Containers
Containers
Containers
PortGraphic: alliances in container shipping-impact of Korean/Japanese carrier dynamics
By Theo Notteboom Since 2015 four alliances are operational in the container shipping market: 2M, Ocean Three, CKY(H)E and G6. The merger of China Shipping and Cosco to form China Cosco Container Lines (COSCOCS) and the acquisition of APL/NOL by CMA CGM were the first major market changes signalling major changes in the current alliance structure. By Q2 of 2017, the new alliance landscape would include the 2M alliance and two new large-scale alliances, i.e. the Ocean Alliance and THE Alliance. In the past few months the container...
Containers
What is the future for small container ports?
By Jason Monios As container ships grow ever larger to achieve greater economies of scale and hence cost savings, ports expand to be able to handle them. This expansion occurs both in terms of the physical size of berths and the speed and efficiency of handling the large drops of containers that must be moved in and out of the port gate and through the hinterland. Port systems evolve according to these trends, resulting in a concentration of container movements at a handful of hub ports within each range, and flows are then feedered to...
Containers
Drivers of port competitiveness
A new port study explores the multidimensional nature of “port competitiveness” arguing that port competitiveness and its drivers are significantly affected by major changes in maritime industry . The latest port study of PortEconomics member Francesco Parola, co-author with Marcello Risitano , Marco Ferretti and Eva Panetti (all at University of Naples "Parthenope") reviews research on port competitiveness that has so far focused on the identification of the drivers of port competitiveness and their measurement. The analysis...
Containers
Review of Maritime Transport 2015 reveals gradual rise in developing countries' share of world container throughput.
The Review of Maritime Transport 2015 has been released by UNCTAD sheds light to developments in shipping and ports around the globe within 2015. Around 80 per cent of the volume of international trade in goods is carried by sea, and the percentage is even higher for most developing countries. The Review of Maritime Transport provides an analysis of structural and cyclical changes affecting seaborne trade, ports and shipping, as well as an extensive collection of statistical information. Chapter 4 is devoted to developments in...
Containers
GREPORT 2016: Report on Greek ports available in English
With total throughput 6.36 million tonnes of dry bulk cargo, 3.98 million TEUs, 28.23 million coastal passengers and 2.07 cruise passengers in 2014, Greek ports are important actors in local, national and regional level. In 2014, their turnover exceeded the €326 million. GREPORT 2016, the Report on Greek Ports by PortEconomics members Thanos Pallis and George Vaggelas is the first comprehensive record and analysis of the developments of the Greek port industry over the last decade. The port study, published by Port &...
Containers
The Hanjin shipping bankruptcy: how big of an impact?
By Jean-Paul Rodrigue For many years, the shipping industry has been in a situation of overcapacity, which was depressing rates and impairing the profitability of shipping lines. To make matters worse, almost every major shipping line was ordering larger containerships, caught in a vicious circle of trying to boost profitability with economies of scale. Capacity was growing faster than demand. In such as setting, there were discussion and rumors within the industry about which major shipping company would fold first in an environment...
Containers
Three irrelevant reasons why Maersk & co should not invest in more ultra large container ships
By Jan Hoffman Chief, Trade Facilitation Section at UNCTAD (Linkedin) Containerships have never been bigger than today, container freight rates have never been lower, and never has so much container carrying capacity been idle. Not a trilemma, but three sides of the same coin. And after several years of calmness at the M&A front, we have new mergers among liner companies. In March 2016, the idle container ship fleet stands at 1.6 million TEU, and a shipper may pay less than 200 US$ to have his twenty foot container...
Containers
Box dynamics: “leaders”, “followers” and transmitting mechanisms
A port study co-authored by PortEconomics member Thomas Vitsounis received the KLU Young Researcher Best Paper Award of the Annual Conference of the International Association of Maritime Economists held in Hamburg, Germany 23-26 August 2016. The study models spillover effects across container sectors (commodities) over time. In more detail, the study conceptualizes the container port throughput as a function of different evolutions of the various sectors that make up the aggregate container output. Arguing, the container cycle may be...
Containers