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Operational productivity and financial performance: pure transhipment hubs vs gateway terminals
The sea–sea transhipment of containers between vessels has become a key part of the container handling activities in the global maritime shipping network constituting 25.8% of the worldwide container port throughput in 2017 (Drewry Shipping Consultants, 2018). Since the 1990s, the global port system has seen the development of pure transhipment hubs close to interoceanic passages (Straits of Malacca, Suez Canal, Panama Canal, etc.) and port sites at other strategic maritime locations. Some regional markets, such as the Mediterranean...
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Deep uncertainty and decision-making in ports and shipping
Comment by Peter de Langen. A UNCTAD, in its yearly flagship publication, the review of Maritime Transport, has flagged the considerable uncertainty facing shipping and ports. UNCTAD has developed four scenarios, based on key uncertainties in the geopolitical context and the COVID recovery. Broadly, based on these four scenarios, we could see a sustained recovery of international trade, an interrupted recovery (either due an intensifying war or due to continued effects of COVID-19 due to high infection levels and new variants) or a...
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The 2M breakup; (how) will it affect ports?
Comment by PortEconomics member Peter de Langen: The 2M breakup in 2025, announced recently, came a bit as a surprise, though especially Maersk portrays it as a logical consequence of their integrator strategy. This integrator strategy implies a focus on providing a larger bundle of services than just shipping. As a consequence, Maersk needs to control its operations to be able to offer reliability and being able to adjust to disruptions that may emerge. Maersk has been able to grow their integrator volumes substantially the last few...
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Maritime integrity: an international debate on how best to advance the integrity of maritime supply chains
The Maritime Anti-Corruption Network, the Center for Shipping and Global Logistics at Kuehne Logistics University, the Facultad de Administracion, Universidad De Los Andes, and the Laboratory of Integrated Port Economy, University of Piraeus are holding an in-person event in Hamburg to promote inter-industry dialogue on tackling corruption in seaports and terminals and discuss how best to advance integrity in maritime supply chains building on work on the Global Port Integrity Platform (GPIP) and the GPIP White Paper - developed by a...
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Seaports as green hydrogen hubs: advances, opportunities and challenges in Europe
PortEconomics co-director Theo Notteboom and Hercules Haralambides (Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Dalian Maritime University, Dalian, People’s Republic of China; The Sorbonne School of Economics, Paris, France) latest publication is on #green #hydrogen and #seaports which has been published in the scholarly journal #Maritime #Economics and #Logistics. In Theo's and Hercules' portstudy, focus on the potential impact of green hydrogen on seaports and the things the latter should do in anticipation. The authors...
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The future of alliances: impediments for liners involved
"MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company and A.P. Moller - Maersk announced they have mutually agreed to discontinue the 2M alliance, set to end in January 2025. This implies that the 10-year agreement which was signed in 2015 will not be extended. In a presentation on the future of #alliances in container shipping delivered on May 10, 2022, during the FIATA International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations "Market Structure and Maritime Competition" Webinar Series, PortEconomics co-director Theo Notteboom already...
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Logistics integration strategies in container shipping: a multiple case-study on Maersk Line, MSC and CMA CGM
Shipping lines have recently been reshaping their operations to include more logistics integration, which could indicate a change in business strategy. The latest paper of PortEconomics member Theo Notteboom and Hubert Paridaens (Antwerp Maritime Academy) analyses recent developments in the strategic paths of Maersk Line, CMA CGM and MSC in the context of logistics integration and presents empirical findings on their strategic positions and associated drivers. By applying a conceptual framework highlighting and exploring various key strategic,...
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The Analyst: Maersk Line’s clean fuel efforts; gaining competitive advantage through moving early?
By Peter de Langen Maersk is clearly an early mover when it comes to transitioning to clean fuels. It has decided to opt mainly for green methanol and has now 19 ships with dual fuel engines capable of sailing on methanol on order. In addition, Maersk is focusing on securing the supply of green methanol, and currently has 7 partnerships with clean methanol providers in various continents. However, even with these seven, Maersk is still short on methanol fuel supply; the agreements will generate over 1 million ton of methanol, but Maersk...
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