Ocean freight logistics play a significant role in facilitating international trade. A special issue in International journal of Logistics Management on “Strategic Management of Ocean Freight Logistics in An Ever-Changing Global Economy” edited by Jingjing Xu (University of Plymouth) and PortEconomics co-director Theo Notteboom (ITMMA – University of Antwerp) contributes to ongoing debates on current issues shaping ocean freight logistics.

A total of seven papers are included in this Special Issue addressing various aspects of ocean freight logistics management, including seaports:

  • The paper ‘Managing Variability in Global Ocean Transportation Networks ‘authored by Alan Harrison and Johannes Fichtinger studies the relationship between time-related variables in global ocean transportation networks (GOTNs) and the shipper’s inventory management performance.
  • The paper ‘Supply-Side Strategic Flexibility Capabilities in Container Liner Shipping ‘authored by Robert Mason and Rawindaran Nair explores the extent to which supply side flexibility tactics are deployed by operators in the container liner shipping sector to restrict supply in a market which is characterised by over-supply or under-demand.
  • The paper ‘Assessment of Empty Container Repositioning Policies in Maritime Transport’ authored by Jing-Xin Dong, Jingjing Xu and Dong-Ping Song has evaluated and compared the performance of a number of typical empty container repositioning policies
  • The paper ‘Slow Steaming in Container Liner Shipping: Is There Any Impact on Fuel Surcharge Practices?’ authored by Theo Notteboom and Pierre Cariou assesses how container shipping lines have implemented slow steaming practices since 2008 and their impact on pricing policies regarding fuel surcharges.
  • The paper ‘Towards a New Era in Ship Registration’ authored by Jane Jing Xu examines the current ship registration situation and the impact of the 2008 financial crisis on flagging behaviour.
  • The paper ‘Improving the Service Operations of Container Terminals’ authored by Wen-Kai K. Hsu explores how container terminal operators can improve the terminals’ service operations.
  • The paper ‘PCS Interoperability in Europe: A Market for PCS Operators?’ authored by Marie-Laure Baron and Hervé Mathieu addresses the evolution of local Port Community Systems at the conceptual level. It has brought insight into a number of issues in relation to PCSs, including the stages through which the building of a European maritime information network is going, the growing part played by PCS operators, the way competition and the market are organized, and the institutional difficulties.

Visit the Special Issue‘s webpage to read the studies.

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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