Evolution Of Systemic Logistics Providers

The functioning of a port and shipping system must be perfect in order to provide a competitive advantage and stable position in maritime market. The importance of logistics in business success of port and shipping organizations in contemporary conditions has become crucial. Due to that fact, more and more efforts are put in the designing of integral logistics systems. Thanks to a complex, systemic and networking approach, logistics today is improving the speed and efficiency of operations and significantly influences cost reduction and therewith fulfills one of the basic strategic functions, anticipating necessary key competences of the firm. It is a resource framework for the overcoming of strategic limitations and a method for the enhancement of the competitive position and all marketing and management functions. In addition to that, the integration of partners requires, by rule, a consistent restructuring of the total chain dedicated to the creation of added value, i.e. reengineering of logistics and production business processes. Flexible and small structural units are created, cooperating among each other in a decentralized manner, retaining their key competences and strategic significance for the integral network dominated by a single leading firm as a center of the system, i.e. focus of the supply chain. The paper analyzes the formation of new logistics and marketing paradigm of the beginning of the new century and millennium, anticipating the overcoming of the traditional 3PL three-party logistics concept and formation of contemporary 4PL concept.