In 2008, French major ports have been reformed in many ways. Coordination and cooperation between ports have emerged as new forms of relationships between stakeholders, and are now a part of the French ports policy. However the interport coordinating council, a strong and central component of the dynamics of the partnership, reinforces the traditional power relationships between stakeholders of the port development. Furthermore this component is not the sole that can meet the need for coherence between major seaports, and other tools such as public interest groups and joint-ventures strengthen the possibility of joint actions. In any cases, it raises three issues in relation with the territory, the hierarchy between ports and the benefits of cooperation.