The objective of this paper is to identify what requirements must meet Brazilian ports to suit the demands of the international market. To meet this goal the study discusses the evolution of the law from port modernization of ports and port participation in the Brazilian transportation system. It also discusses the major theories of international trade and theories of competitive strategies, utilizing the contributions of Adam Smith, David Ricardo, Michael Porter and Klaus Esser. The study makes a comparative analysis of the major ports in Latin America, identifying their position in the standings port in accordance with the guidelines established by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development - UNCTAD, and makes a case study of the Port of Salvador, highlighting aspects such as organizing logistics and port infrastructure in identifying which generation port this port is the guidance from UNCTAD. The paper provides scientific contributions to the revision of theories dealing with international trade and shows the position of ports in Latin America in comparison.

No abstract