Maritime

Logistics
 Dong-Wook Song dedicates this book
to his beloved family members Sung-Hee,
Jee-Young and Jee-Hoon.

Photis M Panayides dedicates this book

to his wife Marina and his sons Michalis,
Ioannis and Aristotelis.
SECOND EDIT IO N

Maritime
Logistics
A guide to contemporary
shipping and port
management

Dong-Wook Song
Edinburgh Napier University

Photis M Panayides
Cyprus University of Technology

Koganpage
 Publisher’s note
Every possible effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in this book
is accurate at the time of going to press, and the publishers and authors cannot accept re-
sponsibility for any errors or omissions, however caused. No responsibility for loss or dam-
age occasioned to any person acting, or refraining from action, as a result of the material in
this publication can be accepted by the editor, the publisher or any of the authors.

First published in Great Britain and the United States in 2015 by Kogan Page Limited

Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study, or criticism or review, as
permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, this publication may only be
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© Dong-Wook Song and Photis M Panayides, 2015

The right of Dong-Wook Song and Photis M Panayides to be identified as the editors of this work
has been asserted by them in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

ISBN 978 0 7494 7268 9

E-ISBN  978 0 7494 7269 6

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Maritime logistics : a guide to contemporary shipping and port management / edited by Dong-
Wook Song, Photis M. Panayides. – Second edition.
  pages cm
 ISBN 978-0-7494-7268-9 (paperback) – ISBN 978-0-7494-7269-6 (ebook) 1. Shipping –
­Management. 2. Harbors – Management. 3. Business logistics. 4. Globalization. I. Song,
Dong-Wook.  II.  Panayides, Photis M.
  HE571.M367 2015
 387.068’7—dc23
2015000572

Typeset by Amnet
Print production managed by Jellyfish
Printed and bound by CPI Group (UK) Ltd, Croydon CR0 4YY
 CO N T E N T S

List of figures  xi
List of tables  xiv
Notes on the contributors  xvii
Preface  xxvi

pa r T O N E    Introduction  1

01 Introduction to maritime logistics  3

Dong-Wook Song and Photis M Panayides  
Background  3
Outline of the book  4
References  9

02 Maritime transport and logistics as a trade

facilitator  11
Albert W Veenstra
Introduction  11
Ports and shipping as facilitators of trade  12
The practice of international shipping  14
International trade research and non-tariff barriers  18
Summary and conclusion  25
Notes  26
References  26

03 International maritime trade and

logistics  29
Funda Yercan and Turkay Yildiz
Introduction  29
Logistics and supply chain management  30
Logistics and transport  31
Global trade and the maritime industry  32
Discussion and conclusion  50
References  51
vi Contents

04 Defining maritime logistics and its value  53

Eon-Seong Lee, Hyung-Sik Nam and Dong-Wook Song
Introduction  53
Maritime logistics in concept  54
Maritime logistics value defined  59
Strategic significance of maritime logistics value  62
Concluding remarks  63
References  64

05 Hinterland logistics and global supply chains  67

Rickard Bergqvist
Introduction  67
Conceptual framework  71
Hinterland transport system design  77
Hinterland logistics: Strategy  79
Hinterland logistics: Management  82
Hinterland logistics and its influence on global supply chains  87
Conclusions  88
References  88

06 Human elements in maritime logistics  91

Cecilia Österman and Anna-Lisa Osvalder
Introduction  91
The human element in science and theory  92
Effects on system performance and well-being  95
Concluding remarks  103
References  104

pa r t t wo    Shipping logistics  107

07 Intermodal freight transport and logistics  109

Katsuhiko Hayashi and Toshinori Nemoto
Introduction  109
Characteristics of intermodal transport  109
Containerization and intermodal transport  114
Development of intermodal transport  116
Combined transport operators and their services  119
Towards the innovative intermodal transport  121
Notes  122
References  123
 Contents vii

08  eveloping liner service networks in container

D
shipping  125
César Ducruet and Theo Notteboom
Introduction: Background on liner shipping  125
Configuration and design of liner shipping services  126
Shipping routes, network patterns and port centrality  134
Conclusions  145
References  146

09 S upply chain integration of shipping

companies  149
Photis M Panayides, Robert Wiedmer, Panayiotis
C Andreou and Christodoulos Louca
Introduction  149
Supply chain integration in the maritime shipping industry  150
The impact of supply chain integration on shipping firm
performance  164
Conclusion and further research  167
References  168

10 Logistics strategy in container shipping  171

Alfred J Baird
Introduction  171
Literature review  172
Container line logistics activities  173
Liner operator case studies  179
Strategic groups  185
Conclusions  189
References  190

11 Tanker shipping logistics  193

Robert Desrosiers
Introduction  193
Transfer components  193
Contractual relationships  196
Cargo transfer procedures  201
Cargo losses  205
Conclusion  207
Glossary  207
References  208
viii Contents

12 Dry bulk shipping logistics  211

Claude Comtois and Romuald Lacoste
Dry bulk trade  211
Dry bulk fleet  212
Economies of dry bulk trade  215
Principles of dry bulk shipping logistics  218
Conclusion  223
References  223

Pa r t T h r ee    Port logistics  225

13 Dry ports in concept and practice  227

Violeta Roso and Andrea Rosa
Introduction  227
Intermodality and seaport inland access  228
Intermodal terminal facilities  229
The dry port concept  231
Benefits of dry ports  233
Dry port examples in Europe  237
Conclusions  239
References  239

14 Port-centric logistics in concept and practice  243

Nikolaos Valantasis-Kanellos and Dong-Wook Song
Introduction  243
Contemporary business environment of ports  244
Port-centric logistics in concept  258
Port-centric logistics in practice  266
Conclusion  268
Note  268
References  268

15 Container hub ports in concept and practice  275

Hyung-Sik Nam and Dong-Wook Song
Introduction  275
Logistics hub in perspective  275
Application of logistics hubs to container ports  278
Concluding remarks  286
References  287
 Contents ix

16  ultinationalizing container ports: Business

M
models and strategies  291
Francesco Parola
Introduction  291
The supply of stevedoring services:
Leading players and business models  294
Container port MNEs: Timeframe and geographic scope of
internationalization  300
Strategies for growth  309
Concluding remarks  317
References  318

17  ublic–private partnerships and port logistics

P
performance  321
Jasmine Siu Lee Lam, Francesco Parola and
Photis M Panayides
Introduction  321
The overall development in port PPP  322
Institutional factors and PPPs: Which impact on port logistics
performance?  329
Conclusion  338
Note  339
References  339

18  ort and logistics chains: Changes in organizational

P
effectiveness  343
Cimen Karatas Cetin
Introduction  343
Ports and logistics chains  345
Port authorities in logistics chains  350
Changes in effectiveness of port organizations  358
Conclusion  371
References  372

19 Logistics performance of supply chain-oriented ports  381

Su Han Woo, Stephen Pettit and Anthony Beresford
Introduction  381
Review of relevant port literature  382
Evolution of port research  385
x Contents

Supply chains and seaports  391

Integration of ports in supply chains  395
Research model and data collection  405
Empirical analysis and results  406
Conclusion  411
Appendix 19.1  413
Appendix 19.2  418
References  419

pa r t fo u r    Conclusion  425

20 Looking ahead  427
Photis M Panayides and Dong-Wook Song
Topics of investigation and their importance  427
Outcomes and implications  431

Index  435
 LIST OF FIGuRES

Figure 3.1 Container port traffic 2008–2012 (million TEU)  45

Figure 3.2 Bag plot of the liner shipping connectivity index
(2013)  49
Figure 4.1 Maritime logistics in the whole logistics system  58
Figure 4.2 Process of maritime logistics  59
Figure 4.3 Global coverage of port/terminal operators  63
Figure 5.1 TOFC, piggyback transport  69
Figure 5.2 Matson Navigation Company Inc (Matson)  70
Figure 5.3 The 5-layer model of a transportation system  72
Figure 5.4 Hinterland logistics systems: A conceptual framework  73
Figure 5.5 Freight transport in different regions  76
Figure 5.6 Emissions of CO2 by sector  76
Figure 5.7 Emissions of CO2 by transport mode  77
Figure 5.8 Port of Gothenburg and its hinterland transport system as
of March 2014  85
Figure 5.9 Market share of hinterland transport system related to
rail shuttles  86
Figure 6.1 General dimensions of ergonomics  93
Figure 7.1 Components of intermodal transport by sea, road, and
another mode  111
Figure 7.2 Costs for intermodal transport by sea and road  113
Figure 7.3 Costs for intermodal transport by sea, rail and road  113
Figure 8.1 Bundling within an individual liner service  128
Figure 8.2 Bundling container cargo by combining/linking two or
more liner services  129
Figure 8.3 The process of liner service design  132
Figure 8.4 Top 100 inter-regional traffic links in 1996 and 2006  138
Figure 8.5 Centrality in liner shipping networks and container
throughput  144
Figure 9.1 Annual growth of demand and supply in container
shipping (2000–2010)  153
xii List of Figures

Figure 9.2 Steps of supply chain integration  155

Figure 9.3 Revenue ratios NYK Group for the fiscal year
2009–2010  162
Figure 9.4 Portfolio of integrated service for a shipping company  163
Figure 10.1 Logistics activities offered by container liner operators  176
Figure 10.2 Industry focus for container liner operators offering
logistics services  176
Figure 10.3 Geographic focus of container liner operators offering
logistics services  177
Figure 10.4 Organization of logistics functions by container liner
operators  178
Figure 10.5 Future development of logistics by container liner
operators  179
Figure 10.6 Hierarchy of top 20 liner operators’ logistics service
provision  188
Figure 11.1 Crude oil fractions  194
Figure 11.2 Simplified bulk petroleum marketing terminal  195
Figure 11.3 Tanker–terminal cargo transfer work flow  199
Figure 13.1 Comparison of conventional hinterland transport and an
implemented dry port concept  233
Figure 13.2 Transport network with and without a dry port  236
Figure 15.1 Flying Geese pattern of economic development  284
Figure 16.1 Time scale of internationalization of container port
MNEs  302
Figure 16.2 The waves of internationalization in the container port
industry  306
Figure 16.3 Pace of growth and geographic diversification of container
port MNEs (2002–2011)  308
Figure 16.4 Entry mode per container port MNE typology  310
Figure 16.5 The resort to EJV terminals by container port MNEs
(2011)  312
Figure 16.6 Cooperative EJV networks and cliques in the container
port industry (2011)  314
Figure 17.1 Port PPPs in developing countries 1986–2013: Investment
breakdown per project typology  323
 List of Figures xiii

Figure 17.2 Port PPPs in developing countries 1986–2013: Investment

breakdown per geographic region  325
Figure 17.3 Leading developing countries in port PPPs: Investments
per project typology  326
Figure 18.1 Conceptual Framework  344
Figure 19.1 Disciplinary evolution of port research  386
Figure 19.2 Research themes and topics relevant to this chapter  387
Figure 19.3 Supply chain of port services  394
Figure 19.4 Ports in a supply chain  395
Figure 19.5 Complete research model  405
Figure 19.6 Structural model  410
 L I S T O F TA B L E S

TaBLe 2.1 Classification of non-tariff barriers  19

TaBLe 2.2 Summary of LPI top and bottom five countries  21
TaBLe 2.3 GDP top five summary  22
TaBLe 2.4 Summary of the Enabling Trade (ET) Index  24
TaBLe 3.1 Global economic growth 2005–2014 (annual percentage
change)  33
TaBLe 3.2 Growth in the volume of merchandise trade by
geographical region, 2007–2012 (annual percentage
change)  35
TaBLe 3.3 Development of international seaborne trade 1970–2012
(million tons loaded)  37
TaBLe 3.4 World seaborne trade volumes by type of cargo and
country group 2006–2012  38
TaBLe 3.5 World merchant fleet tonnage surplus, by main type
of vessel, selected years between 1990 and 2010
(in millions of dwt or millions of cubic meters)  41
TaBLe 3.6 Cargo flows on the major east–west container trade routes
2008–2012 (millions of TEUs and annual percentage
change)  43
TaBLe 3.7 Container port traffic 2004–2012 (million TEU)  44
TaBLe 3.8 Liner shipping connectivity values – ordered by 2013
rankings  47
TaBLe 4.1 Maritime logistics vs maritime transportation  55
TaBLe 4.2 Main function and supportive activities of maritime
logistics  57
TaBLe 4.3 Measurement of efficiency and effectiveness in transport
logistics  61
TaBLe 5.1 Cost structures and operational characteristics of different
transport modes  74
TaBLe 5.2 Service components of hinterland transport systems  78
TaBLe 5.3 Hinterland transport chains and involved actors  79
 List of Tables xv

Table 5.4 Examples of coordination problems in hinterland

transport chains  83
Table 6.1 Human element issues and their effects from a maritime
perspective  99
Table 6.2 Indicators for personnel, productivity, efficiency and
quality  102
Table 7.1 Main intermodal transport to North America  117
Table 8.1 World’s major trade routes in 2007  134
Table 8.2 Distribution of inter-regional flows in 1996 and 2006
(million dwt)  135
Table 8.3 Share of intra-regional traffic in total regional traffic
(% dwt)  137
Table 8.4 Top 25 container ports 1970–2009 (thousand TEU)  141
Table 8.5 Centrality of top 25 ports in 1996 and 2006  143
Table 9.1 Liner companies and their subsidiaries  157
Table 9.2 The relation between supply chain integration and firm
value  166
Table 10.1 Top-20 container operators and world fleet (as of
24 April 2011)  174
Table 10.2 Strategic groupings for top 20 liner shipping operators’
provision of logistics services  187
Table 11.1 Oil tanker size categories  196
Table 11.2 Sources of terminal delays at Texas City, Texas, USA  198
Table 12.1 Evolution of dry bulk carrier fleet  214
Table 12.2 Distribution cost of chartering a ship  216
Table 13.1 Terms used in relation to inland terminal facilities  230
Table 13.2 Impacts generated by dry ports for the actors of the
transport system  234
Table 14.1 Top 10 global/international terminal operators’ equity-
based throughput (2012)  251
Table 14.2 Facilities and services offered by ports  252
Table 14.3 Four models of port administration  254
Table 14.4 Allocation of responsibilities based on the World Bank
Port Reform Toolkit  255
Table 14.5 PCL at UK container ports  267
xvi List of Tables

Table 15.1 Perspectives on logistics centre/hub  277

Table 15.2 The transhipment volume of main ports in Asia-Pacific
region in 2005  281
Table 17.1 World Governance and Doing Business Indicators in the
leading developing countries in port PPPs  336
Table 18.1 Characteristics of logistics-oriented (fourth-generation)
ports  347
Table 18.2 Traditional roles of port authorities  351
Table 18.3 Port authorities’ changing roles in logistics chains  353
Table 18.4 Port effectiveness measures and their definitions  363
Table 18.5 Port success/effectiveness measures  364
Table 19.1 The number of papers in research theme categories  383
Table 19.2 Research topics in ‘port competition and performance’
studies  384
Table 19.3 Research topics in ‘ports in supply chains’ studies  384
Table 19.4 Research topics in ‘terminal operation’ studies  385
Table 19.5 Studies on the influences of SCM on port industry  388
Table 19.6 Studies on the applications of SCM concepts to port
research  390
Table 19.7 Studies on the integrating activities of ports along supply
chains  392
Table 19.8 Causal relationships in SCM literature  397
Table 19.9 Components and constructs of PSCI  399
Table 19.10 Traditional port performance measures/indicators  404
Table 19.11 Questionnaire response details  406
Table 19.12 CFA results for the first order constructs of PSCO, PSCI
and PP  408
Table 19.13 SEM results: Structure model with higher-order factors  411
Table 19.14 Latent and observed variables for PSCO  413
Table 19.15 Latent and observed variables for PSCI  415
Table 19.16 Latent and observed variables for LPP  417
Table 19.17 Port supply chain orientation (PSCO)  418
Table 19.18 Port supply chain integration (PSCI)  418
TABLE 19.19 Port performance (PP)  418
 N OT E S O N T H E
CO N T R I B u TO R S

Panayiotis C Andreou is an Assistant Professor of Finance at the Department

of Commerce, Finance and Shipping at Cyprus University of Technology.
Prior to this, he was Lecturer of Finance at Durham University Business
School. He completed a PhD in Finance at the Department of Business and
Public Administration of the University of Cyprus, where he also worked
as a Research Associate. He currently teaches Financial Risk Management,
Corporate Finance and Commodity Risk Management. His research has
been recently published in the Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and
Transportation Review, Journal of Banking and Finance, European Journal
of Operational Research, Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting,
and the European Journal of Finance among others.

Alfred Baird is a Professor of Maritime Business at Transport Research

Institute (TRI), Edinburgh Napier University. His PhD focused on strate-
gic management in the global container shipping industry. Prior to his aca-
demic career he worked for a liner shipping company. With an emphasis on
the shipping and ports industry, he has researched, published, advised and
taught across a range of subjects including: strategic management; shipping
market and industry analysis; ship and port cost modelling; shipping service
scheduling/planning; privatization, procurement and tendering of ports and
shipping services; maritime policy; and assessing the feasibility of shipping
services and port facilities.

Anthony Beresford is a Professor of Logistics and Transport at Cardiff Busi-

ness School. He has been involved in many international transport-related
research and advisory projects. These include authoring the Handbook on
Management and Operation of Dry Ports for UNCTAD and participating in
the Transport Rehabilitation and Trade Facilitation programme for UNDP
and the Rwanda Government (1995–1998). Elsewhere he has participated
in several European Union projects such as ‘Work Organisation in Ports’
(WORKPORT). His work for UNESCAP on Cost Structures of Multimodal
Transport Corridors has been adopted as a standard methodology for eval-
uating the effectiveness of international freight supply chains. In the UK,
Anthony has contributed to, for example, the public enquiry into the pro-
posed container terminal at Dibden Bay, Southampton (2001–05) and the
Welsh Assembly debate on transport policy options. More recently, Anthony
has acted as an expert witness to the House of Commons Welsh Affairs
Committee on the role of Welsh ports in the UK economy, and has provided
xviii Notes on the Contributors

input to a range of major transport development projects such as improve-

ments to the UK road network.

Rickard Bergqvist is a Professor of Logistics and Transport Management at

the School of Business, Economics and Law, University of Gothenburg. He
is also the Head of Graduate School at the School of Business, Economics
and Law at University of Gothenburg with more than 500 students enrolled
on nine different MSc programmes. His key research areas are intermodal
transport, shipping, regional logistics, dry ports and public–private collabo-
ration. His major works include over 30 refereed journal articles, confer-
ence papers and book chapters and more than a dozen scientific articles and
books related to intermodal transport, dry ports, economic modelling and
public–private collaboration.

Cimen Karatas Cetin is an Assistant Professor in Dokuz Eylul University,

Maritime Faculty in Izmir, Turkey. She has been lecturing on maritime busi-
ness, port management and operations since 2003. She completed her MSc
and PhD in Dokuz Eylul University Graduate School of Social Sciences,
Maritime Business Administration in 2004 and 2011 respectively. She has
been awarded a grant by the Scientific and Technological Research Coun-
cil of Turkey (TUBITAK) in 2008 and pursued her doctoral research at
the Center for Maritime Economics and Logistics in Erasmus University,
­Rotterdam during 2009–2010. She has had several papers on port manage-
ment and organization presented in international conferences, has published
articles in journals and in edited books. She has participated in transport
and port-related projects in Turkey.

Claude Comtois is a Professor of Geography at the Université de Montréal,

Canada. He is affiliated with the Research Centre on Enterprise Networks,
Logistics and Transportation of the Université de Montréal. He has over
10 years’ experience as Transport Project Director for the Canadian Inter-
national Development Agency in China. His teaching and research activities
are centred on transport systems with an emphasis on shipping and ports.
He is the (co-)author of over 100 scientific publications and 250 communi-
cations. He currently supervises projects on the competitiveness of port sys-
tems, on dry bulk logistics and on environmental changes and the resilience
of transport infrastructure.

Robert Desrosiers is an Assistant Professor at Texas A&M University at

Galveston, USA. He has over 20 years of combined maritime experience in
commercial shipping as a navigation officer and ashore as a marine trans-
portation specialist, as well as a maritime liaison to the US Embassy's Office
of the Transportation Attaché in Iraq. His areas of interest are integrated
port development, marine and cargo surveying, developing economies and
cultural influences on development. He has a BSc from the US Merchant
 Notes on the Contributors xix

Marine Academy, an MMA from the University of Rhode Island and a PhD
from Korea Maritime University.

César Ducruet is a Research Fellow at the French National Centre for Sci-
entific Research (CNRS), research laboratory Géographie-Cités (Sorbonne
University). His research interests as a geographer include transport net-
works, territorial integration, and spatial analysis, through the looking glass
of urban-port development and maritime networks, with a special focus
on Europe and Asia. His past experiences in Korea (KRIHS) and the Neth-
erlands (Erasmus University) have resulted in several collaborations with
many foreign colleagues, finalized in numerous book chapters and peer-
reviewed journals. He has given regular lectures in Asia (Korea, China) and
Europe (Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Italy), and is currently leading
the ERC Starting Grant research project ‘World Seastems’ about the evolu-
tion of global maritime flows since the late 19th century.

Katsuhiko Hayashi is a Professor at the Faculty of Logistics, Ryutsu Keizai

University, Japan. Prior to his current post, he worked at the University
of Marketing and Distribution, Kobe, Japan. He holds BEng and MEng
degrees in Social Engineering from the Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan.
He sits on editorial boards at the Japan Society of Logistics and Shipping
Economics, the Japan Logistics Society, and the Japan Society of Transpor-
tation Economics.

Romuald Lacoste is a Researcher specializing in maritime transport within

‘freight and territories’ at an IFSTTAR associate research team in Nantes,
France. He works at the Centre for Studies and Expertise on Risks, Environ-
ment, Mobility, and Urban and Country Planning (Cerema). Prior to 2010,
he was a researcher at the Institute of Shipping and Maritime Economics
of Saint-Nazaire in France. His PhD in Maritime Geography dealt with the
development of supply chains for bulk commodities. His research focuses
on tramp shipping, the evolution of global shipping routes, as well as on
European bulk ports and operators. He also lectures at several universities
including Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, University Paris Est, and University
of Nantes.

Jasmine Siu Lee Lam is an Assistant Professor at Nanyang Technological

University in Singapore. Lam has extensive experience in executive training
and has been invited by various organizations such as OECD, port authori-
ties and banks as a speaker at international conferences and seminars. Lead-
ing an R&D team and working closely with the industry and government
agencies, Lam has completed over 38 projects. She has widely published in
leading international journals and is an Associate Editor of Maritime Policy
and Management and a member of the editorial board of Journal of Sup-
ply Chain Management. She serves as an elected Council Member of the
International Association of Maritime Economists, and is also a member
xx Notes on the Contributors

of BNP Paribas international scientific committee. Lam is the recipient of a

number of awards, including the Best Paper Awards and Erasmus Mundus
Scholars Award 2014–16 from the European Commission.

Eon-Seong Lee is a Lecturer at the Department of Maritime Logistics and

Management, Australian Maritime College, University of Tasmania in Aus-
tralia. Her current research interest includes the knowledge-based strategy
in maritime transport within the context of global logistics and supply chain
management. She was a joint recipient of ‘The Best Paper Award’ at the
Asian Association of Shipping and Logistics in 2008. She has published arti-
cles in various related journals and presented papers at internationally ref-
ereed conferences.

Christodoulos Louca is an Assistant Professor in Finance at Cyprus University

of Technology. He holds a PhD in Finance, an MSc in Finance, and a BSc in
Business Administration from the University of Cyprus. His research inter-
ests are in corporate finance, corporate governance and behavioural finance.
He has published several articles in refereed academic journals including
the Journal of Business Finance and Accounting, Journal of Accounting and
Public Policy, and Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transpor-
tation Review. He serves on the editorial board of the International Journal
of Accounting and Multinational Finance.

Hyung-Sik Nam is a PhD researcher at the Logistics Research Centre,

Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK. He is currently conducting research
as part of his PhD work entitled ‘The Evolution of Container Hub Ports
in Northeast Asia: A network perspective’. His research interests include a
network analysis in logistics and supply chains and hub-and-spoke connec-
tivity in container ports and maritime logistics.

Toshinori Nemoto is a Professor in Transport Economics at the Graduate

School of Commerce and Management, Hitotsubashi University, Tokyo,
Japan. He finished a doctorate in Social Engineering at the Tokyo Institute
of Technology in 1982. He has held visiting posts at the Swedish Road and
Traffic Institute, the National Centre for Transportation Studies at the Uni-
versity of the Philippines, and the Centre for Transportation Studies at the
University of British Columbia, Canada. He is a joint recipient of both ‘The
Best Paper Award’ at the Japan Logistics Society and ‘The Best Book Award’
at the Japan Society of Transportation Economics in 2010. Nemoto is cur-
rently President of the Japan Society of Logistics and Shipping Economics
and sits on the editorial board of Transport Reviews.

Theo Notteboom is Professor at the College of Transportation Management,

Dalian Maritime University, China. He is also a part-time professor in mari-
time transport at the Antwerp Maritime Academy and a visiting professor
at World Maritime University in Sweden. He previously held a position as
 Notes on the Contributors xxi

MPA Visiting Professor in Port Management at the Nanyang Technologi-

cal University in Singapore. He is currently President of the International
Association of Maritime Economists (IAME) and Chairman of the Board of
Directors of the Belgian Institute of Transport Organizers (BITO), an insti-
tute of the Belgian Federal Government. He has (co-)authored nearly 300
papers on (trans)port and maritime economics in academic journals, books
and conference proceedings and has been involved in about 50 national
and international research projects. He received six awards for his academic
work from organizations such as the International Association of Ports and
Harbors (IAPH) and IAME. He is a regular speaker at international and
national conferences and has co-­organized about 10 conferences. He is a
Fellow of the Belgian Royal Academy of Overseas Sciences, a co-director
of PortEconomics.eu, Associate Editor of Maritime Policy and Manage-
ment and a member of the editorial boards of four other leading academic
journals.

Cecilia Österman is a Senior Lecturer in Maritime Science at Kalmar Mari-

time Academy, Linnaeus University in Sweden, and holds a PhD in Ship-
ping and Marine Technology from the Chalmers University of Technology
in Gothenburg, Sweden. She has a background in marine engineering and
previous work experience includes 12 years at sea in the Swedish merchant
navy, and work at a naval shipyard. Österman's research focus is on mari-
time ergonomics and safety, focusing on how technical and organizational
systems can be designed to fit human abilities and limitations.

Anna-Lisa Osvalder is a Professor in Human–Machine Systems at the

Department of Product and Production Development, Division of Design
and Human Factors at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothen-
burg, Sweden. Since 1993 she has been active as a researcher and lecturer
in Physical and Cognitive Ergonomics, Human Factors Engineering and
Work Science at the university. Her research group deals with human–
machine system issues in several application areas, such as medical tech-
nology, vehicles, traffic environments, control rooms in process industries,
shipping and aviation. One special interest is in method development for
evaluation of usability problems, use errors and risks, which may occur in
the interaction between the operator and the technical artefacts in differ-
ent contexts. These methods can be usable both in different stages in the
product development process and for evaluation of existing products and
work environments.

Photis M Panayides is a Professor and Head of the Department of Com-

merce, Finance and Shipping at the Cyprus University of Technology. He
has published widely in the area of shipping, transportation and logistics
in highly-ranked journals and is the author of four books on shipping and
transportation. He held visiting professor positions at, among others, the
National University of Singapore, ALBA Graduate Business School Athens,
xxii Notes on the Contributors

the University of Reading and Copenhagen Business School, teaching ship-

ping economics, chartering marketing and strategy. His research interests
are in the area of maritime logistics and its association to supply chain
performance. He served on the Council of the International Association of
Maritime Economists (IAME), and currently serves on the editorial boards
of Transportation Research Part E Maritime Policy and Management, the
International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistics Management,
and the Journal of Business Logistics. He is also the Vice-President of the
Board of Directors of the Cyprus Ports Authority.

Francesco Parola is an Assistant Professor at the ‘Parthenope’ University in

Naples in the Department of Business and Quantitative Studies. Parola has
been visiting researcher at the Centre for Maritime Economics and Logis-
tics, Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands and at the Nanyang
Technological University in Singapore. His research and teaching interests
include port economics and policy, maritime logistics and governance and
the application of business and strategic management disciplines in the mar-
itime transport sector. He has published extensively with port and maritime
themes in highly-regarded international journals and is Associate Editor of
Maritime Policy and Management. He currently serves on the Council of the
International Association of Maritime Economists and is a member of the
PortEconomics initiative.

Stephen Pettit is a Reader at Cardiff Business School of Cardiff Univer-

sity, UK. He graduated with a BSc Honours degree in Maritime Geography
from Cardiff University in 1989 and in 1993 was awarded a PhD from
the University of Wales. Subsequently he has been involved in a range of
transport-related research studies including a ground-breaking project for
the Department of Transport, studying the UK economy's requirements for
people with seafaring experience, which highlighted important issues relat-
ing to the decline in the number of UK seafaring officers. He has also been
involved in a number of research programmes for EU DGTREN including
the ‘Economic Value of Shipping to the UK Economy’; an ‘Analysis of the
Cost Structure of the main TEN Ports’ (ATENCO); and ‘Work Organisation
in Ports’ (WORKPORT). Stephen has written a large number of journal
papers, conference papers and reports primarily on port development, port
policy and the logistics of humanitarian aid delivery.

Andrea Rosa is an independent transport planning consultant with a back-

ground in academia and consultancy. He worked in transport regulation at
the Florence School of Regulation of the European University Institute and,
earlier, in transport planning as manager of the Infrastructure and Transport
Research Unit at SiTI, a research institute located in Turin, Italy. Prior to
that, he was Research Fellow and Lecturer in transport modelling at Napier
University, Edinburgh (UK), and a transport and traffic consultant. Andrea
 Notes on the Contributors xxiii

holds a degree in Civil Engineering (transport section) and a PhD in Trans-

port Modelling.

Violeta Roso is a Senior Lecturer at the Division of Logistics and Trans-

portation, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, where she obtained
her PhD in Technology Management and Economics (2009) and MSc in
Management of Logistics and Transportation (2002). Violeta has been
­
researching on dry ports since 2002 and today is the leading researcher
in the subject with numerous frequently cited publications. Her research
has been published in known journals including Transportation Research,
­Journal of Transport Geography, International Journal of Physical Distribu-
tion and Logistics Management, and Maritime Economics and Logistics.
Violeta has been a visiting academic at the University of New South Wales,
Australia and at the University of North Florida, US. She supervises PhD
and masters students, and teaches masters and postgraduate courses.

Dong-Wook Song is a Professor of Transport and Logistics at the Transport

Research Institute, Edinburgh Napier University, UK. He worked previously
at Heriot-Watt and Hong Kong Universities. He is currently a co-editor
and associate editor of two major research outlets in the field – Internal
Journal of Logistics: Research and Applications and Maritime Policy and
Management – and sits on editorial boards of well-known transport and
logistics journals. Song has worked as a consultant for a number of private
and public organizations including the UN, OECD, ADB and World Bank.
A recent article in Transport Reviews (2013) shows that his collaborative
work in port research is ranked among the top studies listed over the last
three decades (1980–2009). Another article in MPM (2013) lists his two
papers among the top 30 most cited papers over the whole 40-year history
of the journal (1973–2013). His prolific but impact-bearing refereed publi-
cations are a product of his keen interest in managerial and strategic aspects
of global maritime transport and logistics.

Nikolas Valantasis-Kanellos is a Doctoral candidate in the School of

Management and Languages at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh. His
research draws upon contemporary developments in strategy, and value
creation within business networks. He currently researches the formation of
ports’ operations strategies with a particular focus on UK container ports.
Nikolaos was awarded an MSc in Logistics and Supply Chain Management
from Heriot-Watt University and a BSc in Economic and Regional Devel-
opment from the Panteion University, Athens. Prior to his studies in logis-
tics and supply chain management, Nikolaos, worked for several years as
a researcher at the Regional Development Institute of Panteion University.

Albert Veenstra is a Professor of International Trade Facilitation and

Logistics at the School of Industrial Engineering and Innovation Sciences,
xxiv Notes on the Contributors

Eindhoven Technical University, the Netherlands. He is also a Scientific

Director of the Dutch Institute of Advanced Logistics (Dinalog). In this
capacity, Veenstra is involved in the implementation of the Dutch innovation
policy for the logistics industry, by coordinating research programmes and
bridging the gap between business and knowledge parties. Before Dinalog,
Veenstra worked at the Dutch Institute for Applied Research (TNO) and the
Erasmus University Rotterdam. He has been involved in several large-scale
projects on the efficiency and security of global supply chains and container
logistics. Veenstra teaches maritime economics, global freight transport and
supply chain and logistics compliance on various postgraduate and mas-
ters programmes and has published journal articles and book chapters on
transport economics, freight rate and freight flow forecasting, and the link
between trade and transport.

