THE GEOGRAPHICAL SPREAD OF FREE ZONES ASSOCIATED WITH PORTS

Free economic zones, national and subnational areas with relaxation of laws or regulations to attract investment and create employment, are found throughout the world. The best examples of such zones are those associated with ports in the form of free ports, free trade zones, foreign-trade zones and export processing zones. The first part of this paper attempts to classify free zones by type and function. The second part focusses on the historical-geographical development of port free zones in the periods pre 1900, 1900-1949, 1950-1969 and 1970-1986. Particular stress is put on Hamburg, Hong Kong, Kaohsiung and Shannon as models for port free zone development. The growth of the U.S. foreign-trade zones and the activities of the United Nations International Development Organization are also emphasized. This paper concludes with a look to the future, stating that the continued development of a global economy and the existence of barriers to international trade there will continue to be the need for free zones, especially those associated with ports. © 1990.