Seaports has been the hub of international trade since trading existed. Almost everywhere in the world if prime export and import are the trading currency, we can safely assume that the country’s seaport has seen the best of the nations annual budget. Often in countries where reliance international trades is high the upkeep of their seaport has always been the priority. Super-sized container ships moves millions of tones of trade commodity annually and a seaports limitation depicts the biggest factor in the commercial value of the commodity carried that is to be traded. A port modernization exercise generally aims to create a more effective economic model of the short, medium and long-term development plans of the Port. This will give the port a refresh analysis in and review the ports:
• forecast changes within the freight and logistics industry that will have an impact on the port
• the infrastructure improvements required by the port and
• the implications for land and water use
• the funding strategy the port will use to deliver infrastructure projects
• the environmental and social principles the port will follow in its development plans.

The Port modernization exercise is not only the laborious and technical engineering works, it is also a full fledge economic activity with direct effect to the country and the citizens, therefore on assignment of a ports master planner, these factors are of many of the critical elements required to be studied and analyzed in order for the Port to succeed, and with the years ahead undergoing rapid change. These elemental changes areas needs to be on constant update:
• changes in technology allowing stevedores, shipping companies, and road and rail operators to handle more freight, faster
• consolidation and vertical integration of many companies in the industry
• rapid increases in container growth
• increasing competition from interstate ports
• changes in what are considered socially and environmentally acceptable practices
• the increasing use of waterfront land for residential and commercial uses, pricing out future port options
• increasing security and safety measures required for port operations and the transport supply chain.

Ship size and draught
Container ship size is increasing as companies realize economies of scale and deploy larger ships to Melbourne. These larger ships are growing in number as shipping lines rationalize costs in a competitive market. Within the next 10 years, ships of up to 4500 – 5500 TEU capacity will come to be standard and from the busiest trading routes, once they are replaced by larger vessels. Around 26% of container ships accessing the port in 2005 had a maximum summer draught equal to or greater than 11.6 meters and were therefore potentially affected by draught limitations. Approximately 12% of dry bulk ships and 40% of liquid bulk ships were similarly affected.