This research project aims at analysing the relationships between maritime transport and regional development. It proposes an innovative approach based on the graph analysis of the world maritime system based on two types of data. First, a global database on vessel movements (Lloyd's 1996 and 2006) is analyzed with TULIP software in order to better understand how ports are situated and performing relatively in the network. Second, classic socio-economical indicators on ports' urban and regional environments are collected from existing databases and integrated with the new maritime indicators. In the end, we can expect two types of results. First, to learn more about the interdependence of port performance and regional performance, and to see how this relation varies over time and accross regions of the world. Second, to provide interested parties with new indicators of port performance (e.g. for port authorities) and regional port dynamics (e.g. in Europe, in relation with regional integration policies and shortsea shipping, motorways of the sea). In terms of academic outcomes, this would be the first attempt to elucidate the multi-level organization of maritime transport in relation to regional development on a world scale, and to contribute to the current wave of research on multi-level networks in geography where air transport analysis remains dominant as opposed to the lack of studies on ports and maritime transport.