Robert Wiedmer is a Doctoral Candidate in Logistics at the Broad College of

Business, Michigan State University, USA. Prior to joining MSU, he worked
as a postgraduate research assistant in shipping economics at Cyprus Uni-
versity of Technology, earned a graduate degree in business and engineering
at the Dresden University of Technology, Germany and a Master in Business
Logistics Engineering degree at Ohio State University, USA. His teaching
interests include supply chain management, logistics and quantitative mod-
elling; his current research areas are in social network analysis, supply chain
integration, supply chain network design and its association to supply chain
performance. Previously, he also looked at alliances in maritime logistics
operations as well as metaheuristics for network modelling. In his disserta-
tion, Wiedmer studies how resource scarcity affects buyer–supplier relation-
ships at the inter-personal and inter-organizational level.

Su Han Woo is an Associate Professor at the Department of International

Logistics, Chung-Ang University, Korea. He has a BA in Economics from
Seoul National University in Korea and an MSc and a PhD from Cardiff
Business School, UK. His research interest is broadly international transport
and logistics focusing on port policy and management, and he has published
papers in related journals. Prior to his current post, he worked at the Min-
istry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs, Korea and has been involved
in a wide range of maritime transport-related policies as a policy maker
since 1999. Notably he was deeply involved in deregulation and privatiza-
tion in Korean ports including port labour reform.

Funda Yercan is a Professor of Maritime Transport and Logistics at the

Department of Logistics Management, Gediz University in Izmir, Turkey.
Yercan holds a BEng degree in Industrial Engineering and an MSc degree in
Maritime Business and Management from the Institute of Marine Sciences
and Technology, both at Dokuz Eylul University in Izmir, Turkey, and a PhD
in International Shipping, Transportation and Logistics from the Institute of
Marine Studies, University of Plymouth in Plymouth, UK. She served as an
 Notes on the Contributors xxv

academic at several universities in Izmir since 1992 and was a Visiting Pro-
fessor at the Department of International Business and Logistics at Maine
Maritime Academy in the USA. In addition, she has been the founder and
coordinator of the graduate programme in Entrepreneurship and Innova-
tion Management at Gediz University. Her academic studies mainly focus
on green logistics, business logistics, supply chains, manufacturing processes
and transportation management. She has a number of published materi-
als, including articles in SCI/SSCI/refereed journals, book sections published
by Springer, Kogan Page etc, articles in conference proceedings and books,
two published by Ashgate Publications in the UK and one by Chamber of
­Shipping in Turkey.

Turkay Yildiz is a Researcher at Izmir Institute of Technology, Turkey. He

received a PhD from the Institute of Marine Sciences and Technology, Dokuz
Eylul University and a Master's Degree in Logistics Management from Izmir
University of Economics, Turkey. Yildiz holds a science degree from Bogazici
University, Istanbul, Turkey. He has a number of peer-reviewed publications
and conference presentations in various countries in such fields as transpor-
tation, logistics and supply chains. He also has various levels of expertise in
the applications of information technology.
 P R E FAC E TO T H E
2ND EDITION

A t the end of the preface to the first edition of Maritime Logistics, we

expressed our hope that ‘the present volume trains the next generation
of maritime logistics specialists and initiates the further progression of this
fascinating sub-discipline of logistics and supply chain management over
the years to come. The editors would love to hear from you on any area for
improvement and inclusion for the future edition.’
When writing the preface slightly over three years ago, we had not
expected such enthusiastic and tremendous responses from virtually every
single part of the world. Students and professionals new to the field sent
appreciative messages that they were better guided to the subject with the
contents and context of the book. Researchers, especially those in the early
stage of research, seemed to have benefited from having read the book and
subsequently located their positional stance in the field; that is, they were
able to see the field as a whole without losing sight of the individual compo-
nents that make up the entirety of the discipline. Finally, fellow academics,
lecturers and teachers conveyed to us their welcoming messages and at same
time pointed out a number of areas for further inclusion, improvement and
even clarification.
Having really appreciated that encouraging and postive feedback as well
as being urged by the publisher Kogan Page to respond to those requests,
the editors decided a year ago to take the feedback on board by producing
the second edition of the book. As was the case for the first edition, we first
cross-checked which chapters were to be updated and revised and which
new chapters were to be developed in line with comments and feedback
received and with recent developments and trends. We called on the previ-
ous contributors to make the necessary changes and also asked a series of
known scholars to contribute chapters on the newly identified areas. Fortu-
nately, we received an equally enthusiastic reaction from new authors and
contributors whose work features in this second edition.
Those who read the first edition will find that the second edition has
been substantially enlarged in volume and contents but the three parts of
the book remain intact. We believe that these enlargements and changes will
enrich the knowledge horizon of the field in a more logical manner. In the
pages that follow, you will find the fruits of those individual and collective
efforts.
As was the case for the first edition, we are extremely grateful to all
the contributors and reviewers for their academic professionalism. Julia
Swales from Kogan Page deserves our special thanks: her encouragement
 Preface to the 2nd Edition xxvii

and patience throughout the journey turned out to be a crucial instrument

in this rewarding process.
We would still love to hear more from you as we believe that you are the
main figures shaping the academic discipline of maritime logistics over the
years to come. Thus, hold the book firmly and read the chapters herein with
a critical mind and forward thinking and send us your thoughts and views.

Dong-Wook Song, [email protected]

Photis M Panayides, [email protected]
 P R E FAC E TO T H E
1ST EDITION

E very book has a reason why it ought to be prepared and published. The
book you are holding now is no exception. For over 50 years both edi-
tors have been collectively researching and teaching the subjects of shipping,
port and logistics management. Over the years, we observed an evolution in
discipline development with the convergence of two distinct fields of ship-
ping and port management; a convergence that occurred with the use of
another field of study: logistics and supply chain management. This change
has raised concerns as to the effectiveness of teaching the subjects in a tra-
ditional sector-oriented approach which does not offer the comprehensive
all-round knowledge required for the next generation of students. How-
ever, apart from the pedagogic value that this endeavour obviously brings,
the book serves as a stimulant to further research in this emerging field of
maritime logistics. Judging from the subjects that the contributors to this
volume chose to research and analyse, it is evident that there is an ample
opportunity for empirical investigations that will guide future practice in
maritime logistics.
We are grateful to all the contributors and reviewers for their profession-
alism to ensure the quality of all the chapters has been up to the standard
that was set right at the outset. A special thanks goes to Martina O’Sullivan,
a commissioning editor for Kogan Page, for her wonderful support and syn-
chronization throughout this arduous but thoroughly rewarding process.
Last but not least we feel obliged to acknowledge the publishing house,
Kogan Page. The decision to publish this volume by Kogan Page is testa-
ment to the innovativeness that has made them a leading publisher in the
transport and logistics field.
It is our hope that the present volume trains the next generation of mari-
time logistics specialists and initiates the further progression of this fascinat-
ing sub-discipline of logistics and supply chain management over the years
to come. The editors would love to hear from you on any area for improve-
ment and inclusion for future editions.

Dong-Wook Song
Photis M Panayides
August 2011
PART ONE
Introduction
Introduction 01
to maritime
logistics
D O N g -w O O K S O N g a N D p h OT I S M pa N ay I D E S

Background
Globalization and the technological revolution in the transport sector includ-
ing containerization, logistics integration and the consequent expansion of
the maritime industry have redefined the functional role of shipping and
ports in global logistics and supply chains and have generated a new pat-
tern of freight distribution. The rapid increase in world trade in the past
decade has restructured the global maritime industry, having brought about
new developments, deregulation, liberalization and increased competition.
There have been dramatic changes in the mode of world trade and cargo
transportation, characterized by the prevalence of business-to-business and
integrated supply chains. These changes have been embodied in the increas-
ing demand for value-added logistics services and the integration of vari-
ous transportation modes such as inter- or multi-modal transport systems.
As a consequence, the business stability and sustainability of the industry is
largely subject to how well it adapts to such a dynamic environment. There-
fore, high-quality logistics services and the effective and efficient integra-
tion of transport and logistics systems offered by a maritime operator (ie a
shipping company or port/terminal operator) has become an important issue.
Maritime logistics has been traditionally regarded as the primary means
of transporting parts and finished goods (viz outbound logistics) on a global
scale and has recently attracted considerable attention from academics and
practitioners alike. However, the term ‘maritime logistics’ is not easy to
define and its precise definition, scope and role within global supply chains
are yet to be established (Song and Lee, 2009). The first edition of the pre-
sent book Maritime Logistics (2012) is considered to be the first formative
approach towards the establishment of maritime logistics as an academic
discipline by setting up a disciplinary boundary, scope and contents.
4 Introduction

Historically, however, the initial attempt to define maritime logistics was

made by Panayides (2006), who suggests that, for a better understanding
and ultimate definition of the term, the starting point should be to consider
the underlying scope and characteristics of the two areas making up the
term (ie ‘maritime transport’ and ‘logistics and supply chain management’).
On the one hand, maritime transport (ie shipping and ports) is clearly con-
cerned with the transportation of goods and/or passengers between two or
more seaports by sea; on the other hand, logistics is the function responsi-
ble for the flow of materials from suppliers into an organization, through
operations within the organization and then out to customers. A supply
chain is composed of a series of activities and organizations that materials
(eg raw materials and information) move through on their journey from
initial suppliers to final customers. Supply chain management involves the
integration of all key business operations across the supply chain. In general,
logistics and supply chain management relate to the coordinated manage-
ment of the various functions in charge of the flow of materials from sup-
pliers to an organization through a number of operations across and within
the organizations, and then reaching out to its consumers (Harrison and van
Hoek, 2011).
Based on this clean-cut understanding, Panayides (2006) further elabo-
rates on the issue of convergence of maritime transport and logistics. These
two terms are largely attributed to the physical integration of modes of
transport facilitated by containerization and the evolving demands of end-
users that require the application of logistics concepts and the achievement
of logistics goals. At the centre of maritime logistics is, therefore, the concept
of integration, be it physical (intermodal or multimodal), economic/strategic
(vertical integration, governance structure) or organizational (relational,
people and process integration across organizations) as an ongoing attempt
to create a greater value for shareholders (Lee and Song, 2015).
In this process, a number of issues still require further elaboration and
explanation. This book brings together the key contributions in the field of
‘maritime logistics’ from leading academics and researchers from across the
globe.

Outline of the book

Part One of this book consists of six chapters introducing the topics of
maritime logistics and establishing a foundation upon which the discipline
of maritime logistics is developed. In Chapter 2, Veenstra introduces the role
of maritime transport and logistics as a trade facilitator, having examined
a number of issues in a retrospective as well as prospective manner. More
specifically, this chapter addresses the relationship between ocean ship-
ping and trade by examining to what extent shipping facilitates trade. With
regard to this purpose, the chapter briefly introduces the ‘trade facilitation’
 Introduction to Maritime Logistics 5

school of thought in shipping and port management and then describes the
mechanism of international trade and the specific role of shipping within
this mechanism.
In Chapter 3, Yercan and Yildiz focus on developments in international
maritime transport by emphasizing the developments in global trade. They
offer a broad idea of logistics and its interaction with international trade, by
providing general characteristics of logistics and the interrelation of various
business areas. They build a background to the interaction between logistics
and the transport industry within the global economy, followed by a more
in-depth discussion on the developments in the global economy and the
maritime transport industry in relation to international trade.
In Chapter 4, Lee, Nam and Song provide a precise understanding of the
concept of maritime logistics and a guideline for value creation of maritime
logistics systems. The chapter addresses such issues as the importance of
maritime transportation in an entire logistics system, the definition of mari-
time logistics and maritime logistics value, the main activities of maritime
logistics, and the process of maritime logistics, as well as the significance and
strategic implications for maritime logistics operators.
Bergqvist in Chapter 5 deals with hinterland logistics. Some of the load
units arriving at seaports are transhipments for other seaports, while others
have inland destinations. The hinterland transportation system enables load
units to be transhipped between seaports and inland destinations. The term
‘hinterland’ is often referred to as the effective market or the geo-economic
space in which the seaport sells its services. The logistics related to the hin-
terland involve many actors and activities, and require intense collaboration
and coordination to work effectively and efficiently. Hence, hinterland logis-
tics and transportation have become a crucial part of ensuring an efficient
supply chain.
Finally, Österman and Osvalder in Chapter 6 deal with the human ele-
ment of maritime operations, arguing that mechanization, automation,
information and communications technology have made many manual
tasks redundant, enabling ship and cargo-handling operations with a mini-
mum of manpower. However, there is still an area of potential to acknowl-
edge and develop in the effort to improve maritime logistics – the role of
the human element and the interface between human and technology in the
various man–machine systems in the global supply chain. The chapter puts
forward a number of ideas to be seriously considered in the industry for the
present and future.
Part Two covers topics related to the management of logistics for the
shipping sector. Chapter 7 by Hayashi and Nemoto analyses the global
intermodal transport that combines maritime and other transport modes,
explaining the concept of intermodal transport and its components and
characteristics, discussing the function of containers in the development of
intermodal freight transport and logistics, and introducing typical global
intermodal transport services with some examples in North America,
Europe and Asia. They discuss the role of intermodal transport facilitators
6 Introduction

and their services, and review and predict the development factors affecting
intermodal transport.
In Chapter 8, Ducruet and Notteboom analyse liner service networks
as configured by container shipping lines. They discuss the drivers of and
decision variables in liner service design as well as the different liner service
types. Next, the chapter provides a global snapshot of the worldwide liner
shipping network based on vessel movement data. The changing geographic
distribution of main inter-port links is explored in light of recent reconfigu-
rations of liner shipping networks. They move on to the position of seaports
in liner shipping networks referring to the concepts of centrality, hierarchy
and selection factors. They conclude by elaborating on the interactions and
interdependencies between seaport development and liner shipping network
development notably under current economic changes.
The growth of world container trade during the last decades reflects the
coalescent markets in the world. The geographic separation of supply and
demand has raised the expectations towards transportation services. Keep-
ing up with the growth of global container traffic was considered as one
of the biggest challenges. In addition, customers expect fast and reliable
services in a wide geographical network. Vessel capacity and utilization
provide only one possibility for competitiveness. Vertical and supply chain
integration are characterizing the modern transport industry, as transport
businesses are gearing up towards global logistics services based on the prin-
ciple of the ‘one-stop-shop’. In order to accomplish this goal, it is neces-
sary to integrate port, hinterland transportation and logistics management
services. It follows that strategic aspects of supply chain integration and
diversification are of significant importance in the contemporary shipping
industry. In Chapter 9, Panayides, Wiedmer, Andreou and Louca, after hav-
ing conceptually explained the basic concepts of diversification and supply
chain integration, analyse the recent trends, developments and current situ-
ation in the maritime shipping industry and carry out an empirical investi-
gation into the relationship between supply chain integration and shipping
firm performance.
Chapter 10 by Baird seeks to analyse container shipping line strategy
relating to the provision of added-value logistics services. The chapter aims
to identify, analyse and compare/contrast the logistics strategies of container
shipping lines. The study entailed the administration of a short question-
naire to survey the top 20 container shipping lines to help investigate these
questions. The results of the survey, plus supporting information, are ana-
lysed to provide a summary of container line strategy with respect to the
provision of logistics services. This analysis includes several brief case stud-
ies which seek to review and analyse the specific logistics activities and strat-
egies within several of the top 20 container lines. The case studies offer a
more detailed insight into the different approaches adopted by major global
container lines with respect to the development and provision of logistics
services. The purpose of the overall study is to help develop a wider picture
concerning what/how liner shipping competitors are doing with regard to
 Introduction to Maritime Logistics 7

provision of logistics and value-added activities, to assess the extent of these

activities in terms of logistics services provided, and to offer an indication as
to how this might evolve in the future.
Desrosiers in Chapter 11 focuses on the transfer of bulk petroleum at
fixed terminal facilities and introduces the reader to the logistics of bulk liq-
uid. Three major components of petroleum movement are introduced (ie the
petroleum per se, the cargo terminals and the ships), followed by the prac-
tical steps involved in transferring this valuable liquid. In addition to the
physical movement of petroleum, contractual aspects of petroleum move-
ment and custody transfer are discussed to add context to the need for care-
ful monitoring and proactive efforts by all parties on the scene to prevent
both fiscal and cargo loss. It is argued that knowledge of the legal proce-
dures and processes involved in the transfer of bulk petroleum is important
to understanding the constraints and problems that can and do arise. This
knowledge will allow the practitioner to not only plan more effective opera-
tions, but will enable comprehensive action to improve the processes and
make more effective and informed decisions.
Finally, Chapter 12 by Comtois and Lacoste covers dry bulk shipping
logistics. The globalization of economic activities has led to a profound
mutation in the dry bulk trade. The growth in the amount of dry bulk car-
ried by sea and the mutation in the direction of flows are some of the major
phenomena. The steady growth in the volume of dry bulk shipments has
resulted in intense demand, thereby increasing the competitiveness of bulk
logistics. Bulk commodities have a low value/weight (or volume) ratio imply-
ing that the efficiency of land and marine transport has an impact on value
added. The handling conditions of dry bulk materials are influenced by a
wide range of factors such as size and weight. Handling equipment is often
custom-designed for specific dry bulk commodities. There are various types
of contractual arrangements used for the shipment of dry bulk commodities.
The command centre of dry bulk trade is not always commensurate with
dry bulk port location. Ships and consignment size vary enormously. These
conditions raise a series of key issues which are fully discussed and analysed
in the chapter.
Part Three covers the topic of logistics management for ports and associ-
ated sectors. Roso and Rosa in Chapter 13 focus on the concept of dry ports.
Dry ports are regarded as a means to increase port throughput, hinterland
reach, and transfer parts of port operations to inland terminals by relying on
intermodal transport. A dry port is defined as an inland intermodal terminal
directly connected by rail to seaport(s) where customers can leave/pick up
their units as if directly to a seaport. In addition, the dry port is also a means
to rationalize transport in and out of a port by bundling the flows and trans-
ferring container transport from road to rail, thus reducing congestion in the
proximity of the port – typically relevant for port cities – and bringing about
other environmental benefits. They argue that, in order to fully discuss the
dry port concept, it is useful to mention intermodal services and review a
number of different shapes that an inland freight terminal may take.
8 Introduction

In Chapter 14, Valantasis-Kanellos and Song examine an emerging con-

cept applicable to a port/terminal and its hinterland logistics – port-centric
logistics. The notion that ports are generators of trade and commerce can
be traced back to the era of the Phoenicians. Ports have been recently char-
acterized as business networks. Within these networks companies are inter-
dependent. In the context of a holistic system inter-firm relationships are of
high importance. This chapter focuses on ports in a logistics environment,
thus a relevant definition must be employed. Under the definition of ports
being ‘the interface between land and sea providing facilities and services to
commercial ships and their cargo, as well as the associated multimodal dis-
tribution and logistics activities’, this chapter commences a series of discus-
sions associated with the scope of ports in a maritime logistics environment
as part of a system and goes on to examine the latest practices taking place
in the field with the concept of port-centric logistics.
Since the hub-and-spoke concept was introduced to the aviation market
after the US airline deregulation in the late 1970s, it became a primary dis-
tribution model employed by leading international logistics companies. This
pattern drives the companies to consolidate shipments on a large scale at
major terminals (ie hub) and to redistribute the smaller scale of shipments
to their respective destinations via radial links (ie spoke). In the field of
logistics and supply chains, however, the hub concept has been often intro-
duced in various terms in accordance with functionality, such as logistics
centre, logistics zone, freight terminal, distribution centre and warehouse.
Such heterogeneous terminology on the concept of logistics hubs still seems
to be used by practitioners and academics alike. Having recognized this
rather ambiguous concept and definition in the literature, Nam and Song
in Chapter 15 attempt to define the logistics hub concept that is applicable
to the maritime industry by synthesizing existing studies/perspectives and
examining its possible implications.
Chapter 16 by Parola aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the
container port business state of the art and evolution by depicting main-
stream trends and common managerial practices. For this purpose, the
chapter conceptualizes the nature and typology of the stevedoring services,
enlightening the differences between dedicated and multi-user facilities in
line with business models of leading market players. Interestingly, the chap-
ter analyses the spatio-temporal dimensions of container port multinational
enterprises (MNEs) and their internationalization, illustrating the timing
and the geographic scope of overseas expansion in a number of visual illus-
trations. The chapter goes on to depict firms’ most common entry patterns
and expands understanding of inter-firm partnerships.
Lam, Parola and Panayides in Chapter 17 examine an ever-more chal-
lenging aspect of maritime logistics business – that is, financing port
development and expansion. Developing and operating ports is a highly
capital-intensive business. The rapid pace of technology advancement has
seen tremendous growth in vessel sizes in various shipping sectors includ-
ing container ships, dry bulk carriers and tankers. In order to handle these
 Introduction to Maritime Logistics 9

vessels, ports have to expand their capacity as well as equip these facilities
with a new generation of cargo-handling system designed to achieve greater
productivity and efficiency from a logistical perspective. Pursuit of greater
handling capacity does, however, require enormous financial resources and
professional expertise. Ports have been seeking private sector participation
through various forms of public–private partnership (PPP) schemes. This
chapter adds value to the body of literature in view of the growing trend in
port PPPs by performing an exploratory investigation into the impact of PPP
on port logistics performance through the discussion of examples from the
port industry and the respective countries’ situation.
Chapter 18 by Cetin discusses the organizational aspect of port logistics
with a conceptual framework established. The changes in the traditional role
of ports put responsibility on port authorities as the administrative bodies of
port organizations. Their landlord, regulator and operator roles are shifted
towards a ‘coordinator, facilitator and integrator role in port clusters, inter-
national transport, logistics and supply chains’. As the roles and functions
change, so too do the goals. The changing goals also change the organi-
zational effectiveness criteria. It appears that in today’s port business cir-
cumstances, commonly used port performance measures such as efficiency,
profitability and growth are not enough to assess a port organization’s suc-
cess at all points. With respect to the developments in logistics chains, the
chapter covers a wide range of related matters such as port logistics chain
integration, adaptability to the changes in the environment, customer ori-
entation and satisfaction, information and communication management,
service quality and provision of value-added and intermodal services, inno-
vation and resource acquisition.
Chapter 19 by Woo, Pettit and Beresford aims to investigate the effect of
supply chain integration of seaports on port performance by examining the
causal relationships among the integration strategies of seaport terminals
along the supply chain, and the antecedents and consequences of the integra-
tion strategies. The integration strategy is termed Port Supply Chain Integra-
tion (PSCI) and the antecedents of PSCI are identified as port supply chain
orientation. Logistics performance of ports is considered as consequences
of PSCI because it is suggested that a traditional performance measure such
as cargo throughput is not sufficient for a proxy of port performance in the
global supply chain era.
Finally, in Chapter 20, Part Four, Panayides and Song provide an overall
conclusion to the book by considering in particular how the topics discussed
can drive further research and development for the maritime logistics area.

References
Harrison, A and van Hoek, R (2011) Logistics Management and Strategy:
Competition through the supply chain, 4th edn, Prentice Hall, London
10 Introduction

Lee, E-S and Song, D-W (2015) Maritime Logistics Value in Knowledge
Management, Routledge, London
Panayides, P (2006) Maritime logistics and global supply chains: Towards a
research agenda, Maritime Economics and Logistics, 8(1), pp 3–18
Song, D-W and Lee, P (2009) Editorial: Maritime logistics in the global
­supply chain, International Journal of Logistics: Research and Applications,
12(2), pp 83–84
Maritime 02
transport and
logistics as a
trade facilitator
aLBErT w VEENSTra

Introduction
In the last decade, international trade agreements and regional trade integra-
tion initiatives have significantly reduced the tariff-based barriers to trade.
Substantial barriers to trade remain, however. These remaining barriers are
often termed ‘non-tariff barriers’. In many bilateral and multilateral nego-
tiations, attempts are also made to reduce these barriers, but this turns out
to be much more difficult than reducing import and other tariffs. The reason
for this is that a number of these so-called non-tariff barriers are closely
related to, or caused by, the main conduit of international trade, namely
logistics and international transportation, and the non-fiscal government
supervision in the international movement of goods.
Ocean transportation has always been connected with trade. This rela-
tionship goes back hundreds, perhaps thousands, of years. During the
period of the great explorations of the world, trading and transport was
always one operation. This practice continues, with the large trading houses
in the world – Glencore, Cargill, Vitol, Trafigura, ADM, Noble Group, Louis
Dreyfus, Bunge and some lesser known (but not smaller) companies such
as Koch, Gunvar, Mercuria, Wilmar International, Arcadia, Mabanaft –
controlling a large part of the world bulk fleet, mainly through long-term
and short-term charter contracts.
In the mid-19th century, however, ocean shipping also became a business
activity on its own. The advent of the steam engine brought reliability and
predictability far beyond what sailing vessels could offer. This separation
of shipping and trade, however, brought a host of new challenges. One that
is still debated to this day is the exemption of cartel legislation for liner
12 Introduction

shipping that originates from the beginning of the 20th century. In Europe
and the USA, these exemptions have only recently been abolished.1
Another topic that has been hotly debated among maritime economists
is the way in which shipping and ports facilitate trade. Perhaps the biggest
supporter of this idea was United Nations Conference for Trade and Devel-
opment (UNCTAD). This United Nations initiative started in 1964 with the
ambition to change global trade by providing the poorer countries with an
independent role in trade and in transportation (Taylor and Smith, 2007). Its
golden years were the 1960s and 1970s, when, among others, the Code of
Conduct for Liner Conferences saw the light (see, for instance, Neff, 1980 or
Sturmey, 1986). This Code of Conduct was a typical instrument to (re-)forge
the link between trade and transport: one of the provisions said that trans-
port companies from two trading countries should be allowed to carry equal
parts of the trade and leave a limited trade volume to be carried by third par-
ties. This idea later became known as the 40/40/20 rule. The implied result
of this rule was that any trading country should thus form its own transport
capacity, in order to carry the allotted 40 per cent of its own trade.
Trade facilitation has developed from a narrow idea about the possibil-
ity to move goods between countries through ports to a much more exten-
sive concept, encompassing the general trade environment in countries and
between countries (Wilson et al, 2005). As a result, it is no longer the simple
opportunity of moving goods that defines trade facilitation, but also the ease
with which this can be done.
This chapter addresses the relationship between ocean shipping and
trade, by examining to what extent shipping nowadays still is a facilitator
to trade. For this purpose, we first briefly introduce the trade facilitation
school of thought in shipping and port management. We then describe in
some detail the mechanism of international trade, as well as the specific role
of shipping within this mechanism. We aim to connect this to the ongoing
work on non-tariff barriers, both theoretical and empirical, that has taken
flight in recent years. We finish with some concluding remarks and an out-
look on further research.

Ports and shipping as facilitators of trade

Theoretical considerations on the relationship between trade and shipping
in maritime economics go back to Koopmans (1939), who observed that
without the analysis of seaborne trade, the analysis of shipping markets can-
not succeed. He also introduces the notion that seaborne trade is inelastic
to prices in shipping. Tinbergen (1959) proposed the idea that demands for
shipping could be measured by the actual tonnage carried by ships. Their
perspective was mainly to find sources for cyclicality in shipping. Trade
was such a source, although shipping also creates its own cyclicality (see
Zannetos (1966) for an early source on this).
 Maritime Transport and Logistics as a Trade Facilitator 13

In later studies and publications, the relationship between trade and

transportation was developed more, and the element of transport costs was
introduced as a variable in classic trade models. The classic approach to
model global bilateral trade patterns is a gravity model (for a formal deriva-
tion of the gravity equations, see Anderson, 1995). Such a model normally
relates bilateral trade flows to national income, population and distance.
Distance is often taken to represent transport costs, although this is cer-
tainly not a one-to-one correspondence.
Various authors have tried to estimate more elaborate (maritime) trans-
port cost functions, in order to gain a better understanding to what extent
high transport costs are a determinant of (ie a barrier to) trade. Clark et al
(2004) estimate a maritime transport function that includes determinants
for distance, product specific requirements (including value), directional
imbalance, total trade volume on a route (to represent increasing returns to
scale), technological innovation, anti-competitive practices, and the quality
of port and cargo handling infrastructure. They find that seaport efficiency
is an important determinant for transport costs. From their analysis, they
also conclude that transport costs are potentially a barrier to trade, and
need to be considered by policy makers. Arvis et al (2013) also analyse
trade costs, which they derive as an implication of the pattern of bilateral
international trade.
The point that ports play an important role in facilitating trade has been
made for years. For example, Haralambides and Veenstra (1996) analyse the
interaction between ports and the development of trade. They observe that
countries’ ambitions to follow an export-led growth strategy has resulted
in government retrenchment from ports, and port reform, with both nega-
tive and positive consequences. On the one hand, ports have become more
efficient, largely due to the involvement of international operators, while on
the other hand, liberalization in many countries has resulted in large redun-
dancy programmes for port workers. The authors argue that the efficiency
of port operations is not the only relevant indicator, but the entire economic
context of a port should be considered: the competitive environment, access
infrastructure by land, and the way in which a government or port author-
ity attempts to recoup some of the port reform costs (for the redundancy of
port workers, among others) from other parties.
Wilson et al (2003) put port efficiency in a broader framework of four
indicators for trade facilitation:
●● port efficiency;
●● customs environment;
●● regulatory environment;
●● service sector infrastructure.
Port efficiency is a measure for the quality of transport infrastructure. Cus-
toms environment measures direct customs-related costs and transparency
of customs as well. Regulatory environment measures a country’s approach
14 Introduction

to regulation and the service sector infrastructure measures the level of

national business service levels.
Much of this conceptualization of trade facilitation is very location- or
country-based. The modelling of trade flows with gravity models is also
rather one-sided in the sense that flows are explained by variables represent-
ing exporting and importing countries individually (for a classic source, see
Anderson, 1979). The only variable that represents relationships between
countries is usually transport cost, for which distance or the CIF/FOB price
ratio are used as proxies (Carrère, 2002). As a result, the trade facilitation
contribution of the link between any pair of export and import countries is
not made explicitly in much of the trade economics literature.
An exception is the work of Hummels et al (2009) who investigate the
trade diminishing effect of the market power of shipping companies. Their
work confirms the difference in the way shipping lines treat developing and
developed countries in terms of transport prices. In other words, shipping
lines present themselves differently in different parts of the world, depending
on product value, high import and export tariffs and lack of competition on
a trade route. Carrying this line of thinking further, it could be that some of
the unfavourable treatment of developing countries by shipping lines carries
over to the developed countries. There is a case where this mechanism seems
to be at work: the import of fresh fruit from South America to Europe, via
the Port of Rotterdam. This is a classic CIF trade, where the exporters book
the transport. Shipping lines apparently invest very little in their local liner
agents in South America, which results in a lot of physical paperwork. The
paperwork is then sent to the receiving parties in Europe, who cannot ben-
efit from the higher level of digitization that shipping lines usually offer in
Europe.2 This leads to the transfer of some of the inefficiencies on one side
of a trade lane to the other side of the trade lane.
In the next section, we will explore in some more detail how transporta-
tion by means of ships also brings complexities to international trade that
could be interpreted as trade barriers.

The practice of international shipping

International trade is made up of commercial transactions between buyers
and sellers. These can be complete strangers to each other, or part of the
same enterprise. For the commercial transaction this does not make much
difference, since in many cases, even sister companies need to trade with
each other as if they are separate companies. This is called arm’s-length trad-
ing, and it has primarily a fiscal background: tax authorities in both import
and export countries demand a transaction in which the value of the prod-
uct is established in a market setting.
The commercial transaction determines the specification of the goods,
the price and the number of goods. The transaction usually also contains
 Maritime Transport and Logistics as a Trade Facilitator 15

an arrangement of who takes responsibility of the shipment of the goods.

