In view of the growing congestion of inland transport infrastructure, both road and rail, short sea shipping clearly warrants consideration as a valuable alternative. It is, in fact, a branch of transport activity that has attracted little attention, so its potential is still to be assessed....

In recent years, the challenges of environmental protection, railway privatisation, the impact of logistical requirements, and falling prices, among other things, have revolutionised freight transport markets. The forces of change have spurred new patterns of market organisation which may...