Background: Under the current challenges of global and regional changing environments in the seaport industry faced by market players and the increase of competition among port business entities, the necessity of pursuing a competitive strategic positioning by strategic business units is a compulsory plan to ensure constructive and sustained growth. Aims and Objectives: In this context, the purpose of this study is to analyze the competitive position of the eight (largest, most important, busiest) seaports of Morocco in the four-years period from 2014 to 2017 using a dynamic portfolio analysis known as the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) matrix. This study aims to overcome the regional challenges that have a substantial impact on seaport activities by highlighting competitive strategic positioning, which will enable seaport operators to visualize the position of selected ports, monitor their progress, and predict the future trends of the studied ports. Results: The finding reveals the competitive strategic positioning of analyzed ports is varying over the studied period. Conclusion: The Tangier MED, Jorf Lasfar and Casablanca ports were found to be stars in 2017, while in 2015 they had a combined position of stars and cash cows. Other studied seaports were found to be in an unfavorable strategic position.

The efficiency of 8 seaports in the Kingdom of Morocco region was evaluated. Two associated studies were conducted based on data collected for 4 years (2014-2017), Standard Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) method was used in the first analysis through CCR and BCC models, and thus a scale of efficiency analysis was used in a second analysis. By using both methods, enhanced insight into the efficiency situation is collected, proving subsequently that a majority of the container ports and terminals in the Kingdom of Morocco are found to be technically inefficient. The research concludes through returns to scale method how port resources should be utilized in the aim to impulse inefficient ports perform better.

The Caspian basin for a long time did not have a legal status, so the question of the division of the seabed was in question. In addition, international conventions such as MARPOL, UNCLOS, BWM did not have jurisdiction over Caspian waters. Due to the lack of general rules regarding the Caspian basin, the risk of pollution from ballast water and sewage discharges remains relevant due to the active shipping industry. But on August 12, 2018, the leaders of littoral states signed the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea, although the situation remains complicated. Thus, in the manuscript the authors provide the first insight into the issues of sewage and ballast water in the Caspian, and the role of oil and natural gas in the regional development.