For this purpose, the International Chamber of Commerce has established
some standard trade terms that divide the responsibilities of transportation,
ownership and insurance among buyer and seller. These trade terms are
called Incoterms. Currently there are 11 Incoterms, which range from the
one extreme of the seller taking care of everything (delivery duty paid) to the
other extreme of the buyer taking care of everything (ex-works). Important
intermediate points where transfers of responsibility can take place are the
ocean ports in an international transport chain.
A second important issue in international trade transactions is the rela-
tionship between delivery and payment. In an international context, where
parties may not know and trust each other, payment and delivery has to take
place more or less at the same time. The international transport operator
plays an important role in this mechanism. The way this works is that the
ocean transport operator can declare that goods were taken on board of the
ship, by signing a so-called bill of lading (B/L). This is proof that transporta-
tion is taking place, and that payment can be transferred. A copy of the B/L
is therefore shared with the bank of the seller, who sends it to the bank of the
buyer, who then transfers payment on behalf of the buyer. As a result of this
mechanism, the B/L is also a document of title that gives the holder rights to
the cargo. This greatly facilitates trading of goods that are in transit.
In cases where the buyer and seller are part of the same enterprise, this
process can be simplified. In those cases, a simplified version of the B/L
is used – the so-called Seaway Bill – which is basically the same as a B/L,
except it is not a document of title.
For container shipping, which is the most relevant part of shipping for
the purpose of this chapter, some further issues need to be considered. For a
large part, these issues are related to the container.
First of all, the container shipping line generally owns the containers in
which goods are shipped, and needs to provide these containers to the ship-
pers who want to ship cargo. This mechanism is fraught with problems. The
containers need to be available for the shipper. A shipper does not want to
wait too long, and wants a container that is suitable for its needs. There are
different types of containers: 20-foot containers, 40-foot containers, 40-foot
high cube containers, 45-foot containers, open-top containers, flat beds,
foldable containers, refrigerated containers. All these containers conform to
the ISO 668 2013 (revised) standard. In addition, commercially, containers
may have a five-step scale of cleanliness. The highest level, so-called food
grade containers, is the only level that is acceptable for the transportation
of food products.
Second, customs authorities consider containers to be packing material
that requires, in many countries, some type of temporary import licence.
This licence may restrict the time the empty containers can stay in a country.
If the container stay too long, VAT and other levies may become payable.
Third, after delivering a container to a destination country, the shipping
line would like to return a container as quickly as possible to a paying
16 Introduction

customer. For this purpose, the shipping lines all charge fees if the receiver
of goods takes too long to pick up the full container, or deliver the empty
container back. The first fee is called demurrage (not to be confused with
demurrage in bulk shipping), and the second fee is called detention. These
two fees are in the range of a few euros per day to as much as 75 euros per
day, chargeable after a so-called free period of several days. Of course, the
fees and free days are negotiable, so no shipping line’s customer will pay
the same as another customer. How the demurrage and detention fees are
established will depend on the party who books the transport, and their
negotiating power. For transport, this can be either the buyer or the seller.
Because of the need to keep track of containers in countries, formal obli-
gations to report unloaded containers to customs authorities in the destina-
tion countries, and the need to only provide the goods in the container to
the rightful owner, the shipping line maintains an administrative process in
ports in which some fees need to be paid, information for the party who
will pick up the container is exchanged, and the empty depot in which the
container needs to be returned is recorded. In many ports, this exchange
between the agent of the shipping line and the representative of the buyer
of the goods is a cumbersome process that takes time and effort. Only when
this process is completed can a transport be booked to pick the container
up in the port. Often this process cannot take place or be completed until
the container is physically unloaded. The buyer’s agent needs to track a
terminal’s website to find the unloading confirmation of the container, and
then verify all relevant information, take care of payments, and book trans-
port. The degree to which this process is supported with IT – usually a port
community system – differs strongly from port to port and from shipping
line to shipping line. RSM (2010) has estimated that in Rotterdam, the cost
related to these processes can range between 5–25 euros per container. For
a customs or freight forwarding agent, who gets 35–50 euros for the admin-
istrative handling of a container, this is a substantial cost driver. This is the
fourth issue.
A fifth issue is the overall performance of international container lines.
Vernimmen et al (2007) have reported on the impact of delays of ocean carri-
ers on logistics variables such as safety stock. Their figures, together with the
more recent analysis of Chung and Chiang (2011), result in an average delay
for shipping lines of 1.5 days. This delay translates into higher safety stock
levels, which are an additional cost for business. Obviously, there are differ-
ences between shipping lines, and therefore, the countries that are served by
shipping lines with relatively more delays are at a disadvantage compared to
countries that are primarily served by carriers with fewer delays.
A sixth issue is that customs authorities tend to use ship manifest data for
their initial risk assessment. Countries differ in the time at which they require
this information to be submitted. The United States and Europe require this
type of data to be submitted before departure from the origin country, and
in Europe more or less the same data needs to be submitted again a few days
before arrival in the port of destination. Other countries receive this data
 Maritime Transport and Logistics as a Trade Facilitator 17

shortly before arrival of the ship, or use it to verify imports and exports after
loading and unloading has taken place. This formal obligation means that
shipping lines and their agents have had to set up a process to gather this
data at the right time from their clients or the clients’ agents. To indicate
that this imposes costs on the logistics chain, shipping lines charge US$ 25
for submitting pre-departure declarations to European customs authorities
in destination countries for every container. Another potential bottleneck
is the different ways in which shipping companies facilitate their agents in
different countries. In some countries, the information exchange between
customers’ agents and the shipping lines’ agents is fully digitized, while in
some countries, the information exchange is still with paper documents.
The latter is not only a problem for that country, but also for all the other
countries to which the ships are sailing to unload cargo. All errors and other
problems related to paper-based information exchange are transferred to
these destination countries as well.
A final point deals with the pricing structure of container shipping. The
complicated tariff structure of container shipping is well documented in
the maritime economics literature. It is well known that, apart from a base
transport tariff, shipping companies may charge a bunker adjustment ­factor
(BAF), a currency adjustment factor (CAF), port congestion charges, piracy
risk charges, terminal handling charges, war risks, security surcharges, win-
ter surcharges, dangerous goods and refrigeration surcharges, and document
fees. Cariou and Wolff (2006) looked into the BAFs and the underlying
bunker price developments, and found that these charges do not accurately
reflect the underlying cost development. In other words, some of these sur-
charges are used to raise the price for transport. These surcharges can eas-
ily raise the total transport bill by 50 per cent or more, and they make the
transport cost for ocean shipping complex and difficult to interpret. The
chosen Incoterms determine which party books ocean transport. This can
also have an effect on the height of certain charges, as well as the basic
transport tariff.
In summary, current shipping line operations result in time delay and
costs for logistics chains, either due to administrative processes, formali-
ties the shipping line has to carry out, or enforcement measures to increase
the circulation of containers. Hummels and Schaur (2012) estimate the
impact of time delays on trade, and find that each day’s delay reduces the
probability of trade by 1–1.5 per cent. Time delay really is a trade barrier,
and ocean shipping, which causes structural delays, can be seen as the cause
of this.
In addition, other complexities of container shipping may also cause a
barrier to trade. This is confirmed by Nordas et al (2006), whose analysis
builds on Hummel’s work, and includes logistics services. In their analysis,
poor logistics services also translate into time delays, which have a negative
effect on trade.
Some of the issues mentioned above exhibit a ‘transfer effect’. This is the
case for the quality of information in the shipping documents, and, under
18 Introduction

specific conditions, for demurrage and detention. For the former, the provi-
sion of information by the seller or his/her agent to the shipping line may be
so poor that the buyer will run risks of additional customs inspection, delays
and addition costs. For the latter, the condition is that the seller books trans-
port under the chosen Incoterms. This is common practice, for instance, in
the trade of fresh fruit originating from the southern hemisphere. In these
cases, the seller may choose to limit demurrage and detention free time in
the port of destination, since this is costly for him. The buyer will then be
very limited in his or her options to transport containers out of the port, or
run a high risk of incurring demurrage or detention fees.
To investigate to what extent this type of thinking has been recognized in
current efforts to measure non-tariff barriers to trade, in the next section we
look in some detail at these measurement efforts.

International trade research and

non-tariff barriers
Definition of non-tariff barriers
Through the initiatives of the Global Agreement on Trade and Transport
(GATT) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiation rounds,
trade tariffs, ie the duties paid on imported or exported goods, have gener-
ally decreased worldwide. (For more details, see the historical overview of
trade policy measures in the World Trade Report (WTO, 2013).)
As a result, the attention of WTO and other trade policy bodies has
shifted to non-tariff barriers. Defined narrowly, these are all trade barriers
that are not tariffs (Deardorff and Stern, 1997). However, almost always
what is meant is that the non-tariff barriers are actively engineered by
policy-makers. This means that non-tariff barriers that are studied by aca-
demics and trade policy analysis can always be traced back to some policy
goal of one or a group of countries.
Carrère and de Melo (2011) provide a useful classification of non-tariff
barriers that refers to the UNCTAD 2006 classification of non-tariff barri-
ers. We have reproduced their list in Table 2.1. (See also UNCTAD (2013)
for a more detailed list.)
Observe that pre-shipment inspection and other formalities are listed as a
non-tariff barrier. The pre-shipment declaration to customs in Europe (and
the US) – the so-called entry summary declaration or ENS – could therefore
be characterized as a non-tariff barrier. Since this is a policy driver, this
really is a non-tariff trade barrier.
Some of the fees charged by shipping lines, as well as the limitations put
on containers (demurrage and detention) could fall under the headings ‘dis-
tribution restrictions’, if they were part of some country’s policy. But since
they are measures put forward by business, these restrictions are usually not
considered to be non-tariff barriers.
 Maritime Transport and Logistics as a Trade Facilitator 19

Ta B L E 2.1   Classification of non-tariff barriers

Import Technical Sanitary and phytosanitary measures
measures measures Technical barriers to trade
Non-technical Pre-shipment inspection and other formalities
measures Price-control measures
Licences, quotas, prohibition and other
quantity-control measures
Charges, taxes and other para-tariff measures
Finance measures
Anti-competitive measures
Trade-related investment measures
Distribution restrictions
Restrictions on post-sales services
Subsidies
Government procurement restrictions
Intellectual property
Rules of origin
Export Export-related measures (including export
measures subsidies)

SOuRCE Carrère and de Melo (2011)

To broaden our understanding of the way in which shipping-related restric-

tions are considered as non-tariff barriers, in the next section we will
describe some of the recent efforts to measure trade and business barriers
on a global scale.

Global trade barrier measurement

In this section, we will describe several global efforts to measure barriers to
trade, or to doing business internationally. We will concentrate on the fol-
lowing three measurement efforts:
● World Bank: Logistics Performance Index;3
● World Bank and International Finance Corporation: Global Doing
Business report;4
● World Economic Forum: Enabling Trade Report.5

Logistics Performance Index (LPI)

The LPI was developed around 2005–2006, and aims to measure the per-
formance on trade logistics of all countries in the world. It is compiled on
the basis of freight forwarder and express carrier surveys, supplemented by
20 Introduction

quantitative data on measurable aspects of logistics performance. It was

compiled for the years 2007, 2010, 2012 and 2014.
The LPI consists of six components (LPI, 2014):

●● the efficiency of customs and border clearance;

●● the quality of trade and transport infrastructure;
●● the competence and quality of logistics services;
●● the ease of arranging competitively priced shipments;
●● the ability to track and trace consignments;
●● the frequency with which shipments reach consignees within
scheduled or expected delivery times.

In 2014, the LPI was published for 160 countries. In Table 2.2 we provide a
summary of the top five and bottom five countries for 2014.
Note that the first three items could be seen as inputs for logistics perfor-
mance (customs, infrastructure, competence), and the last three (shipments,
tracking, timeliness) as output, effectively measuring time, cost and reliabil-
ity. The first three items are subject to policy-making.
The six components of the LPI are based purely on perception of
respondents. The LPI also has a ‘national’ variant, where countries can
evaluate themselves, which is based on targeted questions for each of the
six components. For instance, quality of trade and transport infrastructure
distinguishes between ports, airports, roads, rail, warehousing and telecom-
munication infrastructure, as well as quality of transport services for vari-
ous modes and logistics activity types. The outcomes of the national and the
general LPI are not compared for consistency.
While the analysis of the LPI is very country-oriented, the detailed data
per country do, in principle, allow a bilateral generalized distance analysis
on items that might provide some further insight in the way maritime trans-
port contributes to logistics performance, eg quality of port infrastructure,
quality of maritime transport, maritime transhipment delay on some major
trade lanes. Such a generalized distance measure could also be used to repre-
sent the transfer effect of ocean shipping, in the sense that a bigger gap may
result in a larger transfer effect.

Global Doing Business report (GDB)

The GDB report (GDB, 2014) focuses on benchmarking regulation that
affect private sector firms. Eleven areas of business regulation are reviewed
for 189 countries. These 11 areas are: 1) starting a business; 2) dealing with
construction permits; 3) getting electricity; 4) registering property; 5) getting
credit; 6) protecting investors; 7) paying taxes; 8) trading across borders; 9)
enforcing contracts; 10) resolving insolvency; and 11) employing workers.
Based on these 11 areas, an overall ranking of countries is also constructed.
The GDB report has been published 11 times between 2004 and 2014.
Ta B L E 2 . 2     Summary of LPI top and bottom five countries
rank
Country LPi overall Customs infrastructure Competence Shipments Tracking Timeliness
Germany 4.12 2 1 3 4 1 4
Netherlands 4.05 4 3 2 11 6 6
Belgium 4.04 11 8 4 2 4 2
United Kingdom 4.01 5 6 5 12 5 7
Singapore 4.00 3 2 8 6 11 9
Eritrea 2.08 153 159 136 157 153 122
Congo, Rep. 2.08 160 157 146 148 147 142
Afghanistan 2.07 137 158 152 156 159 149
Congo, Dem. Rep 1.88 158 156 158 160 151 159
Somalia 1.77 147 160 160 159 160 160

SOuRCE LPI (2014)

22 Introduction

Ta B L E 2.3   GDP top five summary

Country Overall gDB rank Trading across borders rank
Singapore 1 1
Hong Kong SAR 2 2
New Zealand 3 21
United States 4 22
Denmark 5 8

SOuRCE GDB (2014)

For this chapter, the section on ‘trading across borders’ is the most relevant.
This area is characterized by the following items:
● number of documents for export;
● time to export in days;
● cost to export in US$ per container;
● number of documents to import;
● time to import in days;
● cost to import in US$ per container.
In Table 2.3 we summarize the overall value and the score on the trading
across borders category for the top five countries in the GDB index.
The focus of the GDB is very much on regulation. Within the trading
across borders category of the index (right-hand column of Table 2.3), there
is therefore a lot of attention on the customs-related impact on documents,
time and costs. This is not exclusively so, however. The time component of
the index also contains port and terminal handling and inland transport and
handling time, while the cost component contains costs related to port and
terminal handling and inland transport and handling. However, there is no
way to differentiate between customs-related documents, time and costs,
and transport-related documents, time and costs
Similar to the LPI, based on the trading across border indicators, a gen-
eralized distance measure could be obtained for combinations of countries,
but this measure would represent a combination of customs- and transport-
related items.

Enabling Trade report

The Enabling Trade (ET) report studies supply chain-related barriers to
international trade (ET, 2014). The ET Index is based on four sub-indices,
and seven pillars. These are:
 Maritime Transport and Logistics as a Trade Facilitator 23

1 Sub-index A: Market access

– Pillar 1: Domestic market access
– Pillar 2: Foreign market access

2 Sub-index B: Border administration

– Pillar 3: Efficiency and transparency of border administration

3 Sub-index C: Infrastructure
– Pillar 4: Availability and quality of transport infrastructure
– Pillar 5: Availability and quality of transport services
– Pillar 6: Availability and use of ICT

4 Sub-index D: Operating environment

– Pillar 7: Operating environment

Market access basically measures a country’s tariff regime. Border adminis-

tration reflects quality and efficiency of the customs and other supervision
processes in a country. Infrastructure assesses the availability and quality of
transport infrastructure, services and IT. Operating environment measures
institutional factors that impact import and export.
Within these pillars, data on 56 indicators are gathered from proprietary
datasets at the World Bank, WTO, UNCTAD, International Trade Centre
and various other partners in the project. Some of these indicators, 23 in
total, originate from the World Economic Forum Executive Opinion Sur-
vey, which gathers 13,000 responses from 148 countries. Apart from the
ET Index, these data are also used to compute the Global Competitiveness
Index, the Networked Readiness Index and several other indices.
A summary of the ET Index and its sub-indices is provided in Table 2.4.
The ET report, under the title The Road Ahead, explicitly addresses the
measurement of non-tariff barriers, which it considers inadequate. There is
ongoing research by the International Trade Centre to collect data on non-tariff
barriers, both for cross-border measures and for behind-the-border measures.
Another interesting area for further research, according to the authors of
the ET report, is that the infrastructure sub-index should be strengthened
with connectivity indicators that might replace simple indicators such as
available transport capacity. For international ocean transport such indica-
tors already exist – the UNCTAD Liner Shipping Connectivity Index and
the Transhipment Connectivity Index – which are included in the ET Index.
For air transport such an index is still being developed, while for domestic
connectivity, no index exists yet.
The UNCTAD Liner Shipping Connectivity Index (see www.unctad.org)
is derived from characteristics of the maritime transport link for specific
pairs of countries: the number of ships visiting that country, the total con-
tainer carrying capacity of those ships, the maximum vessel size, the number
Ta B L E 2. 4     Summary of the Enabling Trade (ET) Index
rank
Country eT index Market access Border administration infrastructure Operating environment
Singapore 5.9 2 1 1 2
Hong Kong SAR 5.5 37 11 2 1
Netherlands 5.3 75 4 3 8
New Zealand 5.2 22 6 25 7
Finland 5.2 75 2 14 3
United Kingdom 5.2 75 7 4 11
Switzerland 5.2 71 12 11 5
Chile 5.1 1 26 44 25
Sweden 5.1 75 3 17 9
Germany 5.1 75 13 6 12

SOuRCE ET (2014)
 Maritime Transport and Logistics as a Trade Facilitator 25

of services and the number of companies offering these services. The data is
available per country, but also for all country pairs.
To further illustrate that there is a relationship between some of the
transport-related indicators and trade, we present some results from Arvis
et al (2013). They derive a measure of trade costs from bilateral trade pat-
terns, and then test the impact of various determinants from the global trade
barrier measurement efforts and other sources on these trade costs. Their
analysis includes: the cost of starting a business (GDB), the LPI overall index,
the air and liner shipping connectivity indices, exchange rates, regional trade
agreement membership, tariffs, same country, common border, common
colonizer, common language (official and ethnographic), common border
and distance. They find that distance, tariffs and the costs of doing busi-
ness impact trade costs positively (in other words, they increase trade costs),
while all other measures decrease trade costs. This is clear evidence for the
development of further measures that help identify barriers to trade.

Summary and conclusion

In this chapter, we have repositioned shipping in the debate on trade facili-
tation. Shipping and ports facilitate trade, but researchers are recognizing
more and more that transport or trade costs are an important factor in
explaining bilateral trade patterns and that factors that impact these trade
costs negatively can be considered a barrier to trade.
We then provided an overview of some of the operational bottlenecks
caused by or associated with container shipping: demurrage and detention,
pre-shipment declarations to customs, the operations and formalities related
to the container, the structural delay of container ships, the complicated tar-
iff structure of container transport and the low quality of data on shipping
documents. These items translate into costs and time loss, which translate
directly as barriers to trade. In addition, since shipping connects countries,
we also argued that the way a pair of countries differ on specific variables
may be a determinant for the level of trade costs and the level of trade
between those countries. We have argued that through these items, current
ocean shipping operations are also a barrier to trade.
We have discussed a general classification of non-tariff barriers to trade,
and various global attempts to measure non-tariff trade barriers. Most of
these efforts are based on collecting information for individual countries.
These efforts do provide good basic data to develop measures that represent
gaps between countries, such as the LPI. These gap measures could be used
to explain the quality of transport links, that could be measures, for instance
by the data underlying the UNCTAD Liner Shipping Connectivity Index. As
far as we know, such an analysis has not been conducted.
Thinking in terms of relationships between countries, the Enabling Trade
Index seems to be ahead of the other two efforts considered here. It contains
26 Introduction

elements that represent transport connectivity, which are based on measures

of transport capacity and transport service level on routes between coun-
tries. However, the index and the data of the ET Index are still represented
at an individual country level.
The global measurement efforts (LPI, GDB, ET) do not reflect barriers to
trade related to container shipping. All these indices concentrate on collect-
ing information at country level, and not on the country-to-country rela-
tionship. There are two positive points, however. The first is that with the
consistent measurement of trade barriers and the indexing of countries, gap
measures for pairs of countries can be constructed more easily. Second, the
ET Index contains elements from the UNCTAD Liner Shipping Connectiv-
ity Index, which is an effort to include information on bilateral transport
relationships between countries. This index, however, still concentrates on
transport capacity and connectivity, and not on operational bottlenecks that
we have identified.
We leave for further research the incorporation of bottlenecks related to
container shipping operations into formal trade barrier measurement efforts
such as the ET Index. An extension of the UNCTAD Liner Shipping Con-
nectivity Index seems to provide a good basis for this. We also suggest the
development of gap measures for pairs of countries based on the LPI, GDB
or ET, and the use of these gap measures as determinants for trade patterns
or trade costs. In particular, gap measures based on some of the detailed
transport-related elements of the LPI should shed some light on the way the
quality of transportation between countries plays a role in explaining trade
patterns or trade costs between those countries.

Notes
1 The Transatlantic Rate Fixing Agreement (TAA) was abolished in 1994, its
follow-up, the Transatlantic Conference Agreement (TACA), was eventually
terminated in 2003, and in 2006, the block exemption for liner conferences was
repealed altogether. In the USA, the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 1998 also
effectively abolished conferences, even though it still allowed rate discussion
agreements between liner companies.
2 Private communication with a representative of the industry association of fruit
importers in the Netherlands, Frugi Venta.
3 http://lpi.worldbank.org/ [accessed 6 July 2014].
4 http://www.doingbusiness.org/ [accessed 6 July 2014].
5 http://www.weforum.org/reports/enabling-trade-valuing-growth-opportunities
[accessed 6 July 2014].

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28 Introduction

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International 03
maritime trade
and logistics
f u N Da y E r C a N a N D T u r K ay y I L D I Z

Introduction
The concept of logistics has been used in business for more than two dec-
ades. Logistics management, as an earlier and limited version of supply
chain management until the beginning of the 2000s, covers the physical
process of planning, organizing and controlling the flow of materials and
services from the supplier’s point to the customer’s as the end point. In addi-
tion to these aspects, the concept of supply chain management also includes
customer satisfaction, customer relations, financial flow and information
flow by making logistics functions a more integrated and complex group
of activities. Therefore, logistics support and the interaction of logistics and
supply chain management with local and global trade cannot be disregarded.
Indeed, as approximately 85 per cent of international trade is carried out
by maritime transport (eg ocean transport, seaways and inland waterways),
the role of maritime transport is considered to be crucial for global trading.
This chapter of the book focuses on developments in international mari-
time transport by emphasizing developments in global trade. The first section
of this chapter broadly discusses logistics and its interaction with interna-
tional trade. This section provides the general characteristics of logistics and
its interrelations with various business areas. The second section builds a
background to the interaction between logistics and the transport indus-
try in the global economy. The third section then discusses more in-depth
developments in the global economy and the maritime transport industry in
relation to international trade.
The objectives of this chapter are to:
● describe logistics;
● identify and address global economic growth and integrate it with
maritime trade;
30 Introduction

●● bring forward global trade volumes;

●● position international and maritime trade within logistics;
●● identify the developments in international maritime trade within
international trade;
●● enhance the contribution of commodity sectors in order to develop
the effectiveness of developed and developing countries as well as
transition economies; and
●● review international maritime trade networks.
In order to achieve the above-specified objectives, the methodology in this
chapter includes a conceptual description of the interrelation of international
and maritime trade within global logistics services, using world economic
data and a review of developments in the global economy, of international
maritime transport by cargo type and of liner shipping connectivity data.
The overarching purpose is to explicate the background to international
competitiveness in maritime trade routes and cargo types between countries
in maritime networks.

Logistics and supply chain management

This section of the chapter provides a general background to logistics and
supply chain management. The characteristics and functions in logistics are
reviewed and described in order to emphasize its interrelation with interna-
tional trade.
The crucial importance of logistics and supply chain management has
been highlighted by businesses focusing on the needs and wants of custom-
ers, owing to the competition stemming from globalization, specialization
and developments in information communication and technology at the
beginning of the 2000s. Therefore, in addition to these concepts, functions
and stages, concepts of information flow, financial flow and customer rela-
tions and functions have also been covered within the supply chain manage-
ment concept (Croom et al, 2000; Bowersox et al, 2007).
Supply chain management is a chain management process as long as
its links stay connected. Although the strength of each link is sufficient to
hold another, the strength of the whole chain depends on the connectivity
between all the links. Similarly, suppliers, including their suppliers, manu-
facturers, wholesalers, retailers, transporters, distributors and consumers,
rely on one another to supply and consume goods and services. Therefore,
each link is linked heavily to another in the chain.
Logistics and supply chain management are integrated among vari-
ous business functions and progresses, with the aim of minimizing costs,
maximizing benefits and profit and thus generating customer satisfaction
(Burt et al, 2003). The links within this chain focus on management, plan-
ning, the supply of raw materials and/or semi-finished goods, production
 International Maritime Trade and Logistics 31

planning, the processing of raw materials and/or semi-finished goods,

manufacturing, packaging, storing, warehousing, inventory management,
distribution, transportation, wholesaling, retailing, marketing, selling and
reaching customers as the final consumers (Bowersox et al, 2002). Hence,
logistics and supply chain management not only coordinate the activities of
finished goods, they also facilitate communications, information technology,
humanities and social sciences.
In parallel to developments in international trade, logistics and supply
chain management can rapidly transform and develop businesses. Each link
within logistics activities and supply chains must be integrated in order to
meet the globalization challenge as well as exploit the market conditions
domestically and internationally. Based on the foregoing, the next section
reviews the role of the transport industry in international trade and global
logistics services.

Logistics and transport

This section first describes logistics and then summarizes the challenges in
the transport industry within logistics services against the background of a
volatile global economy.
Global production, transport, distribution and logistics all require the set-
ting of appropriate freight management strategies. Logistics concerns all the
activities required for goods to be made available to markets, principally pur-
chase, order processing, inventory management and transport (Rodrigue and
Browne, 2007). It is taking an increasingly important role in the global econ-
omy by supporting a wide variety of commodity chains (Hesse and Rodrigue,
2004). Transport and logistics activities have always been essential since firms
started to know and use them. The movement, storage, handling and deliv-
ery of goods from one point to another occur until they reach the final user.
Transport is more than cars, trains, ferries, vessels, aeroplanes and other vehi-
cles. Each raw material needs to be moved until it becomes a semi-­finished
product and all physical products need to be moved to the points where they
are consumed. Transport, which plays a vital role in logistics and supply chain
management activities, also has a crucial place within international trade,
which relies on the movement of goods from one point to another.
Recently, growing demand for transport and trade has led to globaliza-
tion and the development of the global economy, which has directly affected
transport and trade facilitation. The period of the late 2000s, and 2008
in particular, was a milestone for the global economy. The global financial
crisis ended a period of unprecedented growth in both trade and market
demand, and its subsequent effects on the transport and maritime industries
have been severe. All actors involved in the maritime industry, shipping,
ports and intermodal transport have been forced to reshape their business
development models to prepare for the future.
32 Introduction

However, these difficulties have been accompanied by considerable

opportunities to develop corrective actions that address pre-existing misal-
locations. The main players in the transport and maritime industries now
consider it to be the time to review established practices, streamline pre-
vailing theories and integrate shipping and ports into intermodal transport
systems. The next section reviews and analyses global trade, especially in the
maritime industry.

Global trade and the maritime industry

This section discusses in depth the developments in the global economy and
in global trade together with the significance of maritime transport and its
interrelations. In this regard, various data on global trade and international
maritime trade are presented and reviewed.
After the global financial crisis in late 2008, 2009 witnessed the worst
global recession in over seven decades since World War II. Global GDP
shrank by 2.2 per cent, with an approximately 13 per cent decline in the
total volume of global trade in 2009 and only a 1.8 per cent increase in
global economic output between 2007 and 2010 (see Tables 3.1 and 3.2;
UNCTAD, 2010, 2013). During these crisis years, the trade patterns in both
developed and developing countries altered. In parallel, the import and
export volumes of developed economies remained below their pre-crisis lev-
els. On the other hand, imports and exports from emerging market econo-
mies were 26 and 22 per cent respectively above their pre-crisis levels.
The global economy continues to struggle to return to a strong posi-
tion. World output growth was just 2.2 per cent in 2012, and this remained
approximately the same in 2013, with 3 per cent expected in 2014 (UNC-
TAD, 2013). Moreover, the total volume of merchandise exports dropped
seven times more rapidly than global GDP. These changes were related to
globalized production processes and the increased trade in parts and com-
ponents, the deepening and widening of global supply chains, the product
composition of the fall in demand for consumer goods and durables and
limited trade finance. Rapid declines in trade volumes also resulted from the
trade in goods dropping faster than that in services. Further, weak consumer
confidence depressed the retail industry, while the low level of capital invest-
ments and slowdowns in the real estate and housing sectors continued in
advanced economies.
A global recovery took place by early 2010, with an expansion of 4.1
per cent in GDP and a growth of 9.5 per cent in the total volume of trade
based on World Trade Organization estimates of 180 economies around the
world. The annual increase in exports from developed economies was about
13 per cent in volume terms in 2010, while the annual increase in shipments
from developing economies, Asian countries (14.7 per cent) and China (29.1
per cent) in particular, rose by 16 per cent as the world started to emerge
Ta B L E 3 . 1     Global economic growth 2005–2014 (annual percentage change)
region/Country 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013a
World 3.5 4.1 4.0 1.5 −2.2 4.1 2.8 2.2 2.1
Developed countries 2.4 2.8 2.6 0.0 −3.8 2.6 1.5 1.2 1.0
of which:
Japan 1.3 1.7 2.2 −1.0 −5.5 4.7 −0.6 1.9 1.9
United States 3.1 2.7 1.9 −0.3 −3.1 2.4 1.8 2.2 1.7
European Union (EU-27) 2.1 3.3 3.2 0.3 −4.3 2.1 1.6 −0.3 −0.2
of which:
Euro area 1.7 3.3 3.0 0.4 −4.4 2.0 1.5 −0.6 −0.7
France 1.8 2.5 2.3 −0.1 −3.1 1.7 2.0 0.0 −0.2
Germany 0.7 3.7 3.3 1.1 −5.1 4.2 3.0 0.7 0.3
Italy 0.9 2.2 1.7 −1.2 −5.5 1.7 0.4 −2.4 −1.8
United Kingdom 2.8 2.6 3.6 −1.0 −4.0 1.8 0.9 0.2 1.1
South-east europe and CiS 6.5 8.3 8.6 5.2 −6.6 4.5 4.5 3.0 2.7
South-east Europe 4.7 4.8 5.5 3.7 −4.3 0.0 1.1 −1.4 0.3
CIS 6.7 8.7 8.9 5.3 −6.8 4.9 4.8 3.4 2.9
of which:
Russian Federation 6.4 8.2 8.5 5.2 −7.8 4.5 4.3 3.4 2.5
Developing countries 6.8 7.6 7.9 5.3 2.4 7.9 5.9 4.6 4.7
Africa 5.8 5.9 6.2 5.2 2.8 4.9 1.0 5.4 4.0
North Africa, excl. Sudan 5.1 5.4 4.7 4.6 3.2 4.1 −6.1 7.8 3.6

(Continued )
Ta B L E 3 . 1     Global economic growth 2005–2014 (annual percentage change) (Continued)
region/Country 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013a
Sub-Saharan Africa, excl. South Africa 6.7 6.5 7.7 6.6 4.9 6.4 4.8 5.3 5.4
South Africa 5.3 5.6 5.5 3.6 −1.5 3.1 3.5 2.5 1.7
Latin America and the Caribbean 4.5 5.6 5.6 4.0 −1.9 5.9 4.3 3.0 3.1
Caribbean 7.4 9.4 5.8 3.1 −0.1 2.6 2.4 2.5 2.7
Central America, excl. Mexico 4.8 6.4 7.0 4.1 −0.2 4.1 5.2 5.0 4.1
Mexico 3.2 5.2 3.3 1.2 −6.0 5.5 4.0 3.9 2.8
South America 5.0 5.5 6.6 5.5 −0.2 6.4 4.6 2.5 3.2
of which:
Brazil 3.2 4.0 6.1 5.2 −0.3 7.5 2.7 0.9 2.5
Asia 7.8 8.6 9.0 5.8 3.9 8.9 7.1 5.0 5.2
East Asia 8.6 9.9 11.0 6.9 5.9 9.5 7.7 6.0 6.1
of which:
China 11.3 12.7 14.2 9.6 9.2 10.4 9.3 7.8 7.6
South Asia 8.0 8.3 8.9 5.2 4.7 9.4 6.6 3.0 4.3
of which:
India 9.0 9.4 10.1 6.2 5.0 11.2 7.7 3.8 5.2
South-east Asia 5.8 6.1 6.6 4.3 1.2 8.0 4.5 5.4 4.7
West Asia 6.8 7.0 4.6 3.8 −1.7 7.0 7.1 3.2 3.5
Oceania 3.4 2.9 3.5 2.7 2.3 3.6 4.3 4.1 2.7

