Development of the ferry and ro-ro industry in an uncertain environment

Abstract

PURPOSE: The prime objective of the article is to analyse and demonstrate the importance of ferry and ro-ro services as essential links in regional supply chains in the Baltic Sea Region. The detailed objective is to analyse the activities of the operators in selected markets in the face of the necessity to adapt to changing external drivers.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: To accomplish the objectives, the following research methods were used, literature review, desk research and in-depth analysis. The author conducted also in-depth interviews. Desk research and in-depth analysis were based on the data collected from the ShipPax Information and operators reports. The interviews were carried out with three shipowners, two of them are ferry companies, the latter operates ferries and pure roros.

FINDINGS: Research revealed lack of current publications on ferry and ro-ro business activity in the context of dynamic and changing factors influencing the ferry affecting operators during last four years.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The article emphasizes that there are so many factors that can potentially driver or derail the performance of the ferry industry, at the moment incertitude and caution are the two foremost considerations guiding the forecast. Economic reality will ultimately be the prime factor in the performance of the ferry and ro-ro industry. Current incertitude in the global economic outlook and all its discontents, such as inflation, oil prices and consumer good prices post a threat to the sector.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE: The literature researching the ferry shipping is not extensive, it includes a relatively small number of scientific articles. Most of the research concerns the years before COVID-2019 pandemic which has become the first of negative factors. There are few current studies on the functioning of the ferry and ro-ro sectors, the activity of which for the last four years has been significantly impacted by changes that occurred in the external environment. The article fills the research gap in the ferry and ro-ro sector studies.