The thesis is focused on intermodal transport stressing the importance of container seaports. The key objective is to analyze the transport policy and attitudes of port authorities representatives in terms of strategic development differences by region. Based on selected methodology, perception of private sector by port authorities representatives is explained. The thesis outcome is applied in the fields of theory, practice and education.

The thesis is focused on factors influencing port customers in their choice of the most convenient port. Port customer is primarily freight forwarder but ship operators and multimodal transport operators are also involved in decision making process. Principles of port functioning system reflected in port ownership and port governance with connection to individual subject in port organizational structure are introduced in the theoretical part of the thesis. The following part describes volumes of transported TEU in relation between specific port and Czech and Slovak Republic. The main goal of this thesis is to identify and analyze the key endogenous and exogenous factors which were affecting performance of selected ports. Factors with highest influence on freight forwarder choice are described in detail. Emphasis is placed on the Port of Hamburg because of its ongoing highest performance on the market with highest TEU volumes and also on the Port of Koper because of its growing performance profile.

Ces dernières années, le contexte concurrentiel a démontré la nécessité de réformer la politique portuaire française. C’est ainsi que la réforme portuaire issue de la loi n°2008-660 du 4 juillet 2008 a créé les grands ports maritimes. Le modèle du « landlord port », autrement dénommé port propriétaire/aménageur, a été consacré en France. Le grand port maritime voit ses activités recentrées sur ses missions régaliennes, ses missions d’exploitation ayant été transférées aux opérateurs privés portuaires. Face aux contraintes domaniales, issues du droit administratif, les grands ports maritimes ont dû valoriser leur domaine portuaire en attirant les investisseurs privés et en développant leurs activités avec leur « hinterland ». Le partenariat public/privé est donc la solution pour améliorer la compétitivité des grands ports maritimes. Si du point de vue juridique, l’autorité portuaire est en position « dominante » par son rôle décisionnaire d’attribution d’espaces portuaires aux différents opérateurs, du point de vue économique, le rapport de force est inversé au profit des opérateurs. Il est donc indispensable de parvenir à équilibrer ces visions dans le respect du libre jeu de la concurrence. / These last years, the competitive context demonstrated the necessity of reforming the French port policy. This is how the port reform stemming from the law n°2008-660 of July 4th, 2008 created the Major seaports. The model of landlord port was recognized in France. The Major seaport sees its activities refocused on its kingly missions, its missions of operation having been transferred to the port private operators. In front of state property constraints, stemming from the administrative law, the Major seaports had to value their port domain by attracting the private investors and by developing their activities with their «hinterland». The public / private partnership is thus the solution to improve the competitiveness of the Major seaports. If, from the legal point of view, the port authority belongs in «dominant» position by its decision-making role of allocation of port spaces to the various operators, from the economic point of view, the balance of power is inverted for the benefit of the operators. It is thus essential to succeed in balancing these visions in the respect for the free play of competition.