SOuRCE UN/DESA-Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2013; UN, 2010, 2013; UNCTAD, 2010, 2013
NOTES
a. Partly estimated.
Ta B L E 3. 2     Growth in the volumea of merchandise trade, by geographical region, 2007–2012
(annual percentage change)
exports imports
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Countries/regions 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
5.8 3.0 –13.3 13.9 5.2 1.8 WOrLD 6.6 2.2 –13.6 13.8 5.3 1.6

3.9 2.8 –15.5 13.0 4.9 0.4 Developed countries 3.7 0.0 –14.6 10.8 3.4 –0.5
of which:
6.8 4.9 –24.8 27.5 –0.6 –1.0 Japan 0.8 –0.9 –12.2 10.1 4.2 3.7
6.8 5.5 –14.0 15.4 7.2 4.1 United States 1.1 –3.7 –16.4 14.8 3.8 2.8
3.2 2.5 –14.9 11.6 5.5 –0.2 European Union (EU–27) 4.8 1.1 –14.5 9.6 2.8 –2.8
8.6 0.8 –14.4 11.3 4.2 1.0 Transition economies 26.1 16.0 –28.2 15.9 15.7 3.9

8.7 4.2 –9.7 16.0 6.0 3.6 Developing countries 10.6 5.3 –10.2 18.8 7.4 4.5
of which:
4.8 –2.8 –9.5 8.8 –8.3 5.7 Africa 11.2 11.6 –6.2 8.4 2.8 8.0
2.4 –0.6 –7.4 8.3 4.6 2.2 Latin America and the Caribbean 11.6 8.6 –17.9 22.5 10.8 2.5
15.0 7.3 –10.9 24.1 10.4 5.2 east asia 10.2 0.6 –5.3 22.7 7.4 4.3
21.8 14.9 –14.1 29.1 13.0 7.2 of which: China 14.1 2.4 –1.1 25.4 10.3 5.9
6.3 10.7 –6.1 10.0 8.8 –10.2 South asia 10.9 7.2 –5.5 14.0 6.0 2.0
15.2 2.1 –6.8 14.0 14.2 –2.5 of which: India 16.9 10.4 –0.9 13.8 9.1 5.8
6.9 7.4 –10.0 18.6 4.4 2.2 South–east asia 6.7 8.0 –15.8 22.0 6.7 6.0
2.0 –4.8 5.7 6.5 6.9 West asia 16.7 8.4 –14.2 8.4 8.1 5.8

SOuRCE UNCTAD, 2013; UNCTAD, 2010

NOTE
a. Data on trade volumes are derived from international merchandise trade values deflated by UNCTAD unit value indices.
36 Introduction

from recession. This recovery played a crucial role in the expansion of the
total volume of global trade and improvements in the global economy.
However, the global recovery was slower than previous post-recession
recoveries, and it was particularly challenged by the uncertainties, fragile
economic conditions and political problems and transformations taking
place in several Middle Eastern countries at the beginning of 2011. As a
result, the annual increase in exports from developed economies dropped
to 0.4 per cent in volume terms in 2012, while that from developing econo-
mies (Asian countries 1.5 per cent, China 7.2 per cent) was up 3.6 per cent
(UNCTAD, 2013).
A growth in international trade positively affects the growth in interna-
tional transport services – the second largest category of commercial services
after the tourism sector – because of the movement and carriage of goods
from suppliers and producers to customers as end-users. Maritime trans-
port services are directly driven by global economic growth and the need to
carry goods internationally, and thus they are subject to developments in the
global economy. In other words, global economic growth directly influences
international trade, which, in turn, directly affects transport services and
therefore the world’s seaborne trade volumes (as a measure of demand for
shipping, port and logistics services). Maritime trade is the most commonly
used transport mode in international trade, representing about 85 per cent
of total transport volume. As demand for both maritime transport services
and logistics services derives from global economic growth and the need
to carry out international trade, the global shipping industry and maritime
transport activities (notably seaborne trade) could not escape from the con-
tractions in global GDP and international trade volumes in 2009.
In parallel with these economic declines and following the collapse in
economic growth and international trade, the total volume of international
seaborne trade shrank by 4.5 per cent in 2009. The total volume of goods
loaded was only 7.8 billion tons in 2009 compared with 8.2 billion tons in
2008. Similar to merchandise trade, however, world trade in commercial
services grew in 2012, and the total volume of goods loaded by using mari-
time transport services increased to 9.1 billion tons in 2012 (see Table 3.3).
Developing countries continued to have the largest share of global seaborne
trade with approximately 61 per cent of all goods loaded and 55 per cent
of all goods unloaded, reflecting their increasingly leading role in driving
global trade. The share of developed economies in global goods loaded and
unloaded was 32 and 44 per cent respectively, while transition economies
accounted for only 6.4 and 0.8 per cent respectively (UNCTAD, 2010).
After the recession in 2008, world shipments of tanker trade volumes,
including crude oil, petroleum products and liquefied natural gas (LNG), fell
by 3 per cent in 2009. As also illustrated in Table 3.3, total tanker cargoes
loaded amounted to 2.73 billion tons in 2008 and this dropped to 2.64 bil-
lion tons in 2009, before slightly increasing to 2.83 billion tons in 2012. The
major oil producers including the OPEC countries of western Asia were the
largest loading areas for crude oil together with transition economies, with
 International Maritime Trade and Logistics 37

Ta B L E 3.3   Development of international seaborne trade

1970–2012 (millions of tons loaded)
Total
Year Oil Main bulksa Other dry cargo (all cargoes)
1970 1,442 448 676 2,566
1980 1,871 796 1,037 3,704
1990 1,755 968 1,285 4,008
2000 2,163 1,288 2,533 5,984
2006 2,698 1,849 3,135 7,682
2007 2,747 1,972 3,265 7,983
2008 2,732 2,079 3,399 8,210
2009 2,642 2,085 3,131 7,858
2010 2,772 2,335 3,302 8,409
2011 2,794 2,486 3,505 8,784
2012 2,836 2,665 3,664 9,165

SOuRCE Compiled by the UNCTAD secretariat on the basis of data supplied by reporting countries
as published on the relevant government and port industry websites, and by specialist sources. The
data for 2006 onwards have been revised and updated to reflect improved reporting, including more
recent figures and better information regarding the breakdown by cargo type.
NOTE
a. Iron ore, grain, coal, bauxite/alumina and phosphate. The data for 2006 onwards are based on Dry
Bulk Trade Outlook produced by Clarkson Research Services Limited.

South-east Asia, Central Africa, the northern and eastern coasts of South
America, North and West Africa and Central America the major producers
and consumers of oil and gas. The major unloading areas included North
America, Europe, Japan and South-east Asia. With the strong demand in oil
from China, India, western Asia and Latin America, crude oil shipments to
these regions started to grow rapidly. In terms of the total volume of cargoes
loaded regardless of their type, global seaborne trade loaded dropped from
8.2 billion tons in 2008 to 7.8 billion tons in 2009, before rising to 9.17 bil-
lion tons in 2012 (UNCTAD, 2013). The total volumes of world seaborne
trade by type of cargo loaded and unloaded together with country groups
between 2006 and 2012 and world merchant fleet tonnage surplus by main
type of vessel in the maritime transport industry are illustrated in Tables 3.4
and 3.5 respectively.
The year 2009 was the most challenging in the history of the con-
tainer industry with dramatic declines. Container trade volumes declined
sharply by 9 per cent, totalling 124 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEU)
Ta B L E 3 . 4     World seaborne trade volumes by type of cargo and country group 2006–2012
goods loaded (millions of tons) goods unloaded (millions of tons)
Country Crude products Crude products
group Year Total & gas Dry cargo Total & gas Dry cargo
2006 7,682.3 1,783.4 914.8 4,984.1 7,885.9 1,931.0 894.2 5,060.8
2007 7,983.5 1,813.4 933.5 5,236.6 8,136.1 1,995.5 904.3 5,236.3
2008 8,210.1 1,785.2 946.9 5,478.0 8,272.7 1,942.1 964.1 5,366.5
World 2009 7,842.8 1,724.5 924.6 5,193.6 7,908.4 1,877.8 957.3 5,073.3
2010 8,408.9 1,787.7 983.8 5,637.5 8,443.8 1,933.2 979.2 5,531.4
2011 8,784.3 1,759.5 1034.2 5,990.5 8,797.7 1,896.5 1,037.7 5,863.5
2012 9,165.3 1,785.4 1050.9 6,329.0 9,183.7 1,928.7 1,054.9 6,200.1
2006 2,460.5 132.9 336.4 1,991.3 4,164.7 1,282.0 535.5 2,347.2
2007 2,608.9 135.1 363.0 2,110.8 3,990.5 1,246.0 524.0 2,220.5
2008 2,708.5 129.0 394.3 2,185.1 4,007.9 1,251.1 523.8 2,233.0
Developed
2009 2,540.1 118.6 355.0 2,066.5 3,499.8 1,149.8 529.4 1,820.6
economies
2010 2,865.4 135.9 422.3 2,307.3 3,604.5 1,165.4 522.6 1,916.5
2011 2,982.5 117.5 451.9 2,413.1 3,632.3 1,085.6 581.3 1,965.4
2012 3,162.9 121.6 447.3 2,594.0 3,678.8 1,097.7 573.7 2,007.5
 2006 410.3 123.1 41.3 245.9 70.6 5.6 3.1 61.9
2007 407.9 124.4 39.9 243.7 76.8 7.3 3.5 66.0
2008 431.5 138.2 36.7 256.6 89.3 6.3 3.8 79.2
Transition
2009 501.8 151.3 41.6 309.0 60.5 6.1 3.0 51.4
economies
2010 515.7 150.2 45.9 319.7 122.1 3.5 4.6 114.0
2011 505.0 132.6 42.0 330.5 156.7 4.2 4.4 148.1
2012 542.1 136.6 41.1 364.4 149.2 3.8 4.0 141.4
2006 4,811.5 1,527.5 537.1 2,747.0 3,650.6 643.4 355.5 2,651.6
2007 4,966.6 1,553.9 530.7 2,882.0 4,068.9 742.2 376.8 2,949.8
2008 5,070.2 1,517.9 515.9 3,036.4 4,175.5 684.7 436.5 3,054.3
Developing
2009 4,800.8 1,454.6 528.0 2,818.2 4,348.1 721.9 424.8 3,201.3
economies
2010 5,027.8 1,501.6 515.6 3,010.5 4,717.3 764.4 452.0 3,500.9
2011 5,296.8 1,509.4 540.4 3,247.0 5,008.8 806.7 452.1 3,750.0
2012 5,460.3 1,527.2 562.5 3,370.6 5,355.7 827.3 477.2 4,051.2
2006 704.0 353.8 86.0 264.2 357.4 41.0 39.9 276.5
2007 708.9 362.5 81.8 264.6 375.9 45.5 45.0 285.3
2008 741.9 379.2 83.5 279.3 366.1 44.8 44.2 277.0
africa 2009 682.1 335.0 82.8 264.4 365.6 43.7 42.7 279.2
2010 754.0 351.1 92.0 310.9 416.9 42.7 40.5 333.7
2011 723.7 338.0 68.5 317.2 378.2 37.8 46.3 294.1
2012 787.3 370.1 72.6 344.6 407.7 35.9 51.7 320.1

(Continued )
Ta B L E 3 .4     World seaborne trade volumes by type of cargo and country group 2006–2012 (Continued)
goods loaded (millions of tons) goods unloaded (millions of tons)
Country Crude products Crude products
group Year Total & gas Dry cargo Total & gas Dry cargo
2006 1,030.7 251.3 93.9 686.5 373.4 49.6 60.1 263.7
2007 1,067.1 252.3 90.7 724.2 415.9 76.0 64.0 275.9
2008 1,112.2 234.6 93.0 784.6 433.8 74.2 66.9 292.7
americas 2009 1,050.6 219.4 89.6 741.7 387.0 74.2 65.4 247.5
2010 1,172.6 241.6 85.1 846.0 448.7 69.9 74.7 304.2
2011 1,239.2 253.8 83.5 901.9 508.3 71.1 73.9 363.4
2012 1,287.2 250.7 91.6 944.9 538.5 77.5 79.4 381.6
2006 3,073.1 921.2 357.0 1,794.8 2,906.8 552.7 248.8 2,105.3
2007 3,187.1 938.1 358.1 1,890.8 3,263.6 620.7 260.8 2,382.1
2008 3,211.8 902.7 339.3 1,969.9 3,361.9 565.6 318.3 2,477.9
asia 2009 3,061.7 898.7 355.5 1,807.5 3,582.4 604.1 313.1 2,665.2
2010 3,094.6 907.5 338.3 1,848.8 3,838.2 651.8 333.1 2,853.4
2011 3,326.7 916.0 388.2 2,022.6 4,108.8 697.8 328.0 3,082.9
2012 3,376.7 904.7 397.5 2,074.5 4,396.2 713.8 341.5 3,340.9
2006 3.8 1.2 0.1 2.5 12.9 0.0 6.7 6.2
2007 3.5 0.9 0.1 2.5 13.5 0.0 7.0 6.5
2008 4.2 1.5 0.1 2.6 13.8 0.0 7.1 6.7
2009 6.3 1.5 0.2 4.6 13.1 0.0 3.6 9.5
Oceania
2010 6.5 1.5 0.2 4.8 13.4 0.0 3.7 9.7
2011 7.1 1.6 0.2 5.3 13.5 0.0 3.9 9.6
2012 9.0 1.6 0.8 6.6 13.3 0.0 4.6 8.6

SOuRCE UNCTAD, 2013

Ta B L E 3 . 5     World merchant fleet tonnage surplus, by main type of vessel, selected yearsa between 1990 and 2010
(in millions of dwt or millions of cubic meters)
1990 2000 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 1 apr 2010
World tanker fleet (dwt) 266.2 279.4 298.3 312.9 367.4 393.5 414.04 435.25 438.33
Idle tanker fleet (dwt) 40.9 13.5 3.4 4.5 6.1 7.8 14.35 8.51 9.42
Share of idle fleet in tanker fleet (%) 15.4 4.8 1.1 1.4 1.7 2.0 3.47 1.96 2.15
World dry bulk fleet (dwt) 228.7 247.7 325.1 340.0 361.8 393.5 417.62 452.52 458.63
Idle dry bulk fleet (dwt) 19.4 3.8 2.1 2.0 3.4 3.6 3.68 2.64 4.00
Share of idle fleet in dry bulk 8.5 1.5 0.6 0.6 0.9 0.9 0.88 0.58 0.87
fleet (%)
World conventional general cargo 63.6 59.3 43.6 45.0 44.7 43.8 44.54 42.53 40.54
fleet (dwt)
Idle conventional general cargo 2.1 1.1 0.7 0.7 0.6 0.7 0.97 0.83 1.01
fleet (dwt)
Share of idle fleet in general cargo 3.3 1.9 1.6 1.6 1.4 1.6 2.18 1.95 2.49
fleet (%)
World ro-ro fleet (dwt) .. .. .. .. .. .. 11.37 10.93 10.21
Idle ro-ro fleet (dwt) .. .. .. .. .. .. 0.89 0.73 0.67
Share of idle fleet in ro-ro fleet (%) .. .. .. .. .. .. 7.83 6.68 6.56
(Continued )
Ta B L E 3 . 5     World merchant fleet tonnage surplus, by main type of vessel, selected yearsa between 1990 and
2010 (in millions of dwt or millions of cubic meters) (Continued )
1990 2000 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 1 apr 2010
World vehicle carrier fleet (dwt) .. .. .. .. .. .. 11.27 11.20 10.72
Idle vehicle carrier fleet (dwt) .. .. .. .. .. .. 0.24 0.55 0.42
Share of idle fleet in vehicle carrier .. .. .. .. .. .. 2.13 4.91 3.92
fleet (%)
World LNg carrier fleet (m3) .. .. .. .. .. .. 44.43 46.90 49.29
Idle LNG carrier fleet (m3) .. .. .. .. .. .. 5.87 1.29 0.77
Share of idle fleet in LNG fleet (%) .. .. .. .. .. .. 13.21 2.75 1.56
World LPg carrier fleet (m3) .. .. .. .. .. .. 11.56 18.50 19.05
Idle LPG carrier fleet (m3) .. .. .. .. .. .. 0.94 0.10 0.13
Share of idle fleet in LNG fleet (%) .. .. .. .. .. .. 8.13 0.54 0.68

SOuRCE Compiled by the UNCTAD secretariat, on the basis of data from Lloyd’s Shipping Economist (various issues).
NOTE
a. End-of-year figures, except for 1990 and 2000, which are annual averages. This table excludes tankers and dry bulk carriers of less than 10,000 dwt and conventional
general cargo/unitized vessels of less than 5,000 dwt.
Ta B L E 3 . 6     Cargo flows on the major east–west container trade routes 2008–2012 (millions of TEUs and annual
percentage change)
asia–North North North europe–North
Years america america–europe america–asia asia–europe europe–asia america
2008 13.4 3.3 6.9 13.5 5.2 3.3
2009 10.6 6.1 11.5 5.5 2.8 2.5
% change 20.9 84.8 66.7 59.3 46.2 24.2
2008–2009
2010 12.3 6.5 13.3 5.7 3.2 2.7
2011 12.4 6.6 14.1 6.2 3.4 2.8
2012 13.3 6.9 13.7 6.3 3.6 2.7
% change 7.3 4.5 2.8 1.6 5.9 3.6
2011–2012

SOuRCE www.containershipping.com, April–June 2013; European Liner Affairs Association, 2010 Containerization International, August 2010
Ta B L E 3 . 7     Container port traffic 2004–2012 (million TEU)
economies/regions 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
East Asia & Pacific (developing only) 102.4 96.2 114.8 139.5 155.73 147.75 175.33 192.52 205.67
East Asia & Pacific (all income levels) 174.2 193.8 217.8 250.2 269.31 247.67 287.16 311.36 325.57
Europe & Central Asia (all income levels) 71.1 75.8 81.3 91.6 98.30 83.99 94.54 101.49 104.18
Euro area 56.4 60.3 64.6 72.7 76.75 66.68 73.76 79.15 80.69
European Union 67.9 71.5 76.0 85.0 90.01 78.01 86.63 92.82 94.89
High income 194.4 232.7 246.5 265.2 286.15 253.49 284.38 299.70 305.10
Latin America & Caribbean (developing only) 19.4 21.9 24.8 27.5 29.24 27.11 32.76 34.99 36.38
Latin America & Caribbean (all income levels) 22.3 24.8 28.0 30.8 35.63 32.63 40.10 41.48 43.12
Lower middle income 105.8 100.4 119.9 144.4 44.58 44.67 51.87 55.05 56.91
Low & middle income 144.0 143.5 170.3 202.3 229.78 218.51 257.65 280.10 296.40
Middle East & North Africa (all income levels) 41.99 42.55 46.52 49.93 51.43
Middle income 143.3 142.7 169.4 201.3 226.59 215.34 254.05 276.28 292.30
High income: non-OECD 50.7 80.0 84.5 89.0 103.46 91.97 102.93 106.93 109.65
High income: OECD 143.7 152.7 162.0 176.2 182.69 161.51 181.45 192.77 195.46
OECD members 150.2 159.8 170.5 186.6 191.22 168.91 190.72 202.84 205.93
South Asia 8.5 9.9 11.9 13.7 14.44 14.77 17.32 17.94 18.10
Upper middle income 37.5 42.3 49.4 56.9 182.01 170.67 202.18 221.23 235.40
World 338.4 376.3 416.8 467.5 515.94 471.99 542.03 579.80 601.51

SOuRCE World Bank Data Bank 2013; 2010

 International Maritime Trade and Logistics 45

or 1.19 billion tons in 2009. The global financial crisis and economic reces-
sion contracted demand for consumer and manufactured goods and dura-
bles. Table 3.6 illustrates the cargo flows on the major East–West container
trade routes in the world. The annual percentage changes between 2008 and
2009 illustrate the declines on most major trade routes, with the dramatic
increase of 84.8 per cent in Atlantic container trade between the USA and
Europe one notable exception. Another was the annual increase of 66.7 per
cent in container trade between North America and Asia. These dramatic
changes settled down at the end of 2012 with percentage changes between
2011 and 2012 from 1.6 to 7.3 per cent, mostly in trans-Pacific container
trade (with the exception of a decline of -2.8 per cent in container trade
between North America and Asia).
More specifically, Table 3.7 and Figure 3.1 give an idea of the recent
container port traffic in total number of TEU as 20-foot-equivalent units by

Fi g u r e 3 . 1  Container port traffic 2008–2012 (million TEU)

700

600

500

400

300

200

100

0
EAS
HIC

MIC
UMC
OED
EAP
OEC
NOC
ECS
EUU
EMU
LMC
MEA
LCN
LAC
SAS
MNA
WLD

LMY

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Note
Country Code Country Name Country Code Country Name
WLD World EUU European Union
EAS East Asia & Pacific (all income levels) EMU Euro area
HIC High income LMC Lower middle income
LMY Low & middle income MEA Middle East & North Africa
MIC Middle income (all income levels)
UMC Upper middle income LCN Latin America & Caribbean
OED OECD members (all income levels)
EAP East Asia & Pacific (developing only) LAC Latin America & Caribbean
OEC High income: OECD (developing only)
NOC High income: non-OECD SAS South Asia
ECS Europe & Central Asia (all income MNA Middle East & North Africa
levels) (developing only)
46 Introduction

region between 2004 and 2012. In this table, the development of container
port traffic is specified by different regions East Asia and the Pacific, the
European Union, Europe and Central Asia, Latin America and the Carib-
bean, the Middle East and North Africa, OECD members and South Asia)
and different income levels. In terms of the total number of TEU, container
traffic in East Asia and the Pacific reflects that to and from its leading ports,
such as Hong Kong and Singapore.
Despite these challenging developments, container shipping and interna-
tional maritime trade had started to recover from the global economic down-
turn by 2010. By mid-2010, gradual growth had emerged and increases in
total trade volumes had started to be recorded, especially to and from China.
By the beginning of 2010, the total world merchant fleet had expanded
by an impressive 7 per cent to reach 1.276 billion deadweight tonnes (dwt).
In addition, world container throughput declined by about 9 per cent to 465
million TEU in 2009, while total container trade in world seaborne trade
was forecast to increase by 11.5 per cent by the end of 2010.
Liner shipping is defined as a vessel carrying passengers and cargo that
operates on a route with a fixed schedule (Hinkelman, 2009). Liner shipping
emerged from the establishment of regular steamship lines on regular sched-
ules, calling at many ports at specific dates and times. The main advantages
of liner companies are their regularity and organization at a wide range of
ports regardless of the existence of cargoes (Pamuk, 2000). Liner shipping
is used for general cargo on fixed trade routes and on a fixed timetable. The
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) notes
that access to high-frequency, reliable and low-cost liner shipping services
largely determines a country’s connectivity to overseas markets and thus its
competitiveness globally (Hoekman, 2006; World Bank, 2007).
The configuration of liner shipping networks is important not only to
shipping lines, but also for the structure of such networks. The relative
position of a port on the network has a significant impact on the level of
transport costs (Marquez et al, 2006; Wilmsmeier and Hoffmann, 2008;
Wilmsmeier and Notteboom, 2009a). Therefore, the location of a port
within the network becomes strategic to ensure trade competitiveness,
which raises important questions about the determinants that lead to the
configuration of current networks and about how these could be influenced
(Wilmsmeier and Notteboom, 2009a).
Demand for containerized transport also affects the development of liner
shipping networks. The routing of containerized trade flows depends on the
strategies of shipping companies and demand of shippers for specific service
characteristics. As such, the location of a port or a region within the global
liner shipping network is determined by the density of trade flows to and
from a specific port or region (Wilmsmeier and Notteboom, 2009b).
The Liner Shipping Connectivity Index scores from 2004 to 2013 pre-
sented in Table 3.8 suggest how well countries are connected to global
shipping networks. This index is based on five components of the mari-
time transport sector: number of ships, container-carrying capacity of ships,
Ta B L E 3 . 8     Liner shipping connectivity values – ordered by 2013 rankings
rank Country Name 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
1 China 100.00 108.29 113.1 127.85 137.38 132.47 143.57 152.06 156.19 157.51
2 Hong Kong SAR, China 94.42 96.78 99.31 106.2 108.78 104.47 113.60 115.27 117.18 116.63
3 Singapore 81.87 83.87 86.11 87.53 94.47 99.47 103.76 105.02 113.16 106.91
4 Korea, Rep. 68.68 73.03 71.92 77.19 76.40 86.67 82.61 92.02 101.73 100.42
5 Malaysia 62.83 64.97 69.20 81.58 77.60 81.21 88.14 90.96 99.69 98.18
6 United States 83.30 87.62 85.80 83.68 82.45 82.43 83.80 81.63 91.70 92.80
7 Germany 76.59 78.41 80.66 88.95 89.26 84.30 90.88 93.32 90.63 88.61
8 United Kingdom 81.69 79.58 81.53 76.77 77.99 84.82 87.53 87.46 84.00 87.72
9 Netherlands 78.81 79.95 80.97 84.79 87.57 88.66 89.96 92.10 88.93 87.46
10 Belgium 73.16 74.17 76.15 73.93 77.98 82.80 84.00 88.47 78.85 82.21
11 France 67.34 70.00 67.78 64.84 66.24 67.01 74.94 71.84 70.09 74.94
12 Spain 54.44 58.16 62.29 71.26 67.67 70.22 74.32 76.58 74.44 70.40
13 Italy 58.13 62.20 58.11 58.84 55.87 69.97 59.57 70.18 66.33 67.26
14 United Arab Emirates 38.06 39.22 46.70 48.21 48.80 60.45 63.37 62.50 61.09 66.97
15 Japan 69.15 66.73 64.54 62.73 66.63 66.33 67.43 67.81 63.09 65.68
16 Saudi Arabia 35.83 36.24 40.66 45.04 47.44 47.30 50.43 59.97 60.40 59.67
17 Egypt, Arab Rep. 42.86 49.23 50.01 45.37 52.53 51.99 47.55 51.15 57.39 57.48
18 Morocco 9.39 8.68 8.54 9.02 29.79 38.40 49.36 55.13 55.09 55.53
19 Turkey 25.60 27.09 27.09 32.60 35.64 31.98 36.10 39.40 53.15 52.13
20 Malta 27.53 25.70 30.32 29.53 29.92 37.71 37.53 40.95 45.02 49.79
21 Oman 23.33 23.64 20.28 28.96 30.42 45.32 48.52 49.33 47.25 48.46
(Continued )
Ta B L E 3 .8     Liner shipping connectivity values – ordered by 2013 rankings (Continued)
rank Country Name 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
22 Portugal 17.54 16.84 23.55 25.42 34.97 32.97 38.06 21.08 46.23 46.08
23 Greece 30.22 29.07 31.29 30.70 27.14 41.91 34.25 32.15 45.50 45.35
24 Panama 32.05 29.12 27.61 30.53 30.45 32.66 41.09 37.51 42.38 44.88
25 India 34.14 36.88 42.90 40.47 42.18 40.97 41.40 41.52 41.29 44.35
26 Vietnam 12.86 14.30 15.14 17.59 18.73 26.39 31.36 49.71 48.71 43.26
27 Lebanon 10.57 12.53 25.57 30.01 28.92 29.55 30.29 35.09 43.21 43.16
28 South Africa 23.13 25.83 26.21 27.52 28.49 32.07 32.49 35.67 36.83 43.02
29 Sri Lanka 34.68 33.36 37.31 42.43 46.08 34.74 40.23 41.13 43.43 43.01
30 Sweden 14.76 26.61 28.17 25.82 30.27 31.34 30.58 30.02 49.45 42.32
31 Mexico 25.29 25.49 29.78 30.98 31.17 31.89 36.35 36.09 38.81 41.80
32 Denmark 11.56 24.25 25.39 22.10 26.49 27.68 26.76 26.41 44.71 38.67
33 Canada 39.67 39.81 36.32 34.40 34.28 41.34 42.39 38.41 38.29 38.44
34 Thailand 31.01 31.92 33.89 35.31 36.48 36.78 43.76 36.70 37.66 38.32
35 Russian Federation 11.90 12.72 12.81 14.06 15.31 20.64 20.88 20.64 37.01 38.17
36 Poland 7.28 7.53 7.50 7.86 9.32 9.21 26.18 26.54 44.62 38.03
37 Colombia 18.61 19.20 20.49 21.07 21.64 23.18 26.13 27.25 37.25 37.49
38 Brazil 25.83 31.49 31.61 31.64 30.87 31.08 31.65 34.62 38.53 36.88
39 Argentina 20.09 24.95 25.58 25.63 25.70 25.99 27.61 30.62 34.21 33.51
40 Chile 15.48 15.53 16.10 17.49 17.42 18.84 22.05 22.76 32.98 32.98

SOuRCE World Bank Data Bank (2013)

 International Maritime Trade and Logistics 49

maximum vessel size, number of services and number of companies that

deploy container ships to a country’s port. The index is fixed in 2004 to
the value of 100 (ie the country with the highest score). China leads the
connectivity index with a considerable gap to its nearest countries, namely
Hong Kong and Singapore. Table 3.8 presents the liner shipping connectiv-
ity values of the top 40 countries.
Countries actively involved in trade have the highest liner shipping con-
nectivity values. For instance, the export-oriented economies of China and
Hong Kong are ranked first, with the transhipment hub of Singapore third.
Large traders such as Korea (4), Malaysia (5), the USA (6), Germany (7), the
UK (8) and Japan (15) are also ranked among the top 15. Countries such as
France (11), Spain (12), the United Arab Emirates (14), Saudi Arabia (16),
Egypt (17), Morocco (18) and Turkey (19) also rank high because of the
major transhipment functions performed by their ports, as also illustrated
by Figure 3.2. As shown in this figure, China, Hong Kong and Singapore
are the outlier countries of the index because they have significantly higher
scores than their nearest followers.

Fi g u r e 3 . 2  Bag plot of the liner shipping connectivity index

(2013)

160

140

120

100
2013

80

60

40

20
Germany

South Africa
Turkey

Panama
Morocco

Sweden
Saudi Arabia
China
Hong Kong SAR, China
Singapore
Korea, Rep.
Malaysia

United Kingdom
Netherlands
Belgium
Spain
Italy
Japan
Egypt, Arab Rep.

Malta
Portugal

India
Vietnam
Lebanon
Sri Lanka
Mexico
Denmark
Canada
Russian Federation
Poland
Colombia
Brazil
Argentina
Chile
Oman
Greece
France

Thailand
United States

United Arab Emirates

2013 Median Outliers

50 Introduction

Transport connectivity is the main determinant of countries’ access

to world markets, especially as regards regular shipping services for the
import and export of manufactured goods (UNCTAD reviews, 2013).
Based on UNCTAD reports on liner shipping connectivity indices, com-
panies that operate container shipping are considered to be less likely to
provide services to and from the seaports of least developed countries
(LDCs), because national trade volumes tend to be lower and a lower level
of development will often make ports less attractive for the transhipment
and transit of cargo. UNCTAD’s Liner Shipping Connectivity Index shows
that the average ranking of LDCs in 2010 was 111 compared with 78 for
other developing countries and 64 for developed countries. This rating
shows that LDCs remain isolated from major or frequently used shipping
routes.
In summary, after falling global demand following the contractions in
global GDP, world seaborne trade volumes started to improve in 2008, with
reflections of the emerging recovery in the global economy in 2009 and
2010, reaching 9.165 billion tons in 2012 (UNCTAD, 2013).

Discussion and conclusion

The global economy continues to recover from its worst crisis since World
War II. After a slowdown in 2008, positive growth rates returned to some
developed and developing economies in 2009. Moreover, global GDP
expanded by about 4.1 per cent in 2010, meaning a return to pre-crisis
growth rates in most regions and an exit from recession. The annual increase
in GDP remained at 2.2 per cent in 2012 and 2.1 per cent in 2013.
International transport, maritime transport services in particular, has
direct relationships with the overall performance of the global economy as
well as with the total volume of trade. Seaborne trade in the international
maritime transport industry, which comprises approximately 85 per cent of
global trade, directly reflects the developments in the global economy and
in international trade. In parallel, the industry continues to face problems
in order to keep employed its rapidly growing capacity of very large ships
during economic crisis periods.
This chapter described maritime logistics services and the interrelation
of international maritime trade within global trade. More specifically,
it reviewed developments in global trade and international seaborne
trade within the maritime transport industry, as the most common way
of transporting goods through the supply chain, by providing a back-
ground to the carriage of commodity goods in developing and developed
economies. Global economic growth and integration with maritime trade
were also emphasized and analysed by reviewing the shipping connectiv-
ity index of shipping networks and major maritime trade routes around
the world.
 International Maritime Trade and Logistics 51

In summary, maritime trade within international trade and logistics ser-

vices has always been directly affected by the global economy because the
majority of goods traded internationally are carried and transported by
maritime transportation. Therefore, global demand and the total volume of
world trade are influenced by the world’s current economic status.

