evaluate, ideas are fundamental if we are a

mature sector and accepted in society.