Private entry in cruise terminal operations in the Mediterranean Sea

This study examines private entry strategies and internationalization patterns in the cruise terminal industry. The focus is on the second biggest cruise region in the world, the Mediterranean and its adjoining seas. A database detailing the ownership structures observed in cruise terminals in 18 different countries forms the backbone of the empirical analysis. This dataset details the entry strategies and implementation options of cruise terminal operators, their corporate features and strategies, and the emerging partnership dynamics. Methodologically, our analysis is based on earlier constructs used to conceptualize entry forms and strategic management in container terminals and port governance systems. The findings suggest that cruise terminals are subject to an initial phase of privatization and internationalization. The outcomes point to the emergence of international cruise terminal operators and the active presence of cruise lines and other types of entities (including port and shipping companies, shipping agents, and Chambers of Commerce). While the cruise terminal development path shows some similarities with what happened in container ports a few decades ago, an array of differences also emerge.

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