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Defining 04
maritime
logistics and
its value
E O N -S E O N g L E E , h y u N g -S I K N aM
a N D D O N g -wO O K S O N g

Introduction
Maritime transportation, as a central integrated component of global logis-
tics systems, is enforced to provide not only transport-related services but
also other related and wider logistical services in a more efficient and effec-
tive manner. The maritime transport system which is deeply involved in the
entire logistics flows is often referred to as ‘maritime logistics’. The main
value of maritime logistics has been recognized as achieving a high rate of
both operational efficiency (such as reducing lead-time and business costs)
and service effectiveness (such as flexibility, responsiveness and reliability
in the service). Maximizing the maritime logistics value and successfully
integrating its value into global logistics, therefore, become critical strategic
objectives of the maritime industry. Despite its importance, however, a sys-
tematic approach towards defining maritime logistics and its value creation
from the perspective of industry professionals remains relatively untouched.
This chapter aims to provide a precise understanding of the concept
of maritime logistics (including definition and main activities of maritime
logistics) and a guideline for the value creation of a maritime logistics sys-
tem. The chapter will address mainly the following:
● the importance of maritime transportation in an entire logistics
system;
● a definition of maritime logistics;
● the main activities of maritime logistics;
54 Introduction

●● the process of maritime logistics;

●● a definition of maritime logistics value and its significance; and
●● strategic implications for maritime logistics operators.
As the main purpose of this chapter is to systematically clarify the current
situation which is being thoroughly discussed in the maritime transport and
logistics industry, this study is an exploratory research which is underpinned
by a comprehensive literature review.

Maritime logistics in concept

Maritime logistics definition
Logistics has been embedded into every type of businesses, from the largest
corporations down to the smallest corner shops on your street. It can easily
be assumed that no business can run without some use of logistics (Accen-
ture Annual Report, 2002, p 4).
Logistics has become a significant area of interest in global business and
management, and is seen as a means to enhance firms’ performance and
outcomes (Grant et al, 2006). The importance of logistics has dramatically
increased, as evidenced by the significant amount of attention paid to it
by practitioners and academics alike, due in large part to the internal and
external environmental factors affecting firms, such as globalization, chang-
ing customer demands, advances in technology and industrial deregulation.
Managing logistics and supply chains is necessary in order to control the
flow of material, goods, information and other resources with cyclic rela-
tions between the source of production and the source of consumption in
response to the requirements and needs of customers.
Since the concept of logistics was first introduced in the early 1960s, its
role, as a main centre for a firm’s cost reduction activities and consequently
improving its competitive market position, has become ever more important
to the business world (Rushton et al, 2006). The logistics concept provided
by the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (2010) is one of
the most popular, in which logistics is defined as the part of supply chain
management that plans, implements, and controls the efficient and effective
forward and reverse flow and storage of goods, services and related infor-
mation between the point of origin and the point of consumption in order to
meet customers’ requirements. This definition implies all the relevant activi-
ties of the flow of goods from the origin to ultimate destination, including
transportation, warehousing, purchasing, distribution etc. The primary goal
of logistics is to minimize firms’ costs and maximize customer satisfaction
by coordinating the flows of materials and information in the most efficient
way, and by providing a service to customers at a speedy rate and with a
reasonable price (O’Leary-Kelly and Flores, 2002; Coyle et al, 1999).
 Defining Maritime Logistics and Its Value 55

Maritime transportation, one of key components of a logistics system, is

responsible for carrying and handling cargoes across the ocean and conse-
quently connects widely dispersed transportation linkages between consign-
ers and consignees. It also plays a bridging role in connecting all the entities
in logistics (eg customers, suppliers, plants, warehouses and other channels).
If maritime transport is not well integrated into the whole logistics flows,
additional costs, unnecessary delays and accidents may arise, thus distorting
the smooth flows of logistics (O’Leary-Kelly and Flores, 2002). Hence, mari-
time transportation should handle cargoes in a highly integrated manner by
keeping pace with other logistics components (O’Leary-Kelly and Flores,
2002). Refining maritime operations so that they can be successfully inte-
grated into the overall logistics system contributes to better outcomes for
all logistics entities (Huybrechts et al, 2002; Misztal, 2002). In this respect,
maritime transportation can be regarded as a strategically crucial part of the
logistics integration system.
The integrated demand for maritime transport has delivered a ‘maritime
logistics’ concept (Panayides, 2006). Maritime logistics is referred to as the
process of planning, implementing and managing the movement of goods
and information which is involved in ocean carriage. Maritime logistics can
be distinguished from maritime transportation in both its focus point and
the managerial function. Table 4.1 summarizes a comparison of maritime
logistics and maritime transportation. With reference to the focus point,
maritime transportation emphasizes individual functions relating to sea
transportation and pursues its own competitiveness of transport terminal

Ta B L E 4.1   Maritime logistics vs maritime transportation

Maritime
Maritime logistics transportation
Concept The process of planning, The process of carrying
implementing and managing and handling cargoes
the movement of goods and across the ocean.
information which is involved in
the ocean carriage.
Focusing point Maritime logistics is concerned Maritime transportation
with not only individual emphasizes individual
functions relating to sea functions relating to sea
transportation, but also an transportation.
effective logistics flow as Each function pursues
a systematic entity of the its own aims or
logistics integration system. competitiveness.

(Continued )
56 Introduction

TaBLE 4.1   Maritime logistics vs maritime transportation (Continued )

Maritime
Maritime logistics transportation
Managerial Sea transportation activities: eg Sea transportation
function contracting, shipping, sea activities: eg
voyage, moving cargo, and contracting, shipping,
loading/unloading. sea voyage, moving
Additional logistics services: cargo, and loading/
eg stripping/stuffing, unloading.
storage, warehousing,
offering a distribution centre,
quality control, testing,
assembly, packaging,
repacking, repairing, inland
connection, and reuse.

SOuRCES   Lu (2000), Notteboom and Winkelmans (2001), Robinson (2002), Bichou and Gray
(2004), Carbone and De Martino (2003), Panayides (2006), World Bank (2006)

operators; while maritime logistics, as a systematic entity of the logistics

integration system, is largely concerned with an efficient and effective flow
of the entirety of the logistics system. With regard to the managerial func-
tions, maritime logistics involves not only the activities relating to maritime
transportation, eg contracting, shipping, sea voyage, moving cargo, and
loading/unloading, but also other logistics services, eg stripping/stuffing,
storage, warehousing, inventory management, offering a distribution centre,
quality control, testing, assembly, packaging, repacking, repairing, inland
connection, and reuse (World Bank, 2006).
As maritime logistics is a concept developed from the study of maritime
transportation within the context of logistics, the following three key play-
ers of maritime transportation make up the maritime logistics system: ship-
ping, port/terminal operating, and freight forwarding. Table 4.2 presents
the main and supportive logistics functions that maritime operators should
provide.
The major function of the shipping system is moving the goods of ship-
pers from one port to another. Shipping also provides other logistics ser-
vices in order to successfully support the shipping and logistics flow, eg
pick-up service, delivery notification, a special handling service for cus-
tomers who require particular services, inbound/outbound bill of lading
(B/L), container tracking and information, and intermodal services (Lu,
2000; Heaver et al, 2000; Notteboom and Winkelmans, 2001; Robinson,
2002).
 Defining Maritime Logistics and Its Value 57

Ta B L E 4.2   Main function and supportive activities of maritime

logistics
Port/Terminal Freight
Shipping operating forwarding
Main function Moving cargoes Shipping reception; Booking
between ports. Loading/unloading vessels;
cargoes; Preparing for
Stevedoring; requisite
Connecting to inland documents for
transportation. ocean carriage
and trade, on
behalf of
shippers.
Supportive Documentation Warehousing; Inventory
logistics relating to sea trade; Offering a management;
activities Container tracking distribution centre; Packaging;
and information; Testing; Assembly; Warehousing.
Intermodal service. Repairing; Inland
connection.

SOuRCE  Lu (2000); Heaver et al (2000); Robinson (2002); Notteboom and Winkelmans (2001);
Carbone and De Martino (2003); Bichou and Gray (2004); Roh et al (2007); Murphy and Daley (1992);
Bernal et al (2002)

The key function of port/terminal operation is loading/discharging cargoes

into/from a vessel, and making preparations for the cargoes to be ready to
be delivered to the final destination of the consumer via inland transporta-
tion. In order to ensure that the cargoes be passed smoothly and quickly to
the next stage of the logistics system, port/terminal operations in modern
logistics systems involve not only loading/off-loading cargoes to/from a ves-
sel, but also various value-adding services including warehousing, storage
and packing and arranging inland transportation modes (Carbone and De
Martino, 2003; Bichou and Gray, 2004; Roh et al, 2007).
Sometimes, a third intermediate party is engaged in the process of sea
transportation for arranging the complex processes of international trade.
For example, freight forwarders reserve a vessel on behalf of shippers, or
prepare for requisite documents for ocean carriage (eg B/L) and other docu-
ments required for customs clearance and/or insurance requirements. They
also arrange other logistics services, eg inventory management, packing and
warehousing (Murphy and Daley, 1992; 2001).
Figure 4.1 shows the interaction of maritime logistics with other activi-
ties in a whole logistics chain. As indicated in Table 4.2, maritime logistics is
involved in sea transportation service as well as additional logistics services.
58 Introduction

Fi g u r e 4 . 1  Maritime logistics in the whole logistics system

Demand forecasting
Purchasing
Requirements planning
Material
Production planning
Management
Manufacturing inventory
Warehousing Logistics
Shipping
Materials handling
Industrial packaging
Port/Terminal Maritime Finished goods inventory
Physical
Operating Logistics Distribution planning Distribution
Order processing
Freight Transportation
Forwarding Customer service

Source  Extended from Coyle et al (1999)

Those additional logistics services are a major part of physical distribution

activities, eg warehousing, material handling, packaging, goods inventory,
distribution planning, order processing, transportation, and customer ser-
vice. Therefore, the performance of maritime logistics activities does inevi-
tably affect the overall performance of physical distribution management.
As physical distribution is one of the two pillars of the whole logistics chain,
successful management of maritime logistics has a direct impact on the over-
all management and operations of both physical distribution and logistics
management.

The process of maritime logistics

The concept and key activities of maritime logistics have been identified in
the previous section. Figure 4.2 shows the process of the maritime logistics
system and its value creation. This model is built on from Porter’s value chain
model (Porter, 1985). The model disaggregates a maritime logistics system
into primary and secondary activities. The primary activities consist of the
major functions of the maritime operators (ie shipping lines, port/terminal
operators and freight forwarders). The secondary activities are those which
support the primary activities by helping them to run more effectively. Addi-
tional logistics services of the maritime operators and their organizational
capability, ie human resource management, information systems, adminis-
trative skills and financial support, are essential in supporting the primary
activities.
The primary activities which are performed by freight forwarders, ship-
ping lines and port operators are inter-linked with each other as suppliers or
buyers. For example, shipping lines, who choose a port in which to anchor
 Defining Maritime Logistics and Its Value 59

Fi g u r e 4 . 2  Process of maritime logistics

Maritime Logistics System
Freight Forwarders

Ma
• forwarding service:

rit
planning shipping route;

im
arranging payment of

eL
freight; documentation
Primary activity

og
required for customs
clearance or insurance

ist
ics
Shipping Lines Port Operators

Va
• shipping service: Ocean • port operations:

lu
providing shippers with movement shipping reception;

e
Shippers cargo space of ships; loading/offloading;
offering regular stevedoring; delivery of
schedules of sails for goods via inland
maritime carriage transportation

Ma
Logistics Services
Secondary activity

riti
me
Arranging inventory Inbound/outbound B/L; Warehousing; repacking;
management; packing; container tracking and

Lo
assembling; product
warehousing; inland information; intermodal

gis
mixing, etc.
transportation, etc. service, etc.

tic
sV
alu
Human resource management; information system; administrative skill; finance

e
their vessels, are the main customers of port/terminal operators; freight for-
warders, who work for shippers, are the customers of shipping lines. The
maritime logistics system generated from these inter-linked primary activi-
ties can be reinforced by being supported by the additional logistics ser-
vices of the secondary activities. The maritime logistics services can then be
offered at a time when all the operators in the system are well coordinated
as a single team (O’Leary-Kelly and Flores, 2002). If the maritime logistics
system can prove that the services are valuable enough for their customers
to willingly purchase the services, the maritime logistics value is created
(Anderson and Narus, 1991).
The maritime logistics value would be increased by satisfying customers’
needs with a higher quality of services (Rutner and Langley, 2000). As a
result, the highly valued maritime logistics service leads to the high perfor-
mance of individual operators and the entire logistics system. The concept
of maritime logistics value and its effectiveness is discussed in the following
section.

Maritime logistics value defined

The term ‘value’ is an abstract and intangible concept and is often defined
in a different form according to the views of managers (Rutner and L
­ angley,
2000). Value is, however, commonly understood as ‘the perceived worth
in terms of the economic, technical, service and social benefits received
60 Introduction

by a customer firm in exchange for the price paid for a product offering’
(Anderson and Narus, 1991). Although firms provide differentiated goods
or services, unless customers are satisfied with the goods or services offered,
those goods or services may not be valuable. Therefore, the maritime logis-
tics value should reflect how well the system fulfils customer needs. In this
sense, this paper defines the maritime logistics value as the extent to which
the maritime logistics system responds to customer demands by success-
fully managing the flow of goods, services and information in maritime
logistics.
The value can be discussed from a customer’s or a service provider’s
point of view. This paper focuses on the latter, since the value of a service
could be assessed by customers (Anderson and Narus, 1991). For example,
even though the service provider (ie a firm) regards their service as valuable,
if the service cannot be perceived as valuable by their customers, the service
ultimately could not be regarded as valuable. When examining the elements
that constitute the maritime logistics value, firms should initially identify
who their customers are and what they demand. Customers in maritime
logistics would primarily be shippers who are in demand for shipping and
freight forwarding services, and shipping lines are the customers of port/
terminal operators. However, since all of the activities in a logistics sys-
tem are inter-connected with each other and their operations are directly
or indirectly affected by others, the quality of maritime logistics services
may also affect the behaviours of all the players in an integrated logistics
system. For instance, delays in shipping or carrying cargoes may cause seri-
ous problems not only with processing other successive works but also with
delivering goods on time to the final consumers. Such problems may lead
to serious dissatisfaction among final consumers and others in the entire
logistics system. Therefore, the boundary of maritime logistics would not
be limited only to shippers or shipping lines. Rather, all the entities in the
whole logistics flow should be included as the customers of the maritime
logistics system.
As far as the customer needs of maritime logistics system are concerned,
the overall demands from all the customers in a logistics system should be
taken into account. Today’s customers seek a service that is quick, reliable,
flexible and yet also offers the lowest price. These components are associ-
ated with organizational efficiency and effectiveness. Thus, maritime logis-
tics value can be also reflected in the operational efficiency and effectiveness
of services offered (Lai et al, 2002).
Having suggested that ‘efficiency measures how well the resources are
utilized, and effectiveness concerned with the extent to which goals are
accomplished’, Lai et al (2002) measure operational efficiency and service
effectiveness widely used in transport logistics such as costs, assets, reliabil-
ity and responsiveness/flexibility. The first two criteria are about efficiency-
related indicators of a firm, while the other two are effectiveness-related
criteria. Table 4.3 indicates measurements representing the efficiency and
 Defining Maritime Logistics and Its Value 61

Ta B L E 4.3   Measurement of efficiency and effectiveness in

transport logistics
Supply chain Measurement
process criteria Performance indicators
Cost Total logistics management costs
Productivity
Efficiency-related Return processing cost
(Internal facing) Assets Cash-to-cash cycle time
Inventory days of supply
Asset turns
Reliability Delivery performance
Order fulfilment performance
Effectiveness-related Perfect order fulfilment
(Customer facing) Flexibility and Response time
Responsiveness Production flexibility

SOuRCE  Lai et al (2002)

effectiveness in the context of transport logistics. Since maritime logistics is

a part of transport logistics, the framework can be applicable to assessing
maritime logistics value.
Bearing the above points in mind, this chapter suggests two major indi-
cators of maritime logistics value: 1) reduction of lead-time and business
costs; and 2) improvement in service quality (eg flexibility, responsiveness
and reliability). The first is concerned with efficiency-related elements of
maritime logistics value, whilst the second relates to effectiveness. The cur-
rent research considers the reduction of lead-time as an important factor
for the efficiency of maritime logistics, although it was not included in Lai
et al (2002). The reason for its inclusion is that a lead-time occurred in the
maritime logistics system does significantly affect the overall cargo move-
ments and associated costs. For example, cargoes not delivered on time may
have repercussions, such as shipping congestion, inefficient utilization of
transport equipment, delays in handling cargoes, and customer dissatisfac-
tion. However, this chapter excludes the ‘asset’ factor of Lai et al (2002)
from maritime logistics value. This is because, in the context of maritime
logistics value, customers may be much more concerned about service qual-
ity and price than about the degree of asset utility of service providers, since
the service quality and price may have a direct influence on the costs and
degree of satisfaction of the customers in regard to the maritime logistics
service.
62 Introduction

Strategic significance of
maritime logistics value
As discussed in the previous sections, the maritime logistics value can be
created by maritime operators, eg shipping lines, port terminal operators
and freight forwarders. Today, the maritime operators are involved in global
business through moving goods across the world. Shipping lines navigate
on a regional and/or global scale carrying cargoes to a variety of destina-
tions. Large enterprises such as Maersk Line, MSC or APL have their own
subsidiaries in almost every country to and from which they transport prod-
ucts. Currently, they are also expanding their business scope by establish-
ing their own dedicated terminals across the world (Oliver, 2005). Small
and medium-sized shipping lines whose geographical coverage is relatively
small are more likely to specialize in a few shipping routes. However, most
of them do also have branches or agencies in countries at which their ves-
sels call, with the aim of reducing the uncertainty of the foreign market and
offering a more diversified service.
As one of the players in maritime logistics operations, freight forwarders
need to process a number of documents related to international trade on
behalf of shippers, and to handle logistics activities such as warehousing,
inventory management and inland transportation in both domestic and
foreign countries. Therefore, freight forwarders should be well versed in
the foreign countries where their businesses are involved. A great number
of freight forwarders proactively establish foreign branches and/or collabo-
rate with local companies in overseas markets so as to provide their cus-
tomers with more agile and differentiable services (Korea Shipping Gazette,
2009).
Port/terminal operators are also engaged with global operations. For
example, leading terminal operators, such as DP World, PSA Corporation
and Hutchison Port Holdings, are all actively expanding their business
boundaries across the world. Figure 4.3 shows the latest developments in
the global coverage of major port/terminal operators. As a consequence,
their operational scope inevitably overlaps with each other on a regional
basis, thus creating a situation where they compete against each other in
those markets (Janelle and Beuthe, 1997).
In the discussion so far, maritime operators are considered as global busi-
ness units whose operations are involved in more than one country (Hill,
2001). Their operations are globally inter-connected with each other and
the activities of one may inevitably affect the activities and performance of
another; as a result, this may have an impact on the performance of an entire
logistics system and supply chain. For example, unforeseen delays in loading
cargoes in Busan Port – cargoes which are supposed to be moved to Sydney
Port – may cause unavoidable delays in shipping and freight forwarding
operations, which in turn results in the decline in performance of the entire
logistics flows by delaying delivery of the product to the final customer.
 Defining Maritime Logistics and Its Value 63

Fi g u r e 4 . 3  Global coverage of port/terminal operators

APMT
DPW Eurogate HPH Cosco
SSA Cosco PSA APMT HPH
Cosco
APMT DPW PSA DPW

• SSA: North America

• Eurogate: Europe
• HPH: Europe/East and North Asia
• PSA: Europe/East and North Asia
• APMT: Europe/East and North Asia/North America
• Cosco: Europe/East and North Asia/North America
• DPW: Europe/East and North Asia/North America

Therefore, the common and fundamental requirements for the maritime

operators may be improving operational efficiency and service effectiveness
so that they can realize greater customer satisfaction. As a result, the higher
maritime logistics value may facilitate the higher performance of both indi-
vidual maritime operators and the entire logistics system. In this sense,
enhancing the maritime logistics value may be regarded as a significant stra-
tegic consideration that maritime logistics operators should take on board
in their daily operations and management. Today’s maritime operators, who
are at present facing many business environmental challenges, should be in
search of a new strategic option which enables them to develop their capa-
bility to realize a more efficient operation and more effective service, while
at the same time diminishing the environmental uncertainty.

Concluding remarks
This chapter outlines the concept of maritime logistics and its value, and
discusses strategic significance of maritime logistics value in today’s mari-
time operations within the context of global logistics and supply chains. As
reviewed in this chapter, maritime logistics is a system which encompasses
all the activities involved in both maritime transport and logistics manage-
ment. The maritime logistics value, the value created from the maritime
logistics system, can be maximized when maritime logistics operators offer
their services in the most efficiency and effective manner. As it may contrib-
ute to the higher performance of both individual maritime operators and
entire logistics system, maximizing the maritime logistics value has become
64 Introduction

one of the most significant strategic goals which maritime operators want
to achieve.
In conclusion, this study can provide a meaningful insight into what
constitutes a maritime logistics system and maritime logistics value, and
the question of how maritime logistics value can be enhanced, by sys-
tematically defining those phenomena. However, despite the consider-
able research underpinning this study, its impact must be limited, as the
concepts defined in this chapter have not been empirically tested. Future
studies will need to rigorously analyse the validity of these concepts by col-
lecting data from the maritime logistics field and statistically testing their
appropriateness.

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Hinterland 05
logistics and
global supply
chains
r I C K a r D B E rg QV I S T

Introduction
The hinterland transportation system enables load units to be transhipped
between seaports and inland destinations. Some of the load units arriving at
seaports are transhipments for other seaports, while others have inland des-
tinations. The term ‘hinterland’ is often referred to as the effective market or
the geo-economic space in which the seaport sells its services (Slack, 1993).
A similar definition is presented by van Klink and van den Berg (1998)
who define hinterland as the interior region served by the port. The logistics
related to the hinterland involves many actors and activities, and requires
intense collaboration and coordination to work effectively and efficiently.
Hence, hinterland logistics and transportation have become a crucial part of
ensuring an efficient supply chain.
From a seaport perspective, the nature and number of available hin-
terland services depends on its location and overall infrastructure. Some
seaports enjoy possibilities for inland waterways, while others are lim-
ited to land-based modes of transport. Containerization, in combination
with intermodal transport possibilities, has enabled the ports’ hinterland
to expand (Song, 2003). The increased hinterland of many ports has led
to an intensified inter-port competition (Bergqvist et al, 2013; Cullinane
and Wilmsmeier, 2011; Notteboom and Winkelmans, 2001). The com-
plexity of hinterland logistics in combination with inter-port competition
requires ports to be more proactive in their hinterland strategies. Hinterland
68 Introduction

connections have become part of the ports’ distinct value propositions.

Van Klink (2000, p 134) describes the importance of increased hinterland
rail transport from a port perspective:

Another way in which ports can exploit know-how in order to pursue

their strategic goals is to participate in the development of a network of
inland terminals within Europe. (…) By investing in inland terminals and
participating in their operation, a sea port can establish itself in inland
regions.

Hinterland logistics incorporates the hinterland transportation system and

related logistics activities. Hinterland logistics should not be dealt with
in isolation from the overall supply chain; rather, hinterland logistics has
an important role in effectively and efficiently connecting large and more
global, primarily sea-based transport networks with hinterland transport
systems (Jensen and Bergqvist, 2013). Expansion of ports’ hinterlands and
potential for more effective and efficient hinterland systems, associated
with better collaboration and coordination among actors in the supply
chain, gives hinterland logistics an obvious role in designing and managing
global supply chains. In order to better understand the current hinterland
logistics systems, a short exposé of the history of hinterland transport is
needed.
Before the 19th century, hinterland transport primarily consisted of
­sailing ships and horse-drawn wagons. During the 19th century, barge canal
­operations combined with horse or rail became more common, and there
were even some early experiences with ITUs (intermodal t­ransport units).
One of the first experiences of ITU was in England where it was used for the
transport of coke between road carts, barges and railcars.
By the early 20th century, rail wagons were put on seagoing vessels and
trucks on rail wagons. Intermodal transport began, but there were still a few
systems that could carry a standardized load unit suitable for intermodal
transport.
By the mid-20th century, the carrying of road vehicles by railcar, known
as piggyback transport or trailers-on-flatcars (TOFC), became more wide-
spread (see Figure 5.1). This method of transport was previously introduced
in 1822 in Germany, and in 1884 the Long Island Railroad started a service
of farm wagons from Long Island to New York City (APL, 2011). As TOFC
caught on during the 1950s, the use of boxcars declined. One reason why
TOFC become popular was the improved efficiency of cargo handling and
the end of break-bulk handling. From the years 1957 to 1992, the number
of boxcars in the United States decreased from about 750,000 to fewer than
200,000 (APL, 2011).
Parallel to the development of piggyback transport, a huge revolution
had begun in maritime transport that would entirely change the world of
shipping, namely, the introduction of the container.
 Hinterland Logistics and Global Supply Chains 69

Fi g u r e 5 . 1  TOFC, piggyback transport

Source  APL (2011)

The container revolution

The entrepreneur Malcolm McLean is often referred to as ‘the father of
containerization’. During the 1930s, he had the idea to rationalize the load-
ing and unloading of ships. At this time he was a small hauler in the Port of
Hoboken, New Jersey (GDV, 2011). His first ideas regarded loading com-
plete trucks onto ships. The implementation of trailers and containers that
could be handled by tractors enabled only the load unit to be transported,
thus saving space and costs. Gradually the trailer was abandoned in favour
of the container.
McLean met with great scepticism from the shipping community. As a
result, he decided to become a ship-owner himself and started the company
Sea-Land Inc. He sold his company during the late 1990s and the company
now lives on as part of Maersk Sealand.
The first ship-to-transport container, often referred to in the literature,
was McLean’s ship Ideal X. This ship carried a transport of 58 contain-
ers from Newark to Houston on 26 April 1956 (GDV, 2011). Two years
after McLean’s innovation, the Matson Navigation Company’s ship, the SS
Hawaiian Merchant, introduced container shipping in the Pacific, carrying
20 x 24-foot-long cargo holders from Alameda to Honolulu (Raine, 2006;
Matson, 2011). It took another decade before the first container shipping
was introduced in Europe. Matson Navigation Company (Matson) was also
70 Introduction

Fi g u r e 5 . 2  Matson Navigation Company Inc (Matson)

Note  Founded in San Francisco, Matson developed an intermodal container freight system including
trucks, trains and ships. The picture above illustrates a container on flatcar service (COFC). Reproduced
courtesy of Matson Navigation Company Inc.

one of the first companies to systematically transport containers to hinter-

land destinations (see Figure 5.2). The development started during the late
1950s, and by the beginning of the 1960s, Matson constructed intermodal
transport systems, including ships, trucks and trains.
The shipping community took notice of Matson’s and McLean’s initia-
tives, and containerized shipping increased and soon transatlantic container
services were introduced. Since the US container size standers were difficult
to apply in Europe, an agreement was eventually reached following intense
negotiations. The results were ISO standards with lengths of 10-, 20-, 30-
and 40-foot containers with a fixed width of 8 feet and a height of 8 feet
and 8 feet, 6 inches.
From the beginning of the late 20th century until the present, there have
been small innovations in technology and processes, refining initiatives dur-
ing the mid-20th century. The main trends and innovations during this time
have been:
●● double-stacking of containers;
●● trucks on rail wagons and associated techniques for loading and
unloading;
●● increased modal cooperation;
●● development of inland terminals;
●● unprecedented growth.
 Hinterland Logistics and Global Supply Chains 71

From this historical review, we can conclude that innovations can have a
profound effect on the hinterland transportation system. At the same time,
their impact can be hard to predict at first.
The next section introduces key concepts, definitions and characteris-
tics related to hinterland transport. After the conceptual framework, the
hinterland transport system is described in three sections related to design,
strategy and management. A case study follows the hinterland transport
system descriptions relating to the case of the Scandinavian Railport Sys-
tem. Reflections and analyses based on existing literature and the case
study is then the basis for the following section on hinterland logistics
and its influence on global supply chains. The final section summarizes
key observations related to hinterland logistics and hinterland transport
systems.

Conceptual framework
The design of hinterland logistics systems can be based on a number of con-
cepts and technologies. This section introduces the most common concepts,
definitions and technologies used in hinterland logistics. Transportation has
a major role to play in the effective and efficient performance of the system
right along the entire supply chain. The main components of the transporta-
tion system are:

●● Modes of transportation. The most frequently used modes of

transport in hinterland transportation systems are inland waterways,
road and rail. The cost structure, operational characteristics and
environmental impact of each mode of transport will be presented
later in this section.
●● Intermodal transportation. Intermodal transportation is defined
by OECD (OECD, 2008) as: ‘Movement of goods (in one and
the same loading unit or a vehicle) by successive modes of transport
without handling of the goods themselves when changing modes.’

Other common terms within the concepts of intermodal transportation are:

●● Multimodal: when more than two modes are used.

●● Bimodal: strictly two modes of transport.
●● Combined: the European Conference of Ministers of Transport
(ECMT) defines this as ‘Intermodal transport where the major part of
the European journey is by rail, inland waterways or sea and any
initial and/or final leg carried out by road are as short as possible’
(OECD, 2008).
●● Rolling motorway systems: accompanied lorries on rail wagons, eg
Eurotunnel.
72 Introduction

●● Piggyback transport: unaccompanied articulated semi-trailers

on rail.
●● Load units: a standardized unit for the consolidation of goods.
●● Terminals: transport nodes for transhipment of goods.

The hinterland transportation system can be described with the help of the
conceptual model developed by OECD (1992). According to this model,
the transportation system consists of five layers: material flow, transport
operation, information operation, transport infrastructure and telecom-
munication infrastructure (see Figure 5.3). In short, the material flow is
consolidated and operated by appropriate means of transportation. In the
traffic market, connections are made between vehicle flows, logistics service
providers, and infrastructure capacity. The coordination and operation of
material flows are supported by information exchange using telecommuni-
cation infrastructure. This model has been used by Bergqvist (2007), Hansen
(2002) and Wandel and Ruijgrok (1993), for example, as a framework for
analysing logistics structures and functions. The efficiency and accessibil-
ity of the transport system is determined by the efficiency of layers and the
interconnections between layers.

Fi g u r e 5 . 3  The 5-layer model of a transportation system

Material
flow

Demand (information)
Demand
Other (material flow) Other
supply users Information market
Transport market
chains Supply (messages)
Supply
(load unit flow) Informatics oparation
Transport
operation

Demand Demand (data flow)

(vehicle flow)
Other
vehicles Traffic market Telecommunication
market
Telecommunication
Transport Supply (capacity) infrastructure Supply (capacity)
infrastructure

Source  Modified from OECD (1992)

 Hinterland Logistics and Global Supply Chains 73

While OECD (1992) provides a conceptual model of the different layers

of the transport system from a system perspective, it does not capture the
actors’ perspectives relating to the activities of design, strategy and man-
agement of the hinterland transport system. For that purpose, the follow-
ing conceptual model (see Figure 5.4) has been developed (Notteboom and
Rodrigue, 2005; Roso et al, 2009):

●● transport system design: the infrastructure needs to be well developed

and the transport system design and structure must fulfil the basic
needs of the users;
●● strategy: the services offered must be attractive to customers and
correspond to the needs for movement;
●● management: the actors in the system need to be well coordinated
and the services well managed.

In summary, the issues of design and strategy determine the accessibility and
effectiveness of the hinterland system. Adding the component of manage-
ment to the system determines the overall efficiency.
Even though there are three separate activities, they are highly interde-
pendent. The three components need to be developed simultaneously to
ensure the overall efficiency and effectiveness of the system. If well devel-
oped, the system offers effective and efficient hinterland accessibility. Con-
tinued discussions related to hinterland transport systems in this chapter
will relate to both conceptual models presented here.

