Multi-port Gateway Region Research Articles

Inter-port price competition in a multi-port gateway region

The purpose of this paper is to study the inter-port pricing strategy in a Multi-Port Gateway Region (MPGR) under the background of deregulating port competitive service charges. We apply a two-stage game to explore the pricing strategies adopted by the container ports in an MPGR. The resulting price matching strategy is the unique subgame perfect Nash Equilibrium of the two-stage game even though the container ports in an MPGR have different variable costs. A numerical simulation is performed on Ningbo-Zhoushan and Shanghai Ports in Yangtze River Delta Region to demonstrate the results.

Revisiting port system delineation through an analysis of maritime interdependencies among seaports

A port system is a system of two or more ports, located in proximity within a given area. In literature, various geographical and functional scales have been identified ranging from complete coastlines to the notions of a ‘range’ and a ‘multi-port gateway region’. Not only does the spatial scale create confusion on the true functional delineation of port systems, but it also complicates a clear understanding of the relational mechanisms at stake within these port systems. This paper revisits existing approaches to and empirical delineations of port systems. Maritime network analysis techniques are deployed to understand hierarchies and interdependencies among nodes of container port systems and sub-systems in North Europe and Northeast Asia. The results provide additional insights on how ports interact from a maritime services’ perspectives and demonstrate whether or not ports which are traditionally considered as belonging to the same port system can in reality be considered forming a fully integrated port system.

Development dynamics of the Portuguese range as a multi-port gateway system

The aim of this paper is to discuss the current status of port regionalization in the Portuguese range and to identify its possible developments, giving special consideration to cross-border issues. The ‘Portuguese range’ comprises a set of ports located in the west coast of the Iberian Peninsula, grouped in a multi-port gateway region, directly connected to one of the main European Union rail freight corridors. These ports possess a natural competitive advantage as a gateway to foreland regions along the Atlantic Ocean, such as Latin America, North America and West Africa. In order to fully realize this potential, the entire range is engaged in a regionalization process into certain regions of Spain, which is analysed in this paper. The paper builds upon previous work on regionalization, inland terminal networks, dry port development and dyad formations and applies these concepts to the Portuguese range, in its pursue for the capture of hinterlands in Spain. The validity of the regionalization theoretical framework is thus benchmarked against a trans-national case and novel elements are sought to enrich the framework. The paper first describes the current situation of container terminals in the Portuguese range regarding throughput, rail connections, network of inland terminals (and dry ports) and its utilization. Comparison is made with its Spanish counterparts. The policies of major stakeholders are also reviewed concerning dry port and logistic platform development. A number of potential and existing seaport-dry port dyads are identified. Conclusions and policy suggestions are presented.

Measuring Container Port Complementarity and Substitutability with Automatic Identification System (AIS) Data – Studying the Inter-port Relationships in the Oslo Fjord Multi-port Gateway Region

Measuring Container Port Complementarity and Substitutability with Automatic Identification System (AIS) Data – Studying the Inter-port Relationships in the Oslo Fjord Multi-port Gateway Region

An Economic and Institutional Analysis of Multi-Port Gateway Regions in the Black Sea Basin

The concept of ‘multi-port gateway region’ has been introduced by Notteboom (2010) and has been applied to important seaport markets such as Europe and Asia. However, the dynamics and port development patterns in secondary multi-port gateway regions, such as the Black Sea region, have received far less attention in academic literature. An empirical application of established spatial and functional development models to such secondary port regions might substantiate the external validity of these models as these ports operate in a different spatial, economic and institutional environment. The aim of the paper is to characterize the spatial dynamics of container ports of the Black Sea multi-port gateway regions by testing the validity of established spatial models on port system development. Furthermore, the expected future evolution path for port hierarchy in the Black Sea basin is discussed. By doing so, the paper assesses to what extent the Black Sea port region is following an ‘expected’ development path as portrayed in a number of port system development models, or alternatively, can be characterized as an atypical port system following its own development logic.

An Economic and Institutional Analysis of Multi-Port Gateway Regions in the Black Sea Basin

The concept of ‘multi-port gateway region’ has been introduced by Notteboom (2010) and has been applied to important seaport markets such as Europe and Asia. However, the dynamics and port development patterns in secondary multi-port gateway regions, such as the Black Sea region, have received far less attention in academic literature. An empirical application of established spatial and functional development models to such secondary port regions might substantiate the external validity of these models as these ports operate in a different spatial, economic and institutional environment. The aim of the paper is to characterize the spatial dynamics of container ports of the Black Sea multi-port gateway regions by testing the validity of established spatial models on port system development. Furthermore, the expected future evolution path for port hierarchy in the Black Sea basin is discussed. By doing so, the paper assesses to what extent the Black Sea port region is following an ‘expected’ development path as portrayed in a number of port system development models, or alternatively, can be characterized as an atypical port system following its own development logic.

Peripheral challenge by Small and Medium Sized Ports (SMPs) in Multi-Port Gateway Regions: the case study of northeast of China

Abstract This paper focuses on the role of small and medium-sized ports (SMPs) in enhancing the competitiveness and logistics performance of multi-port gateway regions and associated inland logistics systems. The concepts developed will be applied to the ports in the northeast of China, a multi-port gateway region around the Bohai Sea Economic Rim (BER). Port competition is analyzed by multi-variable methodology and generalized common characteristics of SMPs compared to gateway ports, and the similarities of SMPs and SMEs are also compared. Later in this paper, we analyze the role of a SMP in such region in different variables: (a) cargo volume and market share; (b) international connectivity; (c) relative cluster position; (d) port city and hinterland connection; and (e) logistics and distribution function. The five-dimension analysis combined with in-depth cases study of typical Yingkou port describes a profile of SMPs in the BER and provides future study possibility for more SMPs cases worldwide.

Concentration and the formation of multi-port gateway regions in the European container port system: an update

The European container port system features a unique blend of different port types and sizes combined with a vast economic hinterland. This paper provides an update of the detailed container traffic analysis developed by Notteboom (1997) by extending it to the period 1985–2008 and to 78 container ports. The paper also aims at identifying key trends and issues underlying recent developments in the European container port system. These trends include the formation of multi-port gateway regions, changes in the hinterland orientation of ports and port regionalization processes. While the local hinterland remains the backbone of ports’ traffic positions, a growing demand for routing flexibility fuels competition for distant hinterlands between multi-port gateway regions. The prevailing assumption that containerisation would lead to further port concentration is not a confirmed fact in Europe: the European port system and most of its multi-port gateway regions witness a gradual cargo deconcentration process. Still, the container handling market remains far more concentrated than other cargo handling segments in the European port system, as there are strong market-related factors supporting a relatively high cargo concentration level in the container sector.

Complementarity and Substitutability among Adjacent Gateway Ports

The author considers complementarity and substitutability among container ports located in a single gateway region. The level of substitutability from a shipping line's perspective is assessed by means of an analysis of revealed preferences in the port-calling pattern of vessels deployed on different trade routes. The author also identifies and analyzes the factors contributing to levels of port substitutability as perceived by shipping lines. The methodology is applied to the Rhine–Scheldt Delta, a major European multiport gateway region. It is demonstrated that the large load centres in the Delta are increasingly acting as substitutes, while each of the smaller container ports functions more as a complement to one of the large load centres.