Who turns to a port and who does a port turn to with its many and varied services? Is it enough far a port and far the community of facilities and operators it harbours to put itself up on display became potential users or, given the harsh international competitive struggle, should it not rather try to foster contacts with the outside world, develop connection facilities, and engage in promotional and acquisitive activities with regards to its operators? Moreover, within what boundaries, especially geographically speaking, can these activities be rationally undertaken? In short, which is a port's market area? This article will try to answer these complex questions although, needless to say, given the extremely dynamic and magmatic nature of the context, no reply can purport to be unambiguous and exhaustive. The author merely wishes to point out the right direction far a positive and systematic approach to the subject in question.
