Changes In Perception Of The Function Of Shipping Within National Economic System

This paper elaborates on the issues of the role of modern shipping in national economic system. Within the last decade the process of globalization has brought many changes. The growing liberalization of property and capital transfer, privatization of shipping and emergence of outsourcing have been weakening the national character of shipping. It is more and more difficult to define shipping. Under the circumstances, the traditional protectionism of national shipping disappears, and consequently the states get a different perspective of the function of shipping within the national economic system. Their priorities turn to be cheap and high quality transportation instead of protection of the national shipping industry. The economic results of such sea transportation are more convenient than alimentation of expensive national shipping from national budget. At the global level the institutions such as 'IMO' and 'OECD' have been developing, shifting the focus of responsibility for the issue of regulation of shipping from national onto global level of decisionmaking, i.e. onto institutionalization of public interest. Consequently, the perspective of the function of state has been changing as well. Instead of protection of the national shipping industry the national interest is being routed towards protection of the public interest.