The motive for this graduation project is to reduce the knowledge gaps in scientific literature addressing public private cooperation among stakeholders in the maritime supply chain. The objective of the graduation project is to obtain insights how public and private stakeholders should cooperate to increase the performance within the maritime supply chain. The performance of the Scheldt supply chain is defined as safety and short lead-time of the cargo vessels. Furthermore, research is done to interventions to improve the safety and lead time of the activities in the supply chain. The insights gained through the research should form the basis of a framework that can be used for the development of chain cooperation among public and private stakeholders. The goal of the framework is to lay down the conclusions of the Scheldt supply chain and interventions. Furthermore, the framework should provide information addressing the applicability of these conclusions in maritime supply chains. The Scheldt supply chain is analysed according to two perspectives, namely system and actor perspective. The first perspective is based on hard engineering discipline and the second is based on social science. Both are necessary to analyse the sociotechnical system, in this case the Scheldt estuary. The main question of this graduation project is: How can chain cooperation among the public and private stakeholders in maritime supply chains be improved? Supply chain management is able to tackle a number of problems that are currently presented during the cooperation between stakeholders. The results of supply chain management are lower cost, higher organizational performance and competitive advantage. The antecedents and requirements have to be taken into account before supply chain management can be implemented. The definition of Mentzer et al. (2001) is chosen for this graduation project. Mentzer et al. (2001) state: The systemic, strategic coordination of the traditional business functions and the tactics across these business functions within a particular company and across businesses within the supply chain, for the purposes of improving the long-term performance of the individual companies and the supply chain as a whole. Furthermore, these authors present a framework that can be used for the development of the framework for public private cooperation. The type of supply chains based on relationships and uncertainty has consequences for the perspective that is necessary for the analysis of the supply chain. Both system and actor perspective are necessary in case of complex supply chains. The Scheldt supply chain is analysed from the system perspective to the involved actors, communicated information and conducted activities. The Scheldt supply chain is analysed in the actor perspective based to the interests, power and dependencies of the stakeholders. Therefore, multiple research methods are used, namely formal relation chart, interaction diagrams, SADT/IDEF0 and power-interest diagram. The communication of information has the most influence on the performance of the supply chain. Much of the information is communicated once in the supply chain among the 18 identified stakeholders. The GNA is the stakeholder, which is most involved in the communication. Together with the pilotage services and Port of Antwerp, the GNA has the most influence on the activities in the supply chain. In the supply chain the stakeholders have conflicting interests regarding safety versus short lead time and individual versus supply chain interests. The positions of the stakeholders with high power could help to realise their interests, however the interdependency in the supply chain results that the stakeholders depend directly and indirectly on each other. Based on the conducted system and actor perspective analyses there are eleven bottlenecks identified in the Scheldt supply chain. The bottlenecks are related to each other, meaning that no bottleneck can be improved without influencing the other bottlenecks in the Scheldt supply chain. The identified bottlenecks in the Scheldt supply chain are: Infrastructure in the Scheldt estuary Insufficient capacity of stakeholders Insufficient complementary processes of stakeholders Quality of information Sharing of information Decision making among stakeholders regarding improvements and performance Different business model of public, private and hybrid stakeholders in the Scheldt supply chain Conflicting interests and different priority of interests Internal focus of stakeholders Power positions and dependencies in the supply chain Cultural differences among Dutch/ Belgium and public/ private stakeholders There can be five essential problems extracted based on the bottlenecks in the Scheldt supply chain, which are confirmed by the interviews that are conducted with stakeholders. Because these problems are mentioned during each conducted interview, it confirms that the problems stated below are essential in the Scheldt supply chain. Information is on average inaccurate, incomplete and too late and therefore influence the planning of activities Lacking incentive to invest in the individual capacity or process, because the benefits are insufficient. Misuse of powerful position or dependencies of stakeholders in the Scheldt supply chain Cargo vessels which unnecessarily have to wait or detour because of lacking mutual synchronisation of activities The focus of stakeholders on their own activities costs and benefits, which prevent a corporate identity in the Scheldt supply chain. Based on the insights from the system and actor analyses there are three types of interventions developed that will enhance the public private cooperation in the Scheldt supply chain. These three types are, go with the flow, cooperation and hierarchical interventions. To implement the interventions there has to be sufficient willingness to invest among the stakeholders otherwise the interventions might not be realised. The cooperation interventions can be divided in five interventions, namely: Elaborate corporate strategy Platform of communication Template for information exchange Shared planning specific location Infrastructure is a requirement for the function of the Scheldt supply chain. Based on the ambition of the involved stakeholders interventions would be implemented in the Scheldt supply chain to improve the performance. The respondents who have analysed the interventions concluded that the platform for communication and elaboration on corporate strategy have the most benefits in the Scheldt supply chain. The framework of Mentzer et al. (2001) has a higher potential considering the requirements than the framework of Li et al. (2005; 2006). Therefore, the framework of Mentzer et al. (2001) is used in the proceeding part of the project. The seven activities as described by Mentzer et al. (2001) have to be taken into account to realise supply chain management in a supply chain. The implementation of the seven activities depends on the ambition and willingness to invest of the stakeholders. Eventually, the implementation of the seven activities influences the performance of the private public cooperation in the supply chain. To the framework of Mentzer et al. (2001) quality of information is added as eighth activity. Shared values are present in every activity on the background and therefore it is added to the framework, but not as activity. The adjusted of the Mentzer et al. (2001) framework results in a new framework called public private supply chain cooperation (P.P.S.C.C.) framework. Furthermore, criteria are presented to check the realisation of the activities and a hierarchy of activities is presented. The reference case of Rijkswaterstaat and the corresponding discussion confirmed the activities in the framework. Since the framework is verified by one reference case there is not sufficient scientific evidence to verify the framework The chain cooperation among the public private stakeholders could be improved according the activities in the P.P.S.C.C. framework. When these activities are taken into account and implement according to the proposed hierarchy an environment among the stakeholders is created that stimulate the improvement of the cooperation. Eventually, the result is an improvement of the supply chain cooperation. Based on the gained insights there are recommendations suggested to improve the public private cooperation in the Scheldt supply chain. Furthermore, there are five recommendations provided to improve public private cooperation in general. The three recommendations are specific for the Scheldt supply chain: Without communication there will not be a Scheldt supply chain Initiate the Scheldt supply chain with clear defined projects instead of everything at once Elaborate on the corporate strategy of the GNB treaty The five recommendations for the improvement of public private cooperation in general are: A common goal among the supply chain stakeholders is essential. Cooperation is give and take Unambiguous definitions result in better communication, which is essential for cooperation Multiple perspectives among the stakeholders are required. Keep your core competences Future research to public private cooperation in maritime supply chains should focus on the justification of the P.P.S.C.C. framework and addition of relevant activities. Therefore, more reference cases should be conducted to establish scientific proof for the verification of the framework and the result is more insight in new activities. Future research should enhance the elaboration of the scorecard to rank the interventions. When more stakeholders are involved, there will be a realistic view on the consequences of the interventions. Furthermore, research has to be conducted to the power and dependencies in the Scheldt supply chain and how these can be used as advantage to realise an improvement of the performance of the public private cooperation. At last, future research should involve the processes that have to be initiated to realise the improvement of activities of the P.P.S.C.C. framework.