ABSTRACT
The economic model for sea transport saw that over the last 50 years the shipping industry has developed a new transport system based on mechanization and systems technology. Within this system the economic pressures arising from the parcel size distribution and demand diff erentiation create the demand for diff erent types of shipping service. Today’s shipping market has evolved into three separate but closely connected segments: bulk shipping, specialized shipping and liner shipping. Although these segments belong to the same industry, each carries out diff erent tasks and has a very diff erent character.
