In literature and practice, a number of methods are used for determining the limits of port gravitational areas: the geographical and geometrical method, the mainland-tariff method, the actual mainland transport cost method, and the total transport cost method. The basic drawback of these methods is that in determining the port gravitational areas, only the geographical distance of the port from the mainland industrial centers, or the transportation costs, are taken into account, whereas all other logistical elements which could be crucial under prevailing transport conditions for the choice of the direction of transport are neglected. This paper proposes a new method for determining the limits of port gravitational areas in such a way as to take into account all logistical elements which are of consequence for determining the gravitational area of a port.
