Interaction between Public Infrastructures and Regions: The Case of the Port of Aveiro

Abstract

On the basis of a case study, this article analyzes the performance of the Port Administration of Aveiro (APA) aiming at contributing to a better understanding of the articulation of public infrastructures with the surrounding community. Adopting a relational perspective, APA has given an increasing importance to marketing as well as to the integration of the port structure in a number of organizational networks. This dialogue and interaction with the environment have helped to overcome a style of management limited to a single port infrastructure, giving rise to larger schemes whose benefits can be found both in the competitiveness of the Port of Aveiro and in the region and the surrounding community.