Landlord port

A landlord port is the dominant governance model at large commercial ports: the public port authority owns the land, basins, and fixed infrastructure and leases terminals to private operators under long-term concession agreements, while the operators provide their own cranes, equipment, and labour. The authority earns rent and dues and sets common-user rules; the operators compete on cargo handling. Rotterdam, Antwerp, and most major US ports run this way, separating public asset stewardship from private operating risk.