Hub port choice and shipping connectivity in Southeast Asia during COVID-19 pandemic: implications for post-pandemic competition landscape

Abstract

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on the container shipping and port industry in terms of its reach and scale. The research analyzes the impact of COVID-19 on hub port choice and shipping connectivity using the case of major container ports in Southeast Asia. This study enriches the definition of connectivity and proposes a new research approach that differentiates the order of port-call for mainline services. The research approach is applied to the case of major container ports in Southeast Asia for the Asia-Europe trade route. The study further analyzes hubbing strategies of major shipping lines and alliances with the application of data mining on global satellite ship data. Findings indicate shipping connectivity to have grown in Singapore particularly at the expense of Port Klang during the COVID-19 pandemic as evidenced by changes in the shipping networks of The Alliance and Ocean Alliance. The research offers important policy and managerial implications concerning the post-COVID competition landscape covering the aspects of joint venture terminals, shipping alliance networks, and container port development.