US$11 trillion needed for logistics

It is estimated that the construction or extension of existing aviation hubs, ports and rail tracks around the world will cost about $11 trillion over the next 17 years. The funding of this investment has become a major challenge for most governments, according to delegates attending the 2013 Summit of the International Transport Forum. In addition, the global crisis has been putting a major strain on public budgets, forcing banks to tighten their lending and making private investors a lot more cautious and risk averse. Governments were urged to look at alternative funding models, including public private partnerships.