Fi g u r e 5 . 4  Hinterland logistics systems:

A conceptual framework
Hinterland Logistics System

Transport System Design

Effectiveness

Strategy
Efficiency

Management
74 Introduction

Hinterland transport systems and modes of transport

The goal of the hinterland transportation system is to achieve accessibility
and overall cost-efficiency at required logistics quality. The transport system
comprises modes of transport, in isolation or in combination. The achieve-
ment of cost-efficiency and logistics quality is very much dependent upon

Ta B L E 5.1   Cost structures and operational characteristics of

different transport modes
Mode Cost structure and operational characteristics
air Relatively low fixed costs and high variable costs. Variable costs
include fuel, maintenance, security, airport fees, etc. The main
operational characteristics are high speed and limited loading
capacity. Furthermore, intermodal combinations are required to
reach shippers and receivers.
road From an infrastructure perspective, fixed costs are high, but
from an operational perspective, road transportation is
characterized by a high share of variable costs. Other significant
characteristics are high flexibility, availability, speed, and
frequency, but limited loading capacity compared with other
modes of transport. It enables door-to-door transport and direct
access to shippers and receivers.
Water Medium level of fixed costs and low variable costs. Fixed costs
include vessels, handling equipment, etc. Examples of variable
costs are costs for staff, bunker fuel and maintenance. It’s a high
capacity mode of transport, and due to its high fixed costs, it is
characterized by economies of scale. It usually does not offer
door-to-door possibilities, and compared to other modes of
transport, it can be regarded as slow.
rail High fixed costs and relatively low variable costs. High fixed
costs are locomotives, wagons and handling equipment. Variable
costs are mainly staff, fuel and maintenance. General operational
characteristics are good speed, frequency and capacity.
Intermodal combinations to reach shippers and receivers are
usually required.
Pipeline Very high share of fixed costs due to construction. Variable costs
are mainly security inspections and maintenance. High reliability
and capacity, but limited to special circumstances.
 Hinterland Logistics and Global Supply Chains 75

the possibilities for a good match between demand characteristics of the

material flows and the design components of the hinterland transportation
system; therefore, it is important to understand the characteristics of the dif-
ferent modes of transport. Each transport mode has different inherent cost
structures and operational characteristics, as illustrated in Table 5.1.
Besides the general generic characteristics of the different modes of
transport, it is also important to understand from a hinterland transport
perspective that different geographical regions have substantially differ-
ent prerequisites for the respective mode of transport. There are, therefore,
substantial differences between regions and countries when it comes to the
usage of the different modes of transport. Some of the differences can be
explained by geographical conditions, but other important facts are regula-
tory aspects, status of infrastructure, and occasionally technology.
From a transport work (tkm) perspective, EU–27 extensively uses road
transport. Japan has a similar situation, but compared to EU–27, Japan’s
geographical conditions make it more reliant on road transportation. The
use of the double-stacking of containers, and hence more loading capacity,
is one reason why the US has a larger share of rail transport compared to
the EU–27. Various types of electrical systems, signalling systems etc in the
European Union are other reasons why rail has a lower market share in the
EU compared to other regions. Geographical conditions are, of course, a key
for explaining the situation illustrated in Figure 5.5. However, the character-
istics of the different modes of transport described in Table 5.1 apply for all
regions. This emphasizes that the situation in the EU–27 would be very dif-
ferent if the transport system within the Union could be better harmonized.
Besides cost-efficiency, the importance of the environmental friendliness
of transportation systems is increasing. The trend towards less-polluting
transport solutions and the quest for sustainable transport is caused by a
combination of customer demand and regulatory frameworks. The trans-
port sector is one of the largest polluters, and stakeholders, especially
­policy-makers, aim to construct regulatory frameworks that will facilitate
the growth of sustainable transport solutions. Figure 5.6 illustrates the share
and development of CO2 emissions among different sectors within the EU.
The demand for more environmentally friendly transport solutions has
had a great impact on the design of the hinterland transportation system,
both in terms of technology used and modes of transport applied. Inland
waterways and rail-based transport have inherited economies of scale and
usually perform better over longer distances, in terms of environmental
impact, than the road-based transport system, given current technology and
truck fuel. The environmental performance of rail-based transport is espe-
cially difficult to generalize since it varies greatly depending on the circum-
stances. As an example, the double-stacking of containers on rail is possible,
commonly used in North America, and to some extent in China (Meng and
Niemeier, 2000), while the infrastructure limitations of bridges and electric-
ity lines makes this difficult in other parts of the world. Electrified railways
are another key component for the environmental performance of rail. An
76 Introduction

Fi g u r e 5 . 5  Freight transport in different regions

FREIGHT TRANSPORT
EU-27 USA JAPAN CHINA RUSSIA
billion tkrn 2011 2009 2010 2011 2011
Road 1734.1 1929.2 333.2(7) 5137.5 223.0
Rail 420.0 2309.8(6) 20.4 2946.6 2128.0
Inland 141.1 406.6 2606.9 61.0
waterways
Oil pipeline 118.6 829.8 202.2(8) 2422.0
Sea (domestic / 1407.7 286.6 179.7 4935.5 77.0
intra-EU-27)

NOTES
(1) Japan: data for passenger car, bus+trolley bus+coach and waterborne
are from 2009.
(2) USA: including light trucks / vans.
(3) Japan: including light motor vehicles and taxis.
(4) China: including buses and coaches.
(5) Japan: included in railway pkm.
(6) USA: Class rail.
(7) Jtapan: 2009.
(8) China: oil and gas pipelines.
Source  European Commission (2013)

Fi g u r e 5 . 6  Emissions of CO2 by sector

1990 = 1
1.30

1.20

1.10

1.00

0.90

0.80

0.70
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Energy Industries Industry Transport

Households Services, etc Other***
Total

Source  European Commission (2010)

 Hinterland Logistics and Global Supply Chains 77

Fi g u r e 5 . 7  Emissions of CO2 by transport mode

Cargo vessel over 8,000 dwt 15

Cargo vessel 2,000–8,000 dwt 21

Heavy truck with trailer 50

Air freight 747–400 1,200 km flight 540

0 100 200 300 400 500 600

Crams per tonne-km
Source  Maritime International Secretariat (2006)
Note  Rail is not included in this figure but would be similar or lower (depending on whether it is
electrified or not) than the 8,000 dwt cargo vessel.

issue related to electrified railways is the source and production of electric-

ity. Given the most favourable circumstances, where railways are electrified
and electricity is produced with renewable sources of energy, the CO2 emis-
sions of traditional diesel-based rail are many times more than for elec-
trified rail (g/tonkm) (Green Cargo, 2010; SJ, 2010). However, this does
not mean that trucks are more environmentally friendly than diesel-based
rail. On the contrary, trucks emit more CO2, and more importantly, from
a local and regional perspective, trucks emit more particles and NOx per
tonkm. ­Figure 5.7 illustrates the environmental impact of different modes
of transport.
Rail is not included in the comparison in Figure 5.7 but would be similar
or lower (depending on whether it is electrified or not) than the 8,000 dwt
cargo vessel.

Hinterland transport system design

The design of a transportation system aims at matching demand (material
flows) with supply (infrastructure) by means of transportation. Choos-
ing which transportation mode(s) to use is based on characteristics such
as freight volumes, distance, time restrictions, product value, availability
of services etc (Mangan et al, 2008). Consequently, the hinterland trans-
port system design can be defined through its service components. The most
important service components are described in Table 5.2.
78 Introduction

Ta B L E 5.2   Service components of hinterland transport systems

Service
component Characteristics
Capacity The amount of goods that can be shipped over a period
of time.
Capability The range of skills and abilities of the transport provider:
available modes of transport, customs clearance,
access to inland clearance deports, handling
possibilities for load units such as refrigerated
containers, bulky shipments etc.
Transit time Transit time is a key component since it is determined
at the time an order is placed and continues until the
transport activity is completed. Transit time affects the
overall lead time, and thus costs as well (tied-up capital
etc). It also affects customer satisfaction when the
transit time is part of the lead time for customers’
orders.
Frequency The frequency determines the overall availability of the
service. The frequency, in combination with transit time
and reliability, is often of special interest, since it
influences the turnaround time for products and load
units, and hence the number of load units needed and
products tied up in transportation. The turnaround
capabilities are especially important for reverse
logistics.
reliability How reliable are the services based on variables such
as time accuracy, frequency, downtime etc?
iT and Another important issue is the available information
communication technology and related interfaces for information
exchange. When overlooked, it can have a substantial
effect on the overall efficiency through decreased
transparency of information and hence of the supply
chain.
Value adding Dry ports, ICD etc, warehousing, assembly and
packaging.
Security Traceability, fencing (geo-fencing).

reverse How well does the system support reverse flows of

logistics products and package?
 Hinterland Logistics and Global Supply Chains 79

By combining different means of transport, intermodal transport chains are

created. The rationale for connecting different modes of transport is that the
inherited advantages of the modes can be safeguarded at the same time as
the disadvantages are minimized. Road–rail intermodal transport chains, for
example, can achieve cost-efficient and environmentally friendly transport over
long distances, while road transport enables more flexible routing and final
transport to the end-customer. In some instances the design of the intermodal
transport chain is even more complex. Given the same example of the road–rail
intermodal transport chain, there can be a parallel direct road-based door-to-
door transport chain for transporting suitable volumes of door-to-door ship-
ments. After completion of the direct door-to-door mission, the resources are
used for pick-up and delivery from the terminal to the final customers. By doing
so, an intelligent transport system design is created that applies the most suit-
able mode of transport with regard to the characteristics of the transport link.

Hinterland logistics: Strategy

The strategic component in the hinterland logistics system is characterized
by the actors involved in the system and the logistics services they provide.

Logistics service providers

The logistics service providers involved in hinterland movements depend on
the structure of the hinterland transport chain. In Table 5.3, three common
hinterland transport chains are described based on the actors involved.

Ta B L E 5.3   Hinterland transport chains and involved actors

Hinterland transport
chain actors involved
Barge-road ● Forwarder
● Seaport operator
● Barge operator
● Inland port operator
● Truck operator (Road hauler)
● Shipper
● Consignee
railroad ● Forwarder
● Seaport operator
● Rail operator

(Continued )
80 Introduction

Ta B L E 5.3   Hinterland transport chains and involved

actors (Continued )
Hinterland transport
chain actors involved
● Intermodal terminal operator
● Railroad authority/company
● Infrastructure manager (eg for the inland
terminal)
● Truck operator (Road hauler)
● Shipper
● Consignee

Direct road ● Forwarder

● Truck operator (Road hauler)
● Shipper
● Consignee

SOuRCE  van der Horst and de Langen (2008)

From Table 5.3 above, it is evident that intermodal transport services are
more complex, since they require coordination with more actors than, for
example, direct road services.

Openness and transparency

When evaluating hinterland logistics design, it is often necessary to choose
either what is offered by logistics service providers in the market or con-
struct one’s own hinterland transportation system. There are several aspects
to consider before making this choice.
The characteristics associated with services offered by existing logistics
service providers are:

● Open system. The system might enjoy economies of scale as a result

of many users. Many users may also contribute to the reliability of
the system, since it is generally more robust against changes in the
marketplace.
● Easy implementation and start-up. As a first-time user, it is very
easy to begin using the service since it has previously been
operational. There are well-developed routines and documentation
for quality aspects such as transit times, reliability, security issues, etc
(ie low risk)
 Hinterland Logistics and Global Supply Chains 81

●● No long-term contractual requirements. The service can begin

without being strategically bound to the provider for a long period of
time. Overall, a larger degree of freedom exists to switch logistics
service providers compared to a hinterland transportation system
managed in-house.
●● Pricing. The hinterland transport solution might have very low
marginal costs due to, for example, economies of scale; however, this
does not necessarily translate into marginal pricing. Given the nature
of the business and transportation needs, this might be an incentive
for managing one’s own hinterland transportation system.
●● Power of negotiations. The selection and choice of logistics
service providers greatly influences the power of negotiations, a
characteristic that can be skilfully utilized by clever strategies and
negotiations. One strategic consideration to analyse is the number
of carriers used and how they complement/compete with each
other.

The advantages associated with designing and managing one’s own hinter-
land transportation system are:

●● Closed system. The choice can be made to open up the system for
other users or not. This option can be very valuable when the
strategic advantages of the hinterland transportation system are so
large that it has a significant impact on the overall competitiveness
and the distinct value proposition of the product/service.
●● Long-term commitments. This solution often requires large
investments in rolling stock, vehicles, locomotives, barges etc, which
implies that it is a long-term commitment. There are exit possibilities
through secondary markets, but these are often associated with
significant exit costs. Furthermore, the investments made in human
resources for designing, implementing and managing the system often
generate a significant payback time.
●● Control/risk. When a person manages a hinterland transportation
system, he/she is in total control of costs, which can be crucial in
a number of situations, such as if there is a significant risk of
higher market prices of the hinterland services or if there are
imbalances between supply and demand. The risks of highly
fluctuating costs/prices for hinterland transportation can be
limited if the owner controls the system and costs personally.
Another important aspect is that the owner is able to control the
issue of capacity.
The system can be totally tailored to one’s specific needs. A self-managed
system can be tailored according to timetables, load units, handling tech-
niques, storage facilities, IT systems, etc. The option also allows for greater
flexibility, eg frequency.
82 Introduction

Hinterland logistics: Management

Only a few studies exist on coordination and management in hinterland
transport (eg van der Horst and de Langen, 2008). However, the supply
chain management literature has, for a long time, recognized the need to
address challenges of coordination in inter-organizational settings such as
hinterland transport systems. Van der Horst and de Langen (2008, p 3)
identify four general factors that lead to coordination problems:

1 Unequal distribution of costs and benefits of coordination. If actors

believe that there is an imbalance between contributions to the
collaboration, eg in risk, investments etc as compared to the
experienced benefits, there might be a lack of incentive for
coordination and collaboration.
2 Lack of resources or willingness to invest. In collaborations where
small firms are involved, it might be difficult to get the necessary
financial commitment for investments which hinder coordination.
3 Strategic considerations. If competitors also gain benefits from
improved coordination, actors might become reluctant to participate.
4 Risk-averse behaviour and short-term focus. If the implementation
cost and efforts of the collaboration are high and the benefits
uncertain, actors might be reluctant to engage.

These are important factors to keep in mind when setting up a logistics

collaboration and relationship, such as designing and implementing a hin-
terland transport system, both in an informal and formal context, such as
contractual agreements. Van der Horst and de Langen (2008) identify some
general and mode-specific coordination problems in hinterland chains (see
Table 5.4).
After identifying the important factors behind coordination problems
and the common coordination problems in the hinterland transport chain,
it is possible to link them together in order to identify suitable solutions for
addressing the issues of coordination. A number of concepts can be applied
for dealing with the most common coordination problems (van der Horst
and de Langen, 2008; Bergqvist and Pruth, 2006):

●● Incentives. By introducing incentives, the balancing of the

collaborative structure is formalized, eg bonuses, penalties, tariff
differentiation, warranties, capacity regulations, deposit
arrangements, tariffs linked to cost drivers.
●● Formalization. By formalizing the cooperation and linking the actors
closer together, communication, trust and commitment are facilitated.
Formalization of the cooperation limits risk on how uncertainties
will be addressed by the actors in the cooperation. Examples of
formalization include subcontracting, project specific contracts,
 Hinterland Logistics and Global Supply Chains 83

Ta B L E 5.4   Examples of coordination problems in hinterland

transport chains
Coordination problem actors involved
General. Insufficient information Shipping line, terminal operator at
exchange regarding container data the seaport, forwarder, hinterland
makes planning more difficult transport operator, inland terminal
operator

General. Long-term planning horizon Forwarder, inland terminal

for hinterland terminal investments operator, hinterland transport
and development operator

General. Introduction of new Forwarder, shipping line, shippers

hinterland transport services requires
a basic volume to which ‘cargo-
controlling’ parties are unwilling to
commit

General. Insufficient planning on Forwarder, shipping line, customs,

transporting and storage of empty hinterland transport operator,
containers inland terminal

General. Limited customs Forwarder, customs, hinterland

declarations, physical and transport operator
administrative inspection causes
delay

General. Limited planning for physical Customs and inspection services

and administrative inspection
between customs and inspection
authorities causes delay

General. Insufficient information Forwarder, customs, shippers

about customs clearance of a
container

Truck. Peak load in arrival and Terminal operator at the seaport,

departure of trucks at deep-sea trucking company, infrastructure
terminals causes congestion and manager
delays

Truck. Lack of information of truck Forwarder, inland terminal

drivers leads to insufficient pick-up operator, trucking company
process at terminals

(Continued)
84 Introduction

Ta B L E 5.4   Examples of coordination problems in hinterland

transport chains (Continued )
Coordination problem actors involved
Barge. Insufficient planning Barge operator, terminal operator
coordination of terminals and quays at the seaport, forwarder, inland
with respect to sailing schedules of terminal operator
barge and deep-sea vessels
(increases crane utilization)
Rail. Peak loads on terminals, few Rail operator, terminal operator at
terminal slots available the seaport, forwarder, inland
terminal operator, infrastructure
manager
Rail. Limited exchange of traction and Rail operator
marshalling/shunting recourses

SOuRCE  van der Horst and de Langen (2008)

defined standards for quality and service, formalized procedures,

offering a joint product/service, and a joint capacity pool.
● Creating collective action. Introducing public governance by a
government, port authority, public–private partnership, branch
associations, etc facilitates long-term focus and stability in a context
that normally might be uncertain and unstable.
The next section provides a case study describing how the hinterland logis-
tics system in Scandinavia, related to the functions of the Port of Gothen-
burg, was developed.

C a S E S T u Dy    Scandinavian Railport system

The development of integrated hinterland transport has been extensive

in Scandinavia over the last decade. The Port of Gothenburg is the
principal port in Scandinavia, and early on the port authorities recognized
the importance of a well-developed hinterland transport system. The possibilities for
transport using inland waterways are limited in Scandinavia, so focus was put on rail-
based intermodal transportation. Currently, the hinterland transport system comprises
24 direct rail shuttles to inland terminals in Scandinavia (see Figure 5.8). The rail shuttles
are operated by eight different rail operators, proof that competition exists in the system.
Over the years, the number of shuttles and the frequencies of the shuttles have varied
 Hinterland Logistics and Global Supply Chains 85

over time. Most services operate five to seven days a week, and the most frequent one,
which supports H&M’s central warehouse in Eskilstuna, operates 14 times a week in
each direction. As the system has developed, so have the inland terminals. Some have
developed sophisticated systems for information sharing, customs clearance, etc, and
can be regarded as dry ports (similar functions are offered inland directly at the seaport).

Fi g u r e 5 . 8  Port of Gothenburg and its hinterland transport

system as of March 2014

PORT OF GOTHENBURG
RAIL SYSTEM
Our rail shuttle system is based on
well-developed cooperation betwen
the Port of Gothenberg, the RAILPORT
terminals, several rail operators,
goods owners and the National
Rail Administration.

Port of Gothenburg
RAILPORT terminals
Port terminals
Daily trains besides
the Port of Gothenburg
Rail Shuttle System

Sundsvall

SWEDEN

NORWAR Instön Gavle

Avesta
Oslo Hällefors Fagersta
Kristinehamn Eskilstuna Stockholm/
Karlstad Årsta
Örebro Stockholm/
Åmål
Hallsberg Södertälje
Nörrköping
Falköping
Jönköping
Nässjö
GOTHENBURG Torsvik
Vaggeryd

DENMARK Helsingborg
Åhus

Source  Port of Gothenburg (2014)

Similar to the rail operations, the inland terminals are often operated by independent
terminal operators, especially the largest inland terminals. The small terminals are
generally operated by local logistics service providers.
86 Introduction

Most rail shuttles operate over distances of 250–450 km. The shortest shuttle, about 10
km from the port, connects the port with a stuffing and stripping terminal.
The hinterland transport system moved approximately 400,000 20-foot equivalent units
(TEU) in 2012 (see Figure 5.9), with a turnover of about €60 million (Bergqvist, 2009). The
system originates from a decision by the board of directors at the Port of Gothenburg,
stating that half of the growth in the container segment should enter or leave the port by
rail. The system has developed beyond this goal. In 2012, the Port of Gothenburg handled
about 900,000 TEU, which means that the hinterland transport system of rail shuttles has a
market share of about 45 per cent. Containers dominate the systems, but there is a strong
market interest in developing and incorporating more semi-trailers into the system.

Fi g u r e 5 . 9  Market share of hinterland transport system related

to rail shuttles
RAIL VOLUMES SHARE OF QUAY TURNOVER

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Total Volume Port of Gothenburg 900000 TEU 2012.
Source  Port of Gothenburg (2014)

The system of rail shuttles is estimated to decrease the transport costs by approximately
10 per cent as compared with direct road transport (Bergqvist, 2009). The system also
relieves congestion in the city of Gothenburg and decreases the carbon dioxide (CO2)
emissions by about 51,000 tons every year (Port of Gothenburg, 2011a). Furthermore,
the system employs about 400 persons (Bergqvist, 2009). For their achievements and
innovations related to the rail shuttle system, the Port of Gothenburg received the
Schenker Award in 2008. The award is one of the most prestigious prizes related to
the logistics industry in Sweden. The most recent development is the introduction of a
five-level grading system of the inland terminals, managed by the Port of Gothenburg,
to illustrate the assortment and level of services they offer. The rating is based on four
parameters: conditions and geographical location, range of services, safety and security
and physical layout (Port of Gothenburg, 2014).
The Port of Gothenburg expects the volumes and market share of the rail shuttle
system to grow even further. Nevertheless, with a wider and denser geographical
coverage of the hinterland, the hinterland transport system, with its rail shuttles and
 Hinterland Logistics and Global Supply Chains 87

inland terminals, is running out of potential destinations. Until now, the Port of Gothenburg
has been able to develop the hinterland transport system without any real competition
from other ports. However, as ports in northern Europe look for ways to expand their
hinterlands, the competitive interface of the hinterland may change.

Hinterland logistics and its influence

on global supply chains
As already established early in this chapter, hinterland logistics and hinter-
land transport systems have become an important and integrated part of
global supply chains. As shippers put more focus on logistics service provid-
ers and their ability to design not only efficient but also environmentally effi-
cient supply chains with high logistics quality, the focus has expanded from
the seaports to the hinterland. Well-designed hinterland transport systems
alone are not sufficient. It is the hinterland transport system, in combina-
tion with the level of integration with the port, that is shaping hinterland
logistics. This observation has far-reaching consequences for actors in the
transportation system, especially the seaport. The competitive landscape
is rapidly changing as the distinct value proposition of ports increasingly
incorporates its hinterland transportation possibilities and capabilities. For
the seaport, there are numerous strategic issues to address. What is desired
by port customers in terms of hinterland transport services? What is their
willingness to pay? What is offered by third parties in terms of services, and
what should be offered by the seaport? Is it necessary to secure critical infra-
structure and nodes? If so, what means are available and desirable, such as
investments, ownership, franchise, mergers, acquisitions etc? The last ques-
tion is especially interesting from a competitive point of view, as seaports,
to a larger extent than before, engage themselves in inland affairs related to
infrastructure investments, intermodal terminals, dry ports etc (Bergqvist
and Monios, 2014).
From a societal point of view, this perspective is quite different to that of
the seaports. On the one hand, increased interest in hinterland transport will
probably lead to more investments, and an overall improvement in integra-
tion and coordination. However, the quest for competitive advantages in
the hinterland may lead to decreased competition, if some seaport domi-
nates, for example, intermodal transhipment possibilities by means of own-
ership and exclusive rights to using those transhipment terminal resources.
Since the development in hinterland logistics is rapid, it is important that
the regulatory framework, through its legislation and incentives, is designed
so that both efficiency and accessibility are secured. Accessibility could, for
example, be addressed by legislations allowing for third-party access, if any
88 Introduction

financial support for infrastructure is given by national or supra-national

bodies (eg the EU). Individual countries address this issue differently, which
is alarming since the effects are far more widespread than for an individual
country. As seaport competition knows no country-specific boundaries, and
hinterland transport has become a greater part of the seaports’ competi-
tiveness, there is an obvious risk that the hinterland regulatory framework
affects the competitive interface and competitive equity between seaports.

Conclusions
As a shipper, the hinterland transport system is a crucial part of your supply
chain. The modes you select, the supplier choice and the long-term perspec-
tive of your strategy are all important considerations when designing an
effective and efficient hinterland transport system and supply chain strat-
egy. In order to make the right considerations, it is important as a ship-
per to understand that hinterland logistics have unique characteristics and
dynamics.
As a logistics service provider, the hinterland transport system is no
longer an isolated part of the supply chain, but an integrated part of your
total network and total offerings. An attractive logistics service provider
must be able to manage both horizontal and vertical coordination and col-
laboration in the supply chain. Horizontal coordination is done by offering
single, multiple and combinations of transport modes; vertical coordination
is carried out by integrating different actors in the supply chain, such as
hauliers, shipping lines, ports, terminals, infrastructure manager etc. Only
by doing so is it possible to manage the inherent advantages and disadvan-
tages of individual transport modes and manage the coordination challenges
between actors.
In conclusion, hinterland logistics have become an integrated part of
global supply chains and their management. An in-depth understanding and
knowledge of hinterland logistics, and its unique conditions in each situa-
tion, are a crucial part of effective design and strategy regarding transport
systems, and ultimately of efficient global supply chain management.

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Human elements 06
in maritime
logistics
C E C I L I a Ö S T E r Ma N a N D a N N a- L I S a O SVa L D E r

Introduction
Adventure and a will to engage in foreign trade have stimulated and advanced
development, building and utility of ships and ports since time immemorial.
Improved design of hull, propulsion and cargo-handling systems have con-
tinuously increased speed, capacity and reliability of sea transports. Simul-
taneously, efforts have been made to perfect manning both for onboard and
onshore operations in order to optimize transportation costs (Ding and
Liang, 2005; Stopford, 2009). Mechanization, automation, information
and communications technology have made many manual tasks redundant,
enabling ship and cargo-handling operations with a minimum of manpower.
A striking example of the technological development is the world’s largest
container vessel, the Emma Maersk, which is 397 metres long and normally
operated by a crew of only 13 people. She has a capacity equivalent of about
15,000 20-foot containers that can be moved at a crane rate of 30–40 con-
tainers an hour at leading container terminals.
However, there is an area of potential to acknowledge and develop in the
effort to improve maritime logistics: the role of the human element and the
interface between human and technology in the various man–machine sys-
tems in the global supply chain. As technological systems increase in complex-
ity, the gap between the human operator and the system tends to increase
as well. Operators have difficulties in understanding what the technological
system does and correctly detect and assess problems (Osvalder and Ulfven-
gren, 2008). The gap between human and machine has led to a number of
incidents and accidents over the years. One example is the container vessel
Savannah Express whose collision with a linkspan at Southampton Docks in
2005 after an engine failure was caused by the operators not fully understand-
ing the complex electronic control system for the main engine (MAIB, 2006).
A similar incident occurred in 2006, when the product tanker Prospero’s loss
92 Introduction

of control of the podded propulsion system led to heavy contact twice with the
jetty in Milford Haven; once forward and once aft (SHK, 2007). Neither of the
incidents led to human injuries or loss of lives. While the Savannah Express
needed only paintwork, the linkspan had to undergo major repair work before
it could be utilized again, thus disrupting service at Southampton Docks. The
Prospero was taken out of service for 10 days for subsequent investigations
and repairs. The jetty was declared to be unusable and was closed for repairs.
Due to the extent of the damage, a long-term restriction limited the berth’s
capacity from 165,000 to 100,000 deadweight tonnage. Further, the charterer
subsequently declined to charter Prospero and her sister vessels again.
The area for potential improvements in maritime transport systems is
also shown by the fact that despite significant changes of work – where
many manual and physically demanding tasks have been replaced by more
monitoring and operating of automated systems and machinery and more
administrative work – the maritime domain still suffers from a high level
of occupational accidents. Cargo handling in ports is considered one of the
most dangerous tasks (HSE, 2008; AV, 2011) and work-related mortality
for seafarers remains among the highest of all occupations (Roberts and
Marlow, 2005). This high incidence of occupational accidents and injuries
means that many individuals are afflicted with aches, pains and sometimes
lifelong disability and relegation from the labour market, but it also means
disruptions of output and heavy expense to businesses and the community.
Traditionally, the regulatory regimes surrounding maritime transport
have focused on improving technical aspects of shipping, often driven
by maritime disasters rather than through a proactive systems approach
(O’Neil, 2003). The Titanic, Herald of Free Enterprise, Estonia and Erica
are but a few of the catastrophes that have resulted in prescriptive measures,
principally in the area of ship design and equipment. But, in November
1997, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted a resolution
acknowledging the human element as a complex multi-dimensional issue
that affects maritime safety and the protection of the marine environment
(IMO, 1997). Partly spurred by society’s increased concern for sustaina-
ble development in terms of safety, well-being of people and a minimized
impact on the environment, this resolution represents a move towards a
more holistic approach to maritime transports. In this resolution, the human
element involves every human activity performed by ships’ crews, shore-
based management, regulatory bodies, recognized organizations, shipyards,
legislators and other relevant parties, all of whom are required to cooperate
to ensure that human element issues are addressed effectively (IMO, 1997).

The human element in science and theory

The science of human activity and interaction with systems (machines,
products, artefacts) is called ‘ergonomics’. The aim is to fit systems, tools,
machines and environments to the physical and mental abilities and
 Human Elements in Maritime Logistics 93

Fi g u r e 6 . 1  General dimensions of ergonomics

Social
Theory
needs

Practice
Technology,
Ergonomics and
environment
education

Design Management

Source  Karwowski (2005)

limitations of people (Chapanis, 1996). As illustrated in Figure 6.1, ergo-

nomics is a multi-disciplinary science, including a variety of dimensions
such as social needs, theory, practice and education, management, design
and technology/environment (Karwowski, 2005).
The word ergonomics derives from the Greek words ergos (work) and
nomos (law) and can be translated as the science of work. Ergonomics
as a scientific discipline was introduced in 1857 by the Polish scientist
Wojciech Jastrzebowski (Karwowski, 2005), who proposed a broad
scope of human activity, including labour, entertainment, reasoning and
dedication (Jastrzebowski, 2006). Contemporary ergonomics is a fusion
between the North American human factors and engineering psychology
developed from military problems during World War II, and the European
industrial applications for design of workstations and industrial processes
(Helander, 1997).
The International Ergonomics Association (IEA) defines ergonomics (or
human factors) as:

the scientific discipline concerned with the understanding of interactions among

humans and other elements of a system, and the profession that applies theory,
principles, data and methods to design in order to optimize human well-being
and overall system performance.
IEA, 2011

With this definition, IEA calls attention to a holistic and systems-oriented

approach embracing every aspect of human activity: physical, cognitive
and organizational. The definition indicates both a social aim (human well-
being) and an economic aim (overall system performance). Although there is
no generally agreed definition of employee well-being, theory and research
have focused on topics such as physical and mental health, job satisfaction,
94 Introduction

employee morale, stress, motivation, organizational commitment and cli-

mate (Grawitch et al, 2006).
Thus, ergonomics can be seen as an approach to ensure goals of improved
system effectiveness, productivity, safety, ease of performance and the contri-
bution to overall human well-being and quality of life (Karwowski, 2005).
The systems view constitutes an established analytical view with some defi-
nite characteristics. A common core is that a system consists of a number
of parts that are coordinated to achieve certain goals. The essence is not to
know all there is about the studied system, but rather to understand the
possible implications of our lack of comprehensive knowledge (Churchman,
1968). It is because we never know enough that understanding and critical
judgement becomes essential, from an intellectual as well as a moral point of
view. A core component of any system is people acting as users, operators,
maintainers and so forth. Even a highly automated system requires people –
in any case to start, stop and monitor the system. Often, users and operators
also perform service and maintenance on the machines.
The term ‘socio-technical system’ refers to the inter relatedness of social
and technical aspects when viewing an organization as an open system. The
point of departure is a said lack of mutual understanding of the technical
society. Engineers are said to ignore the social concerns of their work, and
social scientists to ignore technology. In this respect, a systems model can
be a tool to bring both sides together and portray both social and technical
phenomena: the technization of society and the socialization of technology
(Ropohl, 1999).

