Suchergebnisse

ABSTRACT  As a consequence of global production networks (GPNs), the associated network of freight distribution has gained increasing significance. Whereas the volume of freight transport is expected to increase further, the supply of infrastructure for the movement and handling of consignments appears limited. Particularly at the interfaces, infrastructure capacity for coping with rising throughput is extremely scarce. Any attempt to widen bottlenecks seems to be risky because it happens at some cost and in a contested political and urban environment. This problem will be discussed in the case of the German North Range, with the Port of Hamburg as the traditional gateway and main port, and a scattered system of secondary interfaces and supporting logistics areas. Local constraints, port competition, and the network logic of global distribution systems are challenging the former monopoly of the port, as are plans for establishing a new deep‐sea port at Wilhelmshaven, 150 km west of Hamburg. At the same time, the traditional policy approach of adapting to the needs of the distribution system is coming to an end, owing to fiscal limits, infrastructure constraints, and the generic logic of the global supply chain. In accordance with the emerging global division of labor, various actors and institutions are involved in the management of the chain, with very different powers and interests. Under these circumstances, the attempt to ensure the main port's position by infrastructure expansion is becoming open to question. This could also be a starting point for rethinking how local and regional places could better respond to the new imperative of logistics and distribution. In this respect, it is the network paradigm that could lead the way to a more balanced, cooperative and competitive regional distribution system.

The system of physical distribution that comprises transport and logistics, warehousing and wholesale, is an ideal indicator of structural change. Distribution and logistics have developed dynamically, with respect to new technologies, corporate restructuring, and a changing market environment. Whereas traditional logistics were characterized primarily by the demand of manufacturing customers for the shipment of bulk-commodities, modern production and service systems require frequent deliveries over great distances, with high inventory turnovers instead of storage. As a consequence, the locational profiles of distribution firms have changed as well, both at a large-scale level and within metropolitan regions. Based on recent findings of the European Warehousing Index, the paper points out how the European system of goods movement has changed in terms of regional distribution markets and warehousing location. Secondly, the consequences of locational dynamics within metropolitan regions are considered. The dominance of the truck and the suburbanisation of large distribution centres raise serious concern about logistics management, traffic reduction and locational policy. Referring to selected places such as the Ruhr Area, Hamburg or Berlin-Brandenburg, the paper demonstrates how critical the relationship between cities and goods distribution is becoming, with regard both to the regional economy and the urban environment. Is there a chance for regional, spatially oriented management of supply chains? In the case of the Ruhr Area, it is also questioned whether a certain 'knowledge milieu' (logistics research, applied sciences) may contribute to this goal. The particular benefits of investigating logistics real estate markets are fourfold: - They allow for a precise insight into regionally differentiated developments. - They connect the system of 'flows' with material 'space'. - They demonstrate that structural change is by no means neutral for the environment, regarding specific transport and land use implications of distribution. - They represent the emergence of new players in land use planning and policy (i.e. developers), thus shaping the system of political regulation.