This book addresses myriad of issues and challenges in the field of port, maritime and hinterland development in Southeast Asia from multidisciplinary perspectives. Instead of focusing on only certain aspects of the maritime discipline, the book presents a range of different viewpoint from business and management, historical development, geography, law, and others. Although the book is made in the form of an edited book, readers will benefit and gain knowledge on many important issues in the field of port, maritime and hinterland development in Southeast Asia. This book will also be beneficial to all parties in this area, including policy and decision makers, government officials, port authorities, port operators or terminal operators, maritime-related service providers such as freight forwarders in port, ship agents, navigation officers, customs brokers, stevedores and other port users, shippers, passengers, and carriers. This book is also catered for those involved in maritime research or students who take maritime subject, or to the public who are interested in maritime issues. The contributors of this book are experts from diverse backgrounds with extensive experience in the fields of port, maritime and hinterland development. This is because we believe that maritime studies are intertwined with many aspects of life from environmental management to disputes at the sea, which will affect the maritime trade industry. Hence, issues in this book are also various. However, the emphasis is on the development of port, maritime and hinterland sector in Southeast Asia.

Since the 1990s, regional organizations of the United Nations and international financial institutions have adopted a new dynamic of transnational integration, within the framework of the regionalization process of globalization. In place of the growth triangles of the 1970s, a strategy based on transnational economic corridors has changed the scale of regionalization.