Regulation and Finance in the Norwegian Port Sector

Abstract

Despite being located in the periphery of major trade lanes, Norway houses a large shipping sector with a highly international profile. Norway’s regulatory framework for port governance and development conforms mostly to a style of governance with high degrees of autonomy and financial self-sufficiency seen in other northern European countries. However, there are also clear instances of public intervention aimed to minimize the external costs of transport, such as a significant support scheme for investments in shore power. Identified challenges for the Norwegian port system going forward include the issue of how to take advantage of economies of scale while serving a relatively small and regionally dispersed economy and attracting private participation in port operations, where such participation can be deemed beneficial.KeywordsPort policyPublic–private partnershipPort competitivenessPort competitionPort management