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Are container volumes in transhipment hubs more volatile than in gateway ports?Containers

Are container volumes in transhipment hubs more volatile than in gateway ports?

January 14th, 2019 Containers, Featured, PortStudies

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IAPH World Ports Tracker Q2 2023: more port calls with less cargo, truck driver shortages appear; overall liner trade connectivity improves
IAPH World Ports Tracker Q2 2023: more port calls with less cargo, truck driver shortages appear; overall liner trade connectivity improves
Top-15 European container ports, H1 2023
Top-15 European container ports, H1 2023
Container terminal automation: assessment of drivers and benefits
Container terminal automation: assessment of drivers and benefits
As expected, large containerships are arriving in Latin America
As expected, large containerships are arriving in Latin America

PortEconomics members Theo Notteboom, Francesco Parola and Giovanni Satta co-authored a study “The relationship between transhipment incidence and throughput volatility in North European and Mediterranean container ports“. This study has recently been published in Journal of Transport Geography (74, pages 371-381). It is often argued that ports with a high sea-sea transhipment share (T/S) are more vulnerable than gateway ports which rely more on hinterland cargo. It is less clear whether the vulnerability of T/S oriented container ports leads to more container throughput volatility compared to gateway ports or ports with a mixed cargo base (i.e. T/S and gateway flows). Throughput volatility is defined here as the variability or the dispersion of the cargo throughput in a port throughout a given period.

The statistical test results show that throughput volatility is much higher for transhipment hubs then for other container ports.

In this paper, the authors examine the relationship between throughput volatility in North European and Mediterranean container ports (including also Med ports in the Near East and North Africa) and the sea-sea transhipment incidence/dependency of these ports. First, they group a large sample of North European and Mediterranean ports in transhipment dependency classes ranging from transhipment ports over mixed ports to gateway ports. Second, we calculate the container throughput volatility between 1990 and 2016 based on two volatility measures. Third, they analyse the relationship between these volatility measures and transhipment incidence. Finally, the authors compare the results per port group (in terms of transhipment incidence level). The statistical test results show that throughput volatility is much higher for transhipment hubs then for other container ports. This paper also points to some regional market-related elements that explain the observed differences in throughput volatility between port groups. This study can help port planners, managing bodies of ports and terminal operators in their decision-making in the field of container port development and commercial strategies.

Follow the link, until March 1, 2019 and get free access to the article.

Anyone who clicks on the link until March 1, 2019, will be taken to the final version of the article for free. No sign up or registration is needed – just click and read. Your comments and insights are most welcome.

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Previous article PortReport 3 | Reflections on the future of container ports in view of the new containerization behavior

Theo Notteboom

Dr. Theo Notteboom is co-founder and co-director of PortEconomics. He is a professor in port and maritime economics and management with about 25 years of experience in this area. His work is widely cited. He is a regular speaker at international conferences and a rapporteur/expert to leading organizations in the field. He is Chair Professor at Ghent University in Belgium. He is a visiting Research Professor at China Institute of FTZ Supply Chain of Shanghai Maritime University. He also is part-time Professor at University of Antwerp and the Antwerp Maritime Academy in Belgium. He previously held a full-time position as High-end Foreign Expert / Professor at Dalian Maritime University in China (2014-2016) and an MPA visiting professorship in port management at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore. He is immediate past President (2010-2014) and Council Member of International Association of Maritime Economists (IAME). Between October 2006 and October 2014 he was President of ITMMA of the University of Antwerp. Between 2009 and 2014 he was Chairman of the Board of Directors of Belgian Institute of Transport Organizers (BITO), an institute of the Belgian Federal Government.

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Sep 21st 11:34 AM
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As expected, large containerships are arriving in Latin America

Sep 11th 9:46 AM
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IAPH World Ports Tracker Q2 2023: more port calls with less cargo, truck driver shortages appear; overall liner trade connectivity improves

Sep 9th 11:16 AM
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The Analyst: Amsterdam’s bold move on cruise may be a missed opportunity to promote sustainable cruise tourism

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Top-15 European container ports, H1 2023

Aug 25th 8:04 AM
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Container terminal automation: assessment of drivers and benefits

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