Thematic Area
Thematic Area
Thematic Area
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...
Thematic Area
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...
Thematic Area
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...
Thematic Area
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...
Thematic Area
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,...
Thematic Area
GREPORT2022- report on Greek ports
GREPORT 2022, the fourth edition of the biannual report on Greek ports, is now available to download freely (in Greek). The report contains sections on: The latest developments in Greek port policyCargo throughput trendsConnectivity of Greek container ports in the global shipping networks.Passenger movementsFinancial standing of Greek portsDevelopments per major port and terminal operator. Short, medium and long-term comparisons are accompanied by analyses and indexes per port market. The report has been produced by PortEconomics...
Thematic Area
World Ports Tracker: Larger vessels and higher call sizes do not go hand-in-hand with higher terminal productivity in all regions.
Survey data also confirms shortage of trucks and truck drivers in some regions, bulk cargo growth, overall improved hinterland connectivity, some increases in inland warehouse utilisation, and a record cruise season expected for the main regions The 3rd edition of the IAPH World Ports Tracker has been published this week, authored by Theo Notteboom and yours truly. For the first time, it combines S&P Global container terminal performance data for the third quarter of the year with survey responses from the...
Thematic Area
PortGraphic: Fleet capacity of top two liners
The container shipping fleet has seen strong growth over the past few decades to accommodate rising world trade volumes. Carriers have expanded their fleet through organic growth (such as MSC), or through a combination of organic growth and M&A activity (such as Maersk). At present, the top 20 container carriers operate a fleet capacity (owned and chartered) of about 24 million TEU. The PortGraphic, prepared by PortEconomics co-director Theo Notteboom points to some striking facts about the spectacular growth in the...
Thematic Area