[graeme]

The ports are rather important though. The Box is an excellent book showing how standardized containinerd revolutionized trade.

In developed countries the containers are multimodal: port/rail/transport truck

The oceanbound part is the cheapest. Without modern container ports it is very difficult to prosper.

Internal trade is also important, but I think your disregard for the ports is misplaced.

[kolikotime]

On the contrary, I love ports and they are very important. But I find in African policy and business circles we overhype our ports and port cities, and forget that there is a huge world of development that needs to transpire beyond them.

It’s been a hugely busy decade in terms of port modernization in East and West Africa in particular, this report really gets into it if you like reading Port stuff.

http://www.globalconstructionreview.com/sectors/africas-port...

[graeme]

Oh definitely. The reason container ports matter is that they're part of a seamless intermodal network. So you do need the land half as well.