The areas of ergonomics

Within ergonomics, domains of specialization represent deeper competen-
cies, often grouped in physical, cognitive and organizational ergonomics
(IEA, 2011).
Physical ergonomics refers to anatomical, physiological, anthropometric
and biomechanical characteristics related to human activity. Relevant topics
include working postures, manual handling, repetitive movements, work-
related musculoskeletal disorders, workplace layout, product design, safety
and health. Physical ergonomics is also concerned with the physical work
environment and how it might affect human performance, such as noise,
vibration, light, climate, air pollutants and hazardous materials. These phys-
ical factors can interact with and aggravate risks of musculoskeletal disor-
ders and have an adverse effect on mental health. Noise, for example, causes
not only impaired hearing. Lower levels of noise can cause accidents when
vital information is lost; noise is also closely linked to stress. Similarly, bad
lighting conditions can lead to impaired vision and cause accidents due to
an operational error, like pushing the wrong button. Poor lighting can also
cause musculoskeletal disorders when having to compensate by assuming an
unfavourable work posture.
 Human Elements in Maritime Logistics 95

Knowledge of the effects physical ergonomic factors have on humans is

important when designing tools, machines, work tasks and environments to
avoid harm and ensure necessary prerequisites for good performance. The
human body is made for variation and motion, so an appropriate mixture
of movements, loads and recovery is needed to sustain the functions of the
body. While it is readily understood that heavy loads can have destructive
effects on body tissue, it is equally important to avoid too low and static
loads. Sedentary work, such as monitoring for a prolonged period, is unfa-
vourable for the circulation and locomotor organs.
Cognitive ergonomics is concerned with mental processes such as percep-
tion (the process of interpreting information from our senses), cognition
and motor response, as they affect interactions among humans and other
elements of a system. The relevant topics include mental workload, decision
making, mental performance, human error, human reliability, work stress
and training. All these relate to the performance of the operator in a specific
human–machine system. For example, when driving a car a driver has to
look out through the windscreen, keep an eye on the mirrors and monitor
the speedometer and GPS (the perceptive tasks). All this information has
to be processed, interpreted and understood so that the driver can make
appropriate decisions that then have to be performed (the cognitive tasks).
In order to aid the driver – or any operator of a system – it is important to
design tasks and machines to highlight the perceptual cues and minimize
the cognitive load, but also to ensure adequate training and work schedules.
Organizational ergonomics is concerned with the optimization of
socio-technical systems, including their organizational structures, policies,
cultures and processes. The relevant topics include communication, crew
resource management, teamwork, design of working schedules, participa-
tory design, cooperative work, organizational culture, telework and quality
management.

Effects on system performance

and well-being
The effects of human element issues on overall system performance and
well-being can be seen in several respects. Poor working conditions annu-
ally lead to negative monetary and non-monetary effects for individuals,
companies and the society as a whole. In the EU member states it is esti-
mated that costs due to work-related accidents vary from 1 to 3 per cent of
gross national product (Mossink and De Greef, 2002). A number of models
and methods have been developed to estimate the effects of ergonomics on
company level. Some models and methods are generic, others designed for
a special industry in mind; none however explicitly concerns the maritime
domain (Österman et al, 2010). The studied effects mainly originate from
96 Introduction

improvements in productivity, efficiency and quality, as well as personnel

costs associated with accidents, injuries and labour turnover.
In order for an organization to adequately plan operations and iden-
tify and prioritize strategies for performance improvements, it is important
to monitor performance and discern the impact of decisions made and the
level of goal achievement. Traditionally, performance measurements for
management control are based on financial results, which assess historical
outcome rather than assist in predicting future outcomes or identify under-
lying causes to variations in performance. In addition, financial performance
measurements tend to be affected by economic trends. In this context, it is
valuable to balance the financial measurements with non-financial meas-
urements for productivity, efficiency and quality. These operative quantities
should be measured together to make sure that improvements in one area
have not occurred at the expense of another. And, returning to the twofold
aim of ergonomics, the dimension of well-being should also be added.
Acknowledging that productivity losses can be caused by events outside
the control of the ship or cargo-handling operator (eg force majeure, strike
or war), three main causes for lost productive time at sea or in port are con-
sidered to be under the influence of the operating management in a logistics
system:

●● accidents or injuries;
●● operational disturbances of machinery and equipment;
●● inspections and potential subsequent detentions.

Accidents and injuries are always likely to have a disruptive effect on opera-
tions, both at the time of the accident or injury, and in the aftermath with
potential subsequent internal and external investigations, repairs, replace-
ment of personnel, training and familiarization of new personnel. According
to the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), loss of life and the num-
ber and cost of accidents remain significantly higher than 3–5 years ago.
During 2008, 754 vessels were involved in 670 accidents, and 82 seafarers
lost their lives on ships operating in and around EU waters (EMSA, 2009).
The high occurrence of occupational injuries compared to other industries
and the high costs for incidents involving crew members suffering from
mental ill-health (NEPIA, 2006) indicate significant potential for improve-
ments in this area.
Leading stakeholders within the maritime domain have stated that erod-
ing knowledge and competence across the industry is a major cause for
increasing accident tolls (Richardsen, 2008; Spencer, 2009). Supposedly, the
reasons for insufficiently educated and trained seafarers are that competence
is sacrificed for less expensive labour, but also lack of suitable mechanisms
to ensure a globally implemented minimum standard for maritime training
and control of competence (Ding and Liang, 2005). Lower manning levels
on board do not necessarily pose a problem per se. However, in addition
to the worldwide shortage of competent seafarers (estimates suggested a
 Human Elements in Maritime Logistics 97

shortfall of 30,000 in 2010; Drewry, 2010) there is a risk that subsequent

lower retention and faster promotion result in an eroded level of experi-
ence. At the same time, new technical solutions have been introduced that
have resulted in increased complexity and reduced transparency of many
operations. Complacency, automation-induced errors, out-of-the-loop unfa-
miliarity, behavioural adaptation and loss of skills are but a few commonly
described problems with automation in the literature on ergonomics (Lee,
2006). These problems and their effects on safety have also been observed
within the maritime domain (Lützhöft, 2004). Other important ergonomic
factors known to cause accidents and injuries at sea include fatigue, situa-
tion awareness, communication, decision making, team work, health and
stress (Hetherington et al, 2006).
Operational disturbances of machinery and equipment due to unplanned
maintenance or breakdowns are costly both in direct costs for repairs
and loss of available time for port, ship and technical and administrative
functions ashore. According to the International Union of Marine Insur-
ance (IUMI), machinery damage remains the primary cause for major par-
tial losses of vessels, accounting for 35.5 per cent between 2004 and 2008
(IUMI, 2009). The Hanseatic Marine Underwriters state that the value of
machinery claims doubled between 2004 and 2009 although the number of
insured ships was stagnant. Among insurers, the causes for this trend include
poor fuel quality, crew skills deficiencies, neglect of technical inspection by
owners and managers, and the complexity of modern onboard systems that
are not always fully understood, maintained or repaired.
Inspections by various constituents are frequent occurrences in maritime
logistics operations. Depending on the executor, a failed vessel inspection
can result in the ship, or ship operator, being disqualified for certain busi-
ness opportunities, detention of ship, conditions or withdrawal of class, or
a ban to enter certain ports. Coastal states around the world have founded
regional cooperation groups, for instance the Paris and Tokyo Memoran-
dum of Understanding (MoU), in which port state control officers (PSCOs)
are authorized to inspect and under certain circumstances detain ships.
During an inspection, a ship’s various certificates are examined, but also
the general condition of the ship, its engine room, accommodation and
hygienic conditions. It is further checked that operations and procedures
are conducted safely and in accordance with the various IMO Conven-
tions; that the crew demonstrates sufficient proficiency and are familiar
with critical procedures; and that crew members are able to communicate
with each other and with other persons on board (Paris MoU, 2010). Defi-
ciencies hazardous to safety, health or the environment can cause a ship
to be detained, or only be permitted to proceed to the nearest repair yard
until the deficiencies are rectified. In 2008, deficiencies were reported in 58
per cent of the inspections within the Paris MoU, and the detention rate
amounted to 4.95 per cent. A major category of deficiencies were related
to working and living conditions, representing almost 12 per cent of the
deficiencies (Paris MoU, 2009).
98 Introduction

Detention has several commercial implications, not only in possible loss

of revenue and schedule disturbances, but also because necessary unplanned
repair work undertaken at short notice is more expensive. Deficiencies and
detentions within the Paris MoU are regularly made public in the web infor-
mation system Equasis. Thus, even when the ship is not actually delayed,
a failed port state control can reflect poorly on both ship and companies
involved and can have commercial consequences for future employment for
the ship. Ships with deficiencies get an increased ‘target factor’, which in
turn leads to increased likelihood for future inspections. Potential charterers
can assess the likelihood of the ship being inspected during their charter, and
assess the cost of possible delays. Likewise a sub-standard ship may have
difficulties obtaining insurance cover (Paris MoU, 2010).
Generally, quality is concerned with meeting specified requirements or
standards and in order to improve quality, a company can focus either on
the product (or service) or on the production process. Service quality is often
described as a function of technical and functional quality and corporate
image (Grönroos, 1984) and relates to how the service is delivered and to
the customer’s confidence in those providing the service, including access,
communication, credibility, empathy, reliability and responsiveness.
The impact of service quality varies across the different segments of sea
transport services. Roughly, the technical quality of a ship depends on the
quality of its design and build, along with the maintenance it has received
since construction. The functional quality depends on how reliable the
transport service is and how it is executed. Large shipping companies have
developed beyond the pure sea transport service to become a one-stop-shop
for logistics solutions.
Over the years, the public response to maritime accidents and marine
pollution indicates an increased public interest in environmental and safety
policies of companies. Consumer awareness can be turned into a power-
ful marketing tool for ship operators, contributing towards the quality of
shipping. When it comes to environmental issues there are already mecha-
nisms in place. The Clean Shipping Index, for example, is used by over 20
of Sweden’s largest cargo owners in their procurement processes in order
to evaluate the environmental performance of shipping companies (Clean
Shipping Project, 2011). The network includes for instance ABB, Ericsson,
HandM and Volvo.

Human element issues relevant for the

maritime domain
Table 6.1 illustrates how a number of human element issues relevant for the
maritime industry can affect the outcome in terms of maritime and occupa-
tional accidents, injuries, operational disturbances and employee well-being.
The analysis does not, however, pose as an absolute account, nor are the
issues ranked in order of importance.
Ta B L E 6 . 1     Human element issues and their effects from a maritime perspective

Outcomes

Human accidents/ Operational Well-

element issues Causes and effects injuries disturbances being

Physical Chemicals Exposure to toxic and carcinogenic materials causing deaths as + + –

environment well as acute and chronic illnesses.

Physical Noise Noise-induced hearing loss. + + –

environment Non-auditory health effects interfering with sleep, communication + –
and mental tasks requiring attention and concentration.

Physical Vibrations Ship motions causing slips, trips and falls (STF). + + –
environment Whole-body vibrations causing reduced cognitive performance + + –
and fatigue.
Hand-arm vibrations causing vascular, neurological and + + –
musculoskeletal disorders (MSD).

Physical Workplace Poor design is a common cause of STF. + + –

environment layout

Physical load Work postures Strenuous working postures, manual handling etc, causing + + –
MSD.

Cognitive Automation Complex technology leading to increased attentional and + + –

cognitive demands.
Over-reliance on machines leading to less effective monitoring. + +
Poor judgement in use of technological aids contributes to
maritime accidents. + +

(Continued )
Ta B L E 6 . 1     Human element issues and their effects from a maritime perspective (Continued )

Outcomes

Human accidents/ Operational Well-

element issues Causes and effects injuries disturbances being

Cognitive Mental health Psychosocial factors contributing to poor performance, + + –

accidents and mental disorders.
Suicide rates found high for seafarers. + + –

Cognitive Work stress Work at sea is associated with considerable stress; especially + + –
regarding relationships with others and the home/work interface.
Many female seafarers experience sexual harassment and feel –
unsafe.

Organizational Communication Lack of situation awareness and poor team working. + + –

Social relationships, on board and ship–shore. + + –
Language problems. + + –
Lack of common language can contribute to feelings of isolation. + +

Organizational Work Inadequate training and short–term contracts contribute to + + –

experience operational disturbances and high accident rates.

Organizational Work Poor organization of work and rest hours causing fatigue and + + –
organization alone work tasks.
 Human Elements in Maritime Logistics 101

An inherent potential for improvement can be found within the work-

place layout and technical design. Many human element issues regarding
the physical environment and physical loads are believed to be best solved
if addressed early in the planning and design phase of a vessel, ensuring that
the workplace design matches the tasks, capabilities and limitations of the
expected users. Slips, trips and falls are common types of occupational acci-
dents believed to be caused largely due to poor design of ladders and stair-
ways with steep and various angles (Anderson, 1983; Hansen et al, 2002;
Jensen et al, 2005).
Noise-induced hearing loss is one of the most recognized occupational
diseases in the European Union (EU-OSHA, 2005), in seafaring (Kaerlev et
al, 2008) and among dockworkers (AV, 2011). These rates have not declined
over time. Importantly, noise is further known to cause non-auditory health
effects, such as interfering with sleep, communication, and mental tasks that
require attention and concentration. However, regulations for noise levels
only take the auditory health affects into account, neglecting the change
in work tasks that has taken place in shipping, where many physically
demanding tasks have been replaced by more cognitively demanding and
administrative tasks. Similarly, whole-body vibrations on board caused by
wind, sea and propulsion – and in onshore operations from driving large
cargo-handling vehicles – are known to cause fatigue in both ship structures
and in the human body, leading to musculoskeletal disorders and reduced
cognitive performance.
The workforce in contemporary sea transport services has largely altered
from manual workers to knowledge workers, demanding a high level of
concentration during planning, operation, monitoring and administration
of work. With long working hours and the watch systems on board involv-
ing few hours of rest, there is a need for good quality sleep in order to recu-
perate. A systematic approach towards reduced noise and vibration levels
in working and living quarters on board is believed to yield fewer per-
sonal injuries, but also contribute to efficient operation with less risk of use
errors and accidents by stressed or fatigued operators losing concentration.
The increased use of complex shipboard technology for automation,
navigation and communication has brought new cognitive and attentional
demands for the human operators on board. Studies from aviation suggest
that poorly designed automation may reduce workload under routine con-
ditions, but can actually increase workload during stressful operations (Wie-
ner, 1989). This phenomenon has also been seen in shipping where poor
judgement in use of technological aids has contributed to several maritime
accidents (Perrow, 1999). Over-reliance on machines can lead to less effec-
tive monitoring on the bridge (Lützhöft and Dekker, 2002), and poor design
of advanced radars may even have increased the likelihood of collisions (Lee
and Sanquist, 2000).
Stable crews returning to the same ship show reduced risk for accidents
(Bailey, 2006; Carter, 2005; Hansen et al, 2002). These findings are consist-
ent with research from other industry sectors covering a wide range of blue
Ta B L E 6.2   Indicators for personnel, productivity, efficiency
and quality
area examples of indicators
Personnel Personnel composition such as age, education,
certification, form of employment, length in service in
company and in profession
Working hours, overtime hours
Personnel turnover
Absence from work
Work-related accidents and diseases
Sick leave
Rehabilitation cases
Employees who have not been ill for a long period of
time
Training
Job satisfaction, motivation
Physical and psychosocial work environment
Productivity Maritime and occupational accidents
Incidents
Operational disturbances, breakdowns
Inspections
Deficiencies
Detentions
Ban from port
Efficiency Quantity (how much gets done)
Quality (how well it gets done)
Timeliness
Multiple priorities (how many things can be done
at once)
Quality Customer satisfaction
Damage to cargo
Damage to vessel or cargo-handling equipment
Corporate image
 Human Elements in Maritime Logistics 103

and white collar occupations, such as construction, healthcare, telecommu-

nications and mining (Quinlan et al, 2001). Negative effects of poor work
organization and crew composition include work stress, fatigue, mental ill-
health, and a sense of social inequality that in turn can lead to increased
risk for accidents, reduced performance and well-being (Carter, 2005; Heth-
erington et al, 2006, Parker et al, 2002). Essentially, most functions and
work tasks at sea can be viewed as safety critical. Hence, poor performance,
irrespective of cause, leads to increased risk for loss of lives and damage to
environment and property.

Economic outcomes at company level

Both costs and revenues in a company are affected by human element issues.
Costs traceable to human element issues include direct costs accrued from
maritime and occupational accidents or injuries, such as medical costs,
compensation payments and fines. In addition, there are also indirect costs
related to damage to environment, cargo or equipment such as overtime,
training and supervision of new tasks or new staff, employee turnover,
reworking, and lost production time due to cautiousness and time spent
discussing the accident with other employees. Conversely, revenues are posi-
tively affected by increased knowledge of the interplay between the human
operator and the technical systems. In addition to the augmentation of the
productive time that would follow a decrease in accidents and injuries, there
is also a potential for increased efficiency of operations in terms of resource
usage measurable in work hours, fuel, equipment and spares.
Substantial savings may be gained through proper design for maintenance
of technological systems since as much as 80 per cent of a maintainer’s time
is spent in diagnosing a difficulty (Chapanis, 1996).
Table 6.2 exemplifies measurable indicators in the suggested areas
of personnel, productivity, efficiency, and quality in the maritime domain.
The suggested indicators can be further subdivided into quantifiable dimen-
sions of absolute or relative numbers, percentage, time or value, but also in
qualitative terms for perceived job or customer satisfaction, work environ-
ment or corporate image, for instance. Operationalized performance indi-
cators such as these act as evaluation tools and information bearers, and
signal a need for remedial measures, ergonomic or other, and constitute the
foundation of business decisions.

Concluding remarks
The present chapter has addressed overall system performance and well-being
in a maritime context. Further, the chapter has theoretically explored how
these concepts can be operationalized and related to human element issues.
104 Introduction

It is believed that increased knowledge of ergonomic principles can con-

tribute to increased productivity, operational efficiency, service quality, and
operator well-being in the maritime domain. The productive time at sea can
be improved by addressing ergonomic factors that contribute to a minimum
of unproductive days due to maritime and occupational accidents, opera-
tional disturbances of machinery and equipment, time-consuming inspec-
tions and potential subsequent detentions, or loss of business opportunities.
Operational efficiency can be improved by addressing the organizational
ergonomic factors that contribute to crew efficiency, such as organizational
and managerial structures, communication, design of working times, and
knowledge-creating processes. Technically, operational efficiency would
benefit from a ship design that allows for more than just operability, and
also takes into account the ship’s maintainability, working conditions, hab-
itability and survivability for a safe and efficient ship operation over time.
Maritime service quality can largely be equated with safety. It is assumed
that the self-regulating quality management systems in place today, espe-
cially within the liquid bulk segment, will continue to develop within other
shipping markets. It is further assumed that the public awareness and pres-
sure on shipping to deal with environmental issues will expand to encom-
pass social and ethical issues such as fair working conditions.
The outcome can be measured in terms of individual, organizational and
societal benefits. Individual benefits include reduced risk for occupational
injuries, improved physical and mental health, and job satisfaction. Organi-
zational benefits include improved productivity, efficiency, quality, person-
nel concerns – such as recruiting and retaining, reduced absenteeism and
labour turnover – and liabilities. On a societal level, benefits include reduced
costs for ill-health and accidents, and in a larger perspective a contribu-
tion towards an economically, environmentally and socially sustainable sea
transport system and society as a whole.

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PART TWO
Shipping
logistics
Intermodal 07
freight transport
and logistics
K aT S u h I KO h aya S h I a N D TO S h I N O r I N E MOTO

Introduction
As a consequence of containerization, maritime transport became integrated
with land transport, and resulted in the provision of efficient intermodal
transport. Intermodal transport that links factories and warehouses in many
parts of the world in a door-to-door manner has become a crucial service
for shippers such as multinational manufacturing companies that operate
globally. Shippers believe that concentrating business resources on their area
of expertise is competitively advantageous, and logistics outsourcing has
increased. Intermodal transport is the focal service in the wide range of
logistics services including storage, inventory control and packaging, and
has produced added value to maritime services which makes it an important
field in maritime research.
This chapter analyses global intermodal transport that combines maritime
and other transport modes. The first section explains the concept of inter-
modal transport and its components and characteristics. The next section
discusses the function of containers in the development of intermodal freight
transport and logistics. The third section introduces typical global intermodal
transport services with some examples in North America, Europe and Asia,
followed by a section explaining the role of intermodal transport facilitators
and their services. Finally, prospects and future issues are discussed by review-
ing and predicting the development factors affecting intermodal transport.

Characteristics of intermodal transport

Transport using several modes has been called, almost synonymously
‘intermodal transport’, ‘multimodal transport’ and ‘combined transport’.
110 Shipping Logistics

The following discussion will describe the definition and the background
from which each term emerged.

Definitions of multimodal transport

The responsibilities of shipping companies in international maritime trans-
port are regulated by the Carriage of Goods by Sea Act enacted in each coun-
try, which was based on the Hague Convention, the Hague–Visby Rules,
and the Hamburg Rules over a long period of history. As global intermodal
transport developed, international agreements that include transport respon-
sibilities during transit by land transport have likewise been expanded. The
Convention on International Multimodal Transport of Goods (MT Con-
vention) adopted in 1980 by the United Nations is one of these agreements
(United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, 2001).
The MT Convention defines ‘multimodal transport’ as follows (Article 1 (1)):
‘International multimodal transport’ means the carriage of goods by at least two
different modes of transport on the basis of a multimodal transport contract
from a place in one country at which the goods are taken in charge by the
multimodal transport operator to a place designated for delivery situated in a
different country ...
The main features of a multimodal transport are (1) the carriage of goods
by two or more modes of transport, (2) under one contract, one document,
and (3) one responsible party for the entire carriage, who might subcontract
the performance of some, or all modes, of the carriage to other carriers.
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, 2001: 5

Definition of intermodal transport

In Europe, where there have been continued efforts over the years for
regional integration, ‘multimodal transport’, ‘intermodal transport’ and
‘combined transport’ are introduced as follows:1
Multimodal transport: Carriage of goods by two or more modes of transport.
Intermodal transport: The movement of goods in one and the same loading
unit or road vehicle, which uses successively two or more modes of transport
without handling the goods themselves in changing modes.
Combined transport: Intermodal transport where the major part of the
European journey is by rail, inland waterways or sea and any initial and/or final
legs carried out by road are as short as possible. United Nations Economic and
Social Council, 2000: 4

Furthermore, multimodal transport and intermodal transport might also be

defined by comparing differences in their level of integration:
 Intermodal Freight Transport and Logistics 111

Multimodal transport is characterized by essentially separate movements

involving different transport modes, intermodal transport is the integration of
shipments across modes. Intermodal transport may be defined as being those
integrated movements involving at least two different modes of transport under
a single through rate. Slack, 2001: 142

As shown above, the term multimodal transport was used originally in inter-
national maritime transport. However, in recent years the term intermodal
transport has been used extensively, aimed at the integration of systems. In
this chapter, intermodal transport is defined as seamless door-to-door opera-
tions using at least two different modes in an integrated manner.

Components of intermodal transport

In general, intermodal transport is composed of: 1) collection; 2) trunk line;
and 3) distribution using standardized containers. The movement of goods
takes place using different networks and at least two different transport
modes. Maritime transport is the typical transport mode for trunk line while
collection and distribution take place by road.
In cases of long-distance continental rail transport, the trunk line segment
might use rail transport and inland water transport. In North America, effi-
cient double stack train (DST) networks are utilized to transport containers
from the ports on the West Coast to the inland areas and the East Coast.

Fi g u r e 7. 1  Components of intermodal transport by sea, road,

and another mode
Collection & Distribution Trunk line Collection & Distribution

Shipper (Consignor) Shipper (Consignee)

Port Port

Maritime
Road Transfer Transfer Road

Seamless door-to-door

Collection & Distribution Trunk line 1 Trunk line 2 Collection & Distribution

Shipper (Consignor) Shipper (Consignee)

Port Port Terminal

Transfer Maritime Transfer Rail, Transfer

Road Waterway, Road
Air (exceptional)

Seamless door-to-door
112 Shipping Logistics

In Europe, the use of rail transport and inland water transport, which are
environmentally efficient, are being promoted. Recently in China an inter-
modal transport system using DST and inland water transport has been
partially started (Figure 7.1).
The intermodal transport route might be significantly shorter than the
maritime transport route depending on geographic location. When com-
pared to the Asia/East Coast sea route that navigates through the Panama
Canal, the Asia/East Coast mini-land bridge route passing the West Coast
using the transcontinental trains can be shorter in terms of haul distance and
transport time. Similarly, the haul distance of the Siberia land bridge using
the Trans-Siberian Railway is shorter than that of the Asia/Europe sea route
that navigates through the Suez Canal.
There is a special type of intermodal transport that combines air and
sea transport which has distinctive characteristics. Because the air freight
container can only be used between airports, transhipment of freight at air-
port facilities is necessary. This is different from other types of intermodal
transport because common transport equipment is not utilized. During the
time when air freight rates were much higher compared to sea freight rates,
various combined air and sea services were seen between Asia and Europe.
However, combined sea and air services have declined due to reductions in
air freight rates brought about by intense competition among airline com-
panies and the proliferation of large airplanes. At present, they are partially
being used for emergency transport, and in cases when other airports are
used to avoid airport congestion (ie Chinese cargo headed for Europe is
transported by sea to Incheon Airport and transhipped there because of
congestion at Beijing Airport).

Advantages of intermodal transport

For the shipper, the greatest advantage of intermodal transport is the pos-
sibility to easily employ seamless door-to-door transport. It is quite trouble-
some to arrange the use of separate and different transport modes, especially
in foreign countries. For intermodal transport, even when an accident hap-
pens, the intermodal transport operator takes responsibility regardless of
the transport segment. For non-intermodal transport, it is necessary to claim
compensation from the transport company according to each segment.
One of the advantages of using intermodal transport is in consolidation,
particularly in the longer-distanced trunk line move (OECD, 2002). Con-
solidation leads to economies of scale and the possibility to transport goods
more economically. Figure 7.2 shows an example of costs for intermodal
transport by sea and road. The cost for container vessels per ton-mile is
generally lower than that for traditional vessels, and therefore, the slope of
the line representing container vessels between ports (VCi) is smaller than
that for traditional vessels (VCt). Furthermore, at container terminals, costs
for loading and unloading containers (TCi) are far lower than costs for tra-
ditional handling by manpower (TCt).
 Intermodal Freight Transport and Logistics 113

The relationship of such traditional vessels with container vessels is very

similar to the relationship between small and large-sized container vessels
on transport costs, and between small and large-scale terminals on tran-
shipment costs. Shipping companies introduce competitively large-sized
container ships to reduce operational costs. On the other hand, container

Fi g u r e 7. 2   Costs for intermodal transport by sea and road

Cost Accumulated costs for
VCt : Traditional vessel cost traditional vessel and road
VCi : Container vessel cost haulage

TCt
TCt : Traditional terminal cost
TCi : Container terminal cost
Costs for intermodal transport

VCt TCi

VCi
TCt
TCi

Distance
Road Sea Road

Fi g u r e 7. 3  Costs for intermodal transport by sea, rail and road

Costs for intermodal

Cost transport by sea and
LCt : Truck cost
road
LCr : Rail cost

TCi : Container terminal cost TCr

TCr : Railway terminal cost
LCt
LCr Costs for intermodal
transport by sea, rail,
and road
TCi

Distance
Road Sea Rail Road
114 Shipping Logistics

terminals in many parts of the world compete to accommodate large-sized

ships by expanding their berths and by introducing the latest large-scale
gantries and mechanical handling equipment.
For longer inland transport distances, the use of rail and inland water
transport becomes advantageous as both have lower transport costs. As
shown in Figure 7.3, rail cost (LCr) is lower than truck cost (LCt). If the
transport distance is adequate enough to accrue a saving which is more than
the railway terminal cost (TCr), then a shift from road/sea/road to a combi-
nation of road/sea/rail/road becomes more economical. This shift has been
proven to effectively reduce CO2 emissions and improve the environment,
which has become an important policy issue.

Containerization and intermodal transport

Introduction of ISO container
Historically, intermodal transport using liner ships started as a bypass
route using land transport before the opening to traffic of the Suez Canal
in 1869 and the Panama Canal in 1914. Compared with the Cape of Good
Hope (Africa) sea route, the British shipping company, Peninsular Steam
Navigation Company, greatly reduced the number of days travel by way of
the Mediterranean Sea, then transhipment at Alexandria (Egypt), then by
land transport to Suez and by sea transport from Suez to Bombay (India).
Similarly, the US shipping company Pacific Mail Steamship Corporation
connected the various ports along the Pacific Coast and the West Coast of
North America by using land transport between Panama and Colon.
Embarking on a modern intermodal transport system needed transport
devices which followed international standards. Although various transport
devices were already developed like transport containers and trailers, the
pioneer who introduced the container connected with today’s internation-
ally standardized containers was Malcolm McLean, who was president of
a trucking company. McLean conducted a transport experiment using con-
tainers, trailers, and a remodelled ship Ideal X to and from New York and
Houston in 1956. Soon afterwards, Sea-Land Services Inc was established,
regular container transport began, and intense competition took place
because other shipping companies like Matson Line started similar services.
They also began to ply container ships along international routes, and con-
tainerization of international maritime transport started. The world’s major
liner companies began to acquire container vessels and containerization
began to spread rapidly (Levinson, 2006).
The most important benefit of containerization is in the reduction of ter-
minal costs. Machine loading and unloading by gantry crane and straddle
carrier has become possible by standardizing the size of the container. Man-
power was greatly reduced, and loading and unloading was converted from
 Intermodal Freight Transport and Logistics 115

a labour-intensive industry to a capital-intensive industry. As a consequence,

dockworkers were deeply affected by unemployment.
The cellular structure of container ship has been designed to accommo-
date and load/unload the containers. It takes about one day to complete
loading and unloading with the gantry crane, compared to about one week
in a traditional cargo vessel. Economies of scale have dictated an upward
trend in sizes of container ships. The first full container vessel at the end of
the 1950s could load only 166 containers of 35 ft length. At the end of the
1970s, the maximum size of the full container vessels became the Panamax
type container vessel – the maximum vessel type that can be navigated in
the Panama Canal. Towards the latter half of the 1980s, the maximum ves-
sel size became the 4,400 TEU class, which could not be navigated in the
Panama Canal. At present, ultra-large container ships of the 14,000 TEU
class have emerged, which have imposed the provision of large-depth quays
and the installation of large-sized cranes.
International standards have been advanced through ISO (International
Organization for Standardization). In 1961, the United States proposed as
international standard the 8 ft width by 8 ft height by 10/20/30/40 ft length
container dimensions. On the other hand, European countries proposed a
height dimension that reflects local transport conditions of door-to-door
transport and a standard of 6–7 ft in width. In 1964, the United States’
proposal was approved as the international standard for intercontinental
transport, and the European proposal was approved as the international
standard for transport within the European continent. The basic standard
dimensions were established during this time, although minor revisions
were introduced afterwards. The dimensions of containers generally used
today are the 8 ft width by 8 ft height by 8.5/20/40 ft length containers.2 It
can be stressed that the provision of an international standard in the early
stages is one of the major reasons why containerization had developed so
rapidly afterwards.

ISO containers on the road

The ISO container began to diffuse from sea to land. In the United States
where the standard size of domestic road transport was the same as the ISO
container, there were no serious problems in transporting maritime contain-
ers to inland areas. Although the heavier maritime containers had caused
damage to roads, which required additional policy measures, intermodal
transport expanded well compared with other countries.
On the other hand, adjusting the domestic standards to the ISO container
size became a big issue in European and Asian countries. The benefits of
intermodal transport cannot be achieved if the trucks with ISO containers
cannot pass through on domestic routes. Cargo has to be transported from/
to the container terminal in a smaller truck after/before container de-van-
ning/vanning there. In Europe, they deregulated the maximum dimensions
116 Shipping Logistics

of trucks and improved the major road network in order to accommodate

trucks with an ISO container.
The road infrastructure in Japan at the beginning of containerization
lagged behind compared with that in the United States, and vehicle stand-
ards were smaller and lighter. Moreover, customs clearance was carried out
in the bonded area adjacent to the ports. Because of this, vanning and de-
vanning of containers were performed at the ports. However, high-standard
highways to accommodate larger trucks loading an ISO container have been
gradually developed, and bonded transport became possible through the
installation of inland bonded areas and other improvements in the customs
clearance system.
Industrialization advanced rapidly in Asian countries mainly through
export expansion, where the number of containers handled has been increas-
ing faster than in other parts of the world. Along with it, most governments
seem eager to develop port-related infrastructure. In China, for example,
they developed new container terminals and expressway networks to the
terminals, and they are also planning to combine railway systems. In other
Asian countries, there are many cases in which infrastructure development
cannot catch up with economic growth, and congestion at ports and on
roads has become a chronic problem.

