A Study on Analysis of Container Liner Service Routes Pattern Using Social Network Analysis : Focused on Busan Port

Abstract

The port industry is an important national industry which significantly affects Korea’s imports and exports which are centered on economic structure. For instance, the Port of Busan, which handles 75% of domestic container freight volume, is expected to become increasingly critical for container liner routes. For this reason, there have been continued efforts to expand freight service to attract international freight volume. This study analyzes the structural characteristics of the port network connected to the Port of Busan by analyzing the pattern of the container liner route from 2012 to 2016 by using social network analysis. According to the Port of Busan’s liner route network, the port with the highest degree of centrality, closeness centrality, and betweenness centrality was found to be the Port of Singapore. The comparison of Busan’s annual container handling rank by countries and the port center network analysis of Port of Busan rank was found to be different. As a result, it was established that China's East Port, which occupies a high percentage of the volume of cargo handled by Port of Busan, is not a hub port of Busan when viewed on the Busan's container terminal liner network. In addition, even if the number of Port of Busan container liner service increases, it is estimated that the vessels to be added to the fleet will be limited to small to medium sized, or that Busan port has characteristic of a feeder port for the Port of Singapore, according to the network.