The challenge to the Maritime Silk Road and port connectivity

Abstract

The OBOR Initiative is launched to enhance economic cooperation and collaboration along the economic belt and MSR. The MSR initiative plays an indispensable role to increase investment of infrastructure and foster collaboration in parallel for both Asia and Europe. The MSR serves as the essential transport hubs, while port connectivity maintains the breakthrough function. The challenge to port connectivity coexists with the opportunities that the MSR brings for Asia and Europe. The challenge may include the risks in political instability, economic situation, legal and policy, cultural conflict, technology advances, information-sharing, port safety and security, port environmental protection and maritime cyber security. This chapter discusses the challenge to port connectivity for Asia and Europe, analyses the impact upon the port connectivity and proposes possible suggestions for solutions to the challenge, to better promote MSR for Asia and Europe.