Development of intermodal transport

North America
From the initial stages of containerization, intermodal transport using railway
had remained limited even in North America because of severe restrictions
by the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) and competition with truck
companies. However, when railway regulation was eased by the Staggers Rail
Act in 1980, railway and shipping companies began to work cooperatively
on intermodal transport. Shipping companies started to reserve spaces from
the railway company, stack up two levels of containers on the train (double
stack train), and began transporting them from the West Coast to inland
areas. The DST may reach as much as one mile in total length with a capacity
of about 400 TEU with excellent transport efficiency. Compared with the old
train system, transport costs are reduced by about 35–40 per cent.
Intermodal transport using DST takes pride in its perfectly seamless,
door-to-door transport system. DST is reserved according to a specific day
of the week of the ship’s arrival, operated and loaded in a short time using
large-sized loading machines at the on-dock freight station adjacent to the
port. To resolve trade friction with the United States in the 1980s, Japa-
nese automotive companies located their factories in inland areas, and inter-
modal transport using DST was utilized to transport imported auto-parts.
 Intermodal Freight Transport and Logistics 117

Ta B L E 7.1   Main intermodal transport to North America

Transit time
Service route (days)
MLB (mini- Asia == west coast port – east 15–18
land bridge) coast/ Gulf
(vessel) (rail)
IPI (interior point Asia == west coast port – inland 22
intermodal) (vessel) (rail, truck)
RIPI (reversed Asia == east coast port – inland 24
point intermodal) (vessel) (rail, truck)

SOuRCE  Ocean Commerce (2009) International Transport Handbook

This intermodal transport has been called the ‘belt conveyor that stretches
across the sea’, and is an advanced transport service to realize international
just-in-time (JIT) transport.
Intermodal transport services offered by shipping companies include
MLB (mini-land bridge), IPI (inland point intermodal) and RIPI (reverse
inland point intermodal). MLB is a service that provides freight transport
to the US East Coast using transcontinental railway after having been trans-
ported to the various ports of the US West Coast by container ships. Trans-
port distance to New York is reduced by 2,200 miles compared with via the
Panama Canal, and the number of days for transport can also be shortened
to about 7–10 days. MLB is the oldest service started in 1972, and DST has
been in operation since 1984. Each shipping company introduces exclusive
DST matched to the specific ship and competes by reducing transhipment
and transport time (Ocean Commerce, 2009).
For freight going into the inland areas of the United States, there is the
IPI, which passes through the US West Coast, and the RIPI, which passes
through the US East Coast. In 1980, the West Coast shipping alliance started
IPI, and in retaliation, the East Coast shipping alliance started RIPI. As the
size of most ships is getting larger and over-Panamax, which cannot navi-
gate through the Panama Canal, IPI occupies the majority of transport to
inland areas at present.

Europe
In Europe, intermodal transport using railway or inland waterway was lim-
ited in the earlier stages of containerization. Before the integration of the
market in Europe, rail freight transport had been exclusively carried out by
118 Shipping Logistics

the national railways of each country. International transport of ISO con-

tainers was conducted by the international rail company (Intercontainer)
jointly managed by the national railways. However, with the implementa-
tion of railway reforms due to regional integration, it became possible for
private freight railway companies to use the rail infrastructure and conduct
operations. In addition, the EU has promoted the provision of the Trans-
European Network (TEN), and the implementation of support policies for
intermodal transport under the Marco Polo Programme in order to address
environmental problems (EC, 2009).
These policies have helped improve intermodal freight transport using
rail. In Rotterdam port, which is the biggest gateway in Europe, 200 shuttle
services a week arrive and depart from/to various parts of Europe including
East and Central Europe, and 11 per cent of the handled containers is trans-
ported by rail. Through the support of the EU, a German industrial zone
was directly connected with a cargo-exclusive line that was opened in 2007.
In Hamburg port, which is the second major port in Europe, 200 shuttle
services a week arrive and depart and 18 per cent of handled containers
travel by rail transport. One of the operators is the subsidiary railway com-
pany of Hamburger Hafen und Logistic AG (HHLA), which is the operator
of the container terminal. Although it is difficult to introduce DST because
of overhead wirings and tunnels in Europe, intermodal transport to inland
areas has progressed by establishing efficient railway shuttles.
Inland water transport using rivers and canals also became an important
intermodal transport mode in Europe. Promoting the utilization of inland
water transport was regarded as important in the TEN infrastructure plan
and the Marco Polo Programme. In the Port of Rotterdam, river transport
using the Rhine has been vibrant and inland water transport accounts for 30
per cent of the handled containers. In other major container ports located in
the mouth of rivers, inland water transport has become an important inter-
modal transport mode. Connecting the Rhine and Danube by canals is being
examined as a future transport route to East and Central Europe.

Asia
For rail freight transport in Japan, because the original 12-ft standard con-
tainer was being adopted, it was necessary to provide infrastructure that
accommodates the large-sized ISO containers, together with wagons and
handling equipment. Even though they made some efforts to transport ISO
containers at the major arterial networks, traffic volume has not increased
that much. One reason why it is difficult to achieve modal shift is that there
is not sufficient demand for long-distance transport because of limited
land area. Some other reasons include contradictory policies with negative
impacts on intermodal transport such as the eradication of railroad cross-
ings going to the ports to ease road congestion.
In China, railway plays an important role as a transport mode for long-
distance inland transport, while they face stringent capacity constraints
 Intermodal Freight Transport and Logistics 119

because of huge transport demands for oil, coal, minerals and grains. The
Chinese government concentrates on container transport using railway,
arranges the container stations in the whole country, provides five fixed-
freight trains (with fixed arrival and departure stations, railway routes,
operation numbers, arrival and departure times and fares), and constructs
railway infrastructure along the major routes. Since 2004, the DST opera-
tion of a 160 TEU per train has begun on the arterial network to increase
the transport capacity of each train.
Inland water transport has been actively used in China. Its applicability is
especially high in the Yangtze River and Pearl River Delta, and the provision
of container terminals at inland areas is being promoted. Along the Yangtze
River they can transport over 2,000 km to inland Chongqing and Sichuan
using small container ships. A stable service has become possible with the
completion of the Three Gorges Dam. Intermodal transport using the Yang-
tze River has become an important transport mode to the companies located
in the inland areas.
Because there are only a few rivers that can be used and rail infrastruc-
ture is insufficient in other Asian countries, intermodal transport using these
systems is quite limited. However, demand for intermodal transport in the
region is expected to increase due to the regional integration of Asia and
industrialization of inland areas in the future, although industries have been
concentrated at the coastal areas until now. Therefore, the provision of an
international intermodal transport in other Asian countries is now being
explored.

Combined transport operators and their

services
Intermodal transport facilitators
The company who presides over intermodal transport is defined in the MT
Convention as the MTO (multimodal transport operator) although it can
also be called the CTO (combined transport operator). Various companies
including shipping companies, forwarders, consolidators, shipping associa-
tions, terminal operators, railway companies and truck companies provide
intermodal transport services. However, it is the shipping companies and
forwarders who develop large-scale intermodal transport globally.
Today, intermodal transport has become an important factor in the inte-
grated logistics services of shipping companies. The shipping company ties
up with the railway company to construct a seamless intermodal transport
system using DST in North America. This effort is an example of vertical
integration through capital tie-up or strategic partnership. With the easing
of railway regulations in Europe, shipping companies have begun to invest
in railways to expand intermodal transport.
120 Shipping Logistics

Forwarders use the VOCC (vessel operating common carrier) space and
perform maritime transport as a NVOCC (non-vessel operating common
carrier). NVOCC is a business concept that was born out of deregulation
in the United States, which allows the selling of sea transport services to
shippers even if the ship is not owned. Forwarders provide various inte-
grated services by freely combining sea and land transport. Even among
the shipping companies, there are many cases in which they have estab-
lished forwarders as subsidiaries to flexibly use the sea transport of other
companies.
The main feature of this arrangement is in fulfilling the needs of shippers
by flexibly combining the transport services of the shipping company and
the land transport company. It is difficult for even large-scale shipping com-
panies with land transport subsidiaries to fulfil all the complex needs of ship-
pers only through the transport services the group companies could provide.
On the other hand, it is likely that forwarders have higher communication
costs with many companies, so they should be careful to monitor the whole
intermodal process in order to avoid unnecessary further coordination.

Logistics services
As a response to the globalization of shippers, shipping companies and for-
warders often set up in foreign countries. Through these overseas networks
of logistics bases, intermodal transport services were developed all over the
world. Important routes in terms of freight volume are from China and
ASEAN to Europe and America. Various transport services have been devel-
oped according to shippers’ demand, resulting in a global-scale intermodal
transport network.
For instance, Nippon Express, one of larger global forwarders, has estab-
lished foreign operations bases in more than 200 cities and developed many
intermodal transport services to and from these bases. In order to manage
these services as an organized network, the company has set up a special
intermodal transport department that develops new services and informa-
tion system such as cargo tracing and inventory management.
Shipping companies and forwarders offer not only intermodal transport
services, but have provided various services as well such as packaging, ware-
housing and logistics processing. Furthermore, some of them are trying to
provide third-party logistics (3PL) services responding to the advanced out-
sourcing needs of shippers. 3PL services consist of consulting and planning
as well as offering comprehensive services from the shipper’s point of view
in partnership with the shipper.
In the case of procurement logistics services for global manufacturers,
for example, 3PL providers could propose and manage the whole process
of procurement. It collects parts from suppliers, packs them into contain-
ers, clears customs, transports containers to distribution centres abroad,
manages inventory, and delivers to their factory just-in-time. In the case of
 Intermodal Freight Transport and Logistics 121

services for the apparel industry, 3PL providers could inspect the products
thoroughly, check remaining needles, and perform other logistics processing
activities such as ironing and price tagging.

Towards the innovative intermodal

transport
Development factors of intermodal transport
Shipping companies and forwarders have offered various intermodal trans-
port services which link many parts of the world by means of different
transport modes. The following summarizes the factors in the development
of intermodal transport from both supply and demand sides.
From the supply side, it can be learned from history that containerization
was the greatest factor in the spread of intermodal transport. Transhipment
costs and time were reduced with standardized transport devices and inter-
modal transport became more efficient than single-mode transport. In addi-
tion, the increase in the size of container ships and improvements in port
loading facilities have also contributed to the development of intermodal
transport. Likewise, the provision of high-standard highways had expanded
the transport coverage of large-sized trailers. For railways in the United
States, DST and block trains were introduced and transport efficiencies to
inland areas have been greatly improved. Inland water transport networks
have also been built in Europe and China. For example, with the completion
of the Three Gorges Dam in Yangtze, stable container transport to inland
areas has become possible.
From the institutional aspect of the transport industry, deregulation pen-
etrated the major countries which allowed easy entry of carriers and for-
warders. The collapse of the Shipping Conference also introduced free entry
and rate setting. Through efforts on service trade liberalization of WTO
and FTA (Free Trade Agreement)/EPA (Economic Partnership Agreement),
shipping companies and forwarders have likewise been positively affected
as they can now enter the market abroad more freely and can also establish
their own collection and delivery facilities in many parts of the world.
On the demand side, the locations of shippers have expanded to inland
areas and their transport demands have extended from port-to-port to
door-to-door. In Europe and the United States, foreign firms have located in
inland areas in order to resolve trade frictions and penetrate the local mar-
ket. Multinational companies pursue the best in locating their bases around
the world and aspire for the most efficient transport between procurement,
production, and sales bases. Moreover, accurate and prompt transport ser-
vice is required in a JIT manner in order to reduce stocks. Intermodal trans-
port which links inland bases suits such needs.
122 Shipping Logistics

The future of intermodal transport

Let us now examine future of intermodal transport from the viewpoints
mentioned above.
On the supply side, intermodal transport using the present ISO container
is anticipated to grow, while revolutionary technological improvements such
as ‘containerization’ are not expected to take place. As for the infrastructure
for intermodal transport in the United States and Europe, improvements to
accelerate further intermodality will be encouraged. For example, it is expected
that transhipment facilities will be improved and bottlenecks such as missing
transport links eliminated. In Asian countries, the provision of infrastructure
corresponding to ISO containers which are larger than local standards is still a
big problem. Although rapid infrastructure improvements have been observed
in China and South Korea, immediate response is necessary in other countries.
From the institutional aspect, an open business environment has almost
been provided in the major developed countries. In the developing coun-
tries restrictions on foreign direct investment and other non-tariff barriers
including cross-border transport regulations remain, partly in order to pro-
tect the local logistics industry.
Cooperation among concerned countries including developing countries
is indispensable to establish global intermodal transport. A consensus has
been established in Europe on a common regional transport policy. Even
in the United States, a common transport policy in the region is being pro-
posed under the NAFTA cooperation framework. On the other hand, in
Asia under the ASEAN cooperation framework, discussions on a common
transport policy in the region are underway, although cooperation across a
larger region that includes Japan, China and South Korea has remained lim-
ited in scope. It might be important among Asian countries to ‘decide on an
international transport infrastructure and intermodal transport system in a
pan-Asian scale, upgrade logistics functions, reduce negative environmental
impacts of traffic, and promote logistics security and transport safety’ (Ono
and Fukumoto, 2008: 35).
From the demand side, increasing sophistication of shippers’ needs
will dictate the future development of intermodal transport. Under a glo-
balized environment, more varied alternative intermodal transport routes
with a variety of costs and qualities (ie frequency) are required to meet the
advanced shippers’ needs. The shippers intend to optimize the widespread
global supply chain, so that the solution should be logistics planning and
operations from the viewpoint of 3PL where intermodal transport will play
an important role in providing logistics alternatives.

Notes
1 These definitions are intended for the work of the three inter-governmental
organizations, namely the European Community, the European Conference of
Ministers of Transport (ECMT) and the UN/ECE.
 Intermodal Freight Transport and Logistics 123

2 The number of containers converted into 20-foot containers is called TEU

(twenty-foot equivalent unit). A 40-foot container is equivalent to 2 TEU.

References
EC (2009) A Sustainable Future for Transport: Towards an integrated, technology-
led and user friendly system, COM (2009) 279/4, Brussels
Ishihara, S and Goda, H (2010) Theory and Practice of Container Logistics,
Seizando (in Japanese)
JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization) (2007) ASEAN Logistics Network
Map, Tokyo
Levinson M (2006) The Box, Princeton University Press
Long, D (2003) International Logistics, Kluwer Academic Publishers
Miyashita, K (2004) Comprehensive advantage in global logistics industry, Journal
of Logistics and Shipping Economics, No 38 (in Japanese)
Nemoto, T (2003) Planning intermodal freight transport system in Asia, Journal of
Logistics and Shipping Economics, No 37 (in Japanese)
Nemoto, T and Castro, J (2007) Intermodal logistics in urban areas, Efficient and
Sustainable Intermodal Logistics Network in the Asia-Pacific Region, OECD
and Institute of Highway Economics
Nemoto, T (2008) A planning framework of international freight transport
infrastructure, Journal of Logistics and Shipping Economics, No 42 (in
Japanese)
Nemoto, T and Hashimoto, M (2010) Global Procurement System of Auto-Parts in
China and ASEAN Countries, Chuou Keizai (in Japanese)
Nittsu Research Center (2008) Logistics in China, Taiseido (in Japanese)
Ocean Commerce (2009) International Transport Handbook (in Japanese)
OECD (2002) Benchmarking Intermodal Freight Transport, Paris
Ono, K and Fukumoto, M (2008) Strategy and view of creating trans-Asian
transport network, Transport Policy Studies Review, No 41 (in Japanese)
Slack, B (2001) Intermodal transport, Handbook of Logistics and Supply-Chain
Management, Pergamon
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (2001) Implementation of
Multimodal Transport Rules
United Nations Economic and Social Council (2000) Terminology on Combined
Transport
Developing liner 08
service networks
in container
shipping
C É S a r D u C ru E T a N D T h E O N OT T E B O OM

Introduction: Background on liner shipping

Container liner shipping has a relatively short history. In 1956 Malcolm
McLean launched the first containership Ideal X. Ten years later the first
transatlantic container service between the US East Coast and North Europe
marked the real start of long-distance scheduled container liner services.
The first specialized cellular containerships were delivered in 1968. In the
1970s the containerization process expanded rapidly due to the adoption
of standard container sizes and the awareness of industry players about
the advantages and cost savings containerization brought (Rodrigue and
Notteboom, 2009; Levinson, 2006). Although container shipping occupies
a relatively minor share of the whole maritime fleet (about 12 per cent), it
is the fastest growing sector and currently concentrates more than half of
world trade value, regularly expanding to other commodities (eg neo-bulks).
The world container traffic, the absolute number of containers being car-
ried by sea, increased from 28.7 million TEU in 1990 to 152 million TEU
in 2008 or an average annual increase of 9.5 per cent. Worldwide container
port throughput increased from 36 million TEU in 1980 and 88 million TEU
in 1990 to about 535 million TEU in 2008. A comparison between world
container traffic and world container port throughput reveals a container on
average was handled (loaded or discharged) three-and-a-half times between
the first port of loading and the last port of discharge in 2008. In 1990 this
handling figure had been three times. The rise in the average number of port
handlings per box is the result of more complex configurations in liner service
networks as will be explained later in this chapter. Furthermore, the centre
126 Shipping Logistics

of gravity of these liner service networks has shifted to Asia. The dominance
of Asia is reflected in world container port rankings. In 2009, 14 of the 20
busiest container ports were in Asia, mainly in China. In the mid-1980s there
were only six Asian ports in the top 20, mainly Japanese load centres. The
emerging worldwide container shipping networks helped to reshape global
supply chain practices and supported the globalization in production and
consumption. New supply chain practices in turn increased the requirements
on container shipping service networks in terms of frequency, schedule reli-
ability/integrity, global coverage of services and rate setting.
This chapter analyses liner service networks as configured by container
shipping lines. In the first section we discuss the drivers of and decision vari-
ables in liner service design as well as the different liner service types. Next,
the chapter provides a global snapshot of the worldwide liner shipping net-
work based on vessel movement data. The changing geographic distribution
of main inter-port links is explored in the light of recent reconfigurations of
liner shipping networks. Third, we zoom in on the position of seaports in
liner shipping networks referring to concepts of centrality, hierarchy, and
selection factors. The chapter concludes by elaborating on the interactions
and interdependencies between seaport development and liner shipping net-
work development notably under current economic changes.

Configuration and design of liner shipping

services
The configuration of liner shipping services and
networks
Liner shipping networks are developed to meet the growing demand in
global supply chains in terms of frequency, direct accessibility and transit
times. Expansion of traffic has to be covered either by increasing the number
of strings operated, or by vessel upsizing, or both. As such, increased cargo
availability has triggered changes in vessel size, liner service schedules and
in the structure of liner shipping.
When designing their networks, shipping lines implicitly have to make a
trade-off between the requirements of the customers and operational cost
considerations. A higher demand for service segmentation adds to the grow-
ing complexity of the networks. Shippers demand direct services between
their preferred ports of loading and discharge. The demand side thus exerts
a strong pressure on the service schedules, port rotations and feeder link-
ages. Shipping lines, however, have to design their liner services and net-
works in order to optimize ship utilization and benefit the most from scale
economies in vessel size. Their objective is to optimize their shipping net-
works by rationalizing coverage of ports, shipping routes and transit time
 Developing Liner Service Networks 127

(Zohil and Prijon, 1999; Lirn et al, 2004). Shipping lines may direct flows
along paths that are optimal for the system, with the lowest cost for the
entire network being achieved by indirect routing via hubs and the amalga-
mation of flows. However, the more efficient the network from the carrier’s
point of view, the less convenient that network could be for shippers’ needs
(Notteboom, 2006).
Bundling is one of the key drivers of container service network dynamics.
The bundling of container cargo can take place at two levels: 1) bundling
within an individual liner service: and 2) bundling by combining/linking
two or more liner services.
The objective of bundling within an individual liner service is to collect
container cargo by calling at various ports along the route instead of focus-
ing on an end-to-end service. Such a line-bundling service is conceived as a
set of x roundtrips of y vessels each with a similar calling pattern in terms
of the order of port calls and time intervals (ie frequency) between two
consecutive port calls. By the overlay of these x roundtrips, shipping lines
can offer a desired calling frequency in each of the ports of call of the loop
(Notteboom, 2006). Line-bundling operations can be symmetric (ie same
ports of call for both sailing directions) or asymmetric (ie different ports
of call on the way back) (Figure 8.1). Most liner services are line-bundling
itineraries connecting between two and five ports of call scheduled in each
of the main markets. The Europe–Far East trade provides a good example.
Most mainline operators and alliances running services from the Far East to
North Europe stick to line-bundling itineraries with direct calls scheduled in
each of the main markets. Notwithstanding diversity in calling patterns on
the observed routes, carriers select up to five regional ports of call per loop.
Shipping lines have significantly increased average vessel sizes deployed on
the route from around 4,500 TEU in 2000 to over 8,000 TEU in early 2011.
These scale increases in vessel size have put a downward pressure on the
average number of European port calls per loop on the Far East–North
Europe trade: 4.9 ports of call in 1989, 3.84 in 1998, 3.77 in October 2000,
3.68 in February 2006, and 3.35 in December 2009. Two extreme forms of
line-bundling are round-the-world services and pendulum services.
The second possibility is to bundle container cargo by combining/linking
two or more liner services. The three main bundling options in this cat-
egory include a hub-and-spoke network (hub/feeder), interlining and relay
(Figure 8.2). The establishment of global networks has given rise to hub
port development at the crossing points of trade lanes. Intermediate hubs
emerged since the mid-1990s within many global port systems: Freeport
(Bahamas), Salalah (Oman), Tanjung Pelepas (Malaysia), Gioia Tauro, Alge-
ciras, Taranto, Cagliari, Damietta and Malta in the Mediterranean, to name
but a few. The role of intermediate hubs in maritime hub-and-spoke systems
has been discussed extensively in recent literature (see, for instance, Baird,
2006; Fagerholt, 2004; Guy, 2003; McCalla et al, 2005). The hubs have a
range of common characteristics in terms of nautical accessibility, proxim-
ity to main shipping lanes and ownership, in whole or in part, by carriers
128 Shipping Logistics

Fi g u r e 8 . 1  Bundling within an individual liner service

Line-bundling service (symmetric and asymmetric)

Port of call

Port of call Port of

Port of call
call
Line-bundling service (symmetric) on Line-bundling service (asymmetric) on
Europe-Far East trade Europe-Far East trade

Round-the-world service

Suez Canal

Panama Canal

Port of call
Round-the-world line bundling
service (Eastbound)

Pendulum service

Port of call
Pendulum service Eastbound
Pendulum service Westbound

or multinational terminal operators. Most of these intermediate hubs are

located along the global beltway or equatorial round-the-world route (ie
the Caribbean, South-east and East Asia, the Middle East and the Mediter-
ranean). These nodes multiply shipping options and improve connectivity
within the network through their pivotal role in regional hub-and-spoke
networks and in cargo relay and interlining operations between the carriers’
 Developing Liner Service Networks 129

Fi g u r e 8 . 2  Bundling container cargo by combining/linking two

or more liner services

Hub/feeder (hub-and-spoke) network

Transhipment
Port of call hub
Port of call
Line-bundling service North Europe-Far East
Regional feeder services (end-to-end or line bundling)
Interlining

Interlining hub
Port of call
Line-bundling service North Europe-Far East
Line-bundling service North-Europe-South-America East Coast
Relay

Relay ports (Asian side)

Port of call
Line-bunding service A on North Europe-Far East trade
Line-bundling service B on North Europe-Far East trade

East–West services and other inter- and intra-regional services. Container

ports in northern Europe, North America and mainland China mainly act
as gateways to the respective hinterlands.
130 Shipping Logistics

Two developments undermine the position of pure transhipment/

interlining hubs (Rodrigue and Notteboom, 2010). First of all, the insertion
of hubs often represents a temporary phase in connecting a region to global
shipping networks. Hub-and-spoke networks would allow considerable
economies of scale of equipment, but the cost efficiency of larger ships might
not be sufficient to offset the extra feeder costs and container lift charges
involved. Once traffic volumes for the gateway ports are sufficient, hubs
are bypassed and become redundant (see also Wilmsmeier and Notteboom,
2010). Second, transhipment cargo can easily be moved to new hub termi-
nals that emerge along the long-distance shipping lanes. The combination of
these factors means that seaports which are able to combine a transhipment
function with gateway cargo obtain a less vulnerable and thus more sustain-
able position in shipping networks.
In channelling gateway and transhipment flows through their shipping
networks, container carriers aim for control over key terminals in the net-
work. Decisions on the desired port hierarchy are guided by strategic, com-
mercial and operational considerations. Shipping lines rarely opt for the
same port hierarchy in the sense that a terminal can be a regional hub for one
shipping line and a secondary feeder port for another operator. For example,
Antwerp in Belgium and Valencia in Spain are some of the main European
hubs for Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) while they receive only
few vessels from Maersk Line. Zeebrugge and Algeciras are among the pri-
mary European ports of call in the service network of Maersk Line while
these container ports are rather insignificant in the network of MSC.
The liner service configurations in Figures 8.1 and 8.2 are often combined
to form complex multi-layer networks. The advantages of complex bundling
are higher load factors and/or the use of larger vessels in terms of TEU capac-
ity and/or higher frequencies and/or more destinations served. Container ser-
vice operators have to make a trade-off between frequency and volume on
the trunk lines: smaller vessels allow meeting the shippers’ demand for high
frequencies and lower transit times, while larger units will allow operators to
benefit from economies of vessel scale. The main disadvantages of complex
bundling networks are the need for extra container handling at intermedi-
ate terminals and longer transport times and distances. Both elements incur
additional costs and as such could counterbalance the cost advantages linked
to higher load factors or the use of larger unit capacities. Some have suggested
that the most efficient East–West pattern is the equatorial round-the-world,
following the beltway of the world (eg Ashar, 2002 and De Monie, 1997). This
service pattern focuses on a hub-and-spoke system of ports that allows ship-
ping lines to provide a global grid of East–West, North–South and regional
services. The large ships on the East–West routes will call mainly at tranship-
ment hubs where containers will be shifted to multi-layered feeder subsystems
serving North–South, diagonal and regional routes. Some boxes in such a sys-
tem would undergo as many as four transhipments before reaching the final
port of discharge. The global grid would allow shipping lines to cope with the
changes of trade flows as it combines all different routes in a network.
 Developing Liner Service Networks 131

Existing liner shipping networks feature a great diversity in types of liner

services and a great complexity in the way end-to-end services, line-bundling
services and transhipment/relay/interlining operations are connected to form
extensive shipping networks. Maersk Line, MSC and CMA-CGM operate
truly global liner service networks, with a strong presence also on second-
ary routes. Maersk Line especially has created a balanced global coverage of
liner services. The networks of CMA-CGM and MSC differ from the gen-
eral scheme of traffic circulation through a network of specific hubs (many
of these hubs are not among the world’s biggest container ports) and a more
selective serving of secondary markets such as Africa (strong presence by
MSC), the Caribbean and the eastern Mediterranean. Notwithstanding
the demand pull for global services, a large number of individual carriers
remain regionally based. Asian carriers such as APL, Hanjin, NYK, China
Shipping and HMM mainly focus on intra-Asian trade, trans-Pacific trade
and the Europe–Far East route, partly because of their huge dependence
on export flows generated by the respective Asian home bases. MOL and
Evergreen are among the few exceptions frequenting secondary routes such
as Africa and South America. Profound differences exist in service network
design among shipping lines. Some carriers have clearly opted for a true
global coverage, others are somewhat stuck in a triad-based service network
forcing them to develop a strong focus on cost bases. Alliance structures (cf
Grand Alliance, New World Alliance and CYKH) provide its members easy
access to more loops or services with relatively low-cost implications and
allow them to share terminals.

The process of designing a liner service

Figure 8.3 summarizes the liner service design process. Before operators can
start with the actual design of a regular container service, they will have to
analyse the targeted trade route(s). The analysis should include elements
related to the supply, demand and market profile of the trade route. Key con-
siderations on the supply side include vessel capacity deployment and uti-
lization, vessel size distribution, the configuration of existing liner services,
the existing market structure and the port call patterns of existing opera-
tors. On the demand side, container lines focus on the characteristics of the
market to be served, the geographical cargo distribution, seasonality and
cargo imbalances. The demand vs supply balance on the trade route results
in fluctuations in the freight rate and overall earning potential on the trade.
The ultimate goal of the market analysis is not only to estimate the poten-
tial cargo demand for a new liner service, but also to estimate the volatility,
geographical dispersion and seasonality of such demand. These factors will
eventually affect the earning potential of the new service. Once the market
potential for a new service has been determined, the service planners need to
take decisions on several inter-related core design variables. These design varia-
bles are indicated in dark grey/shaded boxes in Figure 8.3 and mainly concern:
1) the liner service type; 2) the number and order of port calls in combination
132 Shipping Logistics

Fi g u r e 8 . 3  The process of liner service design

LINER SERVICE DESIGN No. of

Unit capacity Frequency
Fleet mix vessels per
of vessels (calls/week)
Vessel utilization liner service
(average and distribution)
Slot capacity of
Round-trip Expected
liner service
time vessels delays/waiting
Expected cargo demand for new time/schedule
(days)
liner service reliability
Expected cargo volatility/ Choice of liner service
seasonality network (hub-and-spoke,
Expected geographical cargo line building etc.) Vessels
dispersion Theoretical speed (kn)
roundtrip
Port calling pattern of liner
time vessels
Supply profile of trade route: service:
(days) Length
Vessel capacity deployed, number of port calls sequency
of route (nm)
ordered, laid-up at either side of trade route
Vessel size distribution
Market structure (no. of shipping lines, Demand profile of ports:
concentration, integration etc.) • flow orientation and
Identification of possible
Characteristics and vulnerability geographical specialization
ports of call at either
of existing liner services • port scale and growth
side of trade route
Existing ports of call • frequency of ship visits,
connectivity

Supply profile of ports:

Demand profile of trade route: capacity, costs and quality/
Level of cargo dispersion reliability of nautical access,
Level of cargo concentration terminal operations and
at shipper’s side Analysis of level of hinterland access
Cargo imbalances substitutability among
Seasonality in cargo flows possible ports of call Market profile of ports:
Containerized and containerisable • Market structure in port
commodities • Logistics focus on port
Supply chains characteristics • Port reputation

Behavioural impacts
Market profile of trade route: on port selection:
Freight rates and freight rate volatily Port selection among
Port selection in strategic alliance
Earning potential ports with a moderate or
‘Must’ ports of call (shippers)
high level of substitutability
Use of dedicated terminal capacity
Inertia and embeddedness
TRADE ROUTE ANALYSIS PORT SELECTION PROCESS

Note  Dark grey/shaded areas are decision variables in liner service design.
Source  Author’s elaboration based on insights from Notteboom (2009) and Notteboom and
Vernimmen (2009)

with the actual port selection process; 3) vessel speed; 4) frequency; and 5)
vessel size and fleet mix. The array of liner service types and bundling options
available to shipping lines was discussed in the previous section.
Limiting the number of port calls shortens round-voyage time and
increases the number of roundtrips per year, thereby minimizing the num-
ber of vessels required for that specific liner service. However, fewer ports
of call mean poorer access to more cargo catchment areas. Adding port
calls can generate additional revenue if the additional costs from added
calls are offset by revenue growth. The actual port selection is a complex
issue. Traffic flows through ports are a physical outcome of route and port
selection by the relevant actors in the chain. The most relevant service-
related and cost factors explaining port selection by the main players of the
 Developing Liner Service Networks 133

transport chain (eg shippers, ocean carriers, and forwarders) are identified
in the scientific literature on port choice: eg Murphy et al (1992); Murphy
and Daley (1994); Malchow and Kanafani (2001); Tiwari et al (2003); Nir
et al (2003); Chou et al (2003); Song and Yeo (2004); Guy and Urli (2006)
and Wiegmans et al (2008). Port choice has increasingly become a function
of the overall network cost and performance. Figure 8.3 incorporates the
approach of Notteboom (2009) to group port selection factors together in
the demand profile of the port, the supply profile of the port, and the mar-
ket profile of the port. Human behavioural aspects might impede carriers
from achieving an optimal network configuration. Incorrect or incomplete
information results in bounded rationality in carriers’ network design, lead-
ing to sub-optimal decisions. Shippers sometimes impose bounded rational
behaviour on shipping lines, eg in case the shipper asks to call at a specific
port. Wiegmans et al (2008) argue that port selection by shipping lines can
also be heavily influenced by the balance of power among the shipping lines
of the same strategic alliance, or the carrier’s objective to make efficient use
of its dedicated terminal capacity in specific ports.
The choice of vessel speed is mainly affected by the technical specifica-
tions of the vessel deployed (ie the design speed), the bunker price (see Not-
teboom and Vernimmen, 2009), environmental considerations (eg reduction
of CO2 through slow steaming) and the capacity situation in the market (ie
slow steaming can absorb some of the vessel overcapacity in the market – eg
Cariou and Notteboom, 2011 and Notteboom et al, 2010).
The number and order of port calls, the total two-way sailing distance
and the vessel speed are the main determinants of the total vessel roundtrip
time. The theoretical/optimal roundtrip time will seldom be achieved in
practice due to delays along the route and in ports giving rise to schedule
reliability problems. Low schedule integrities can have many causes ranging
from weather conditions, delays in access to ports (pilotage, towage, locks,
tides) to port terminal congestion or even security considerations (Notte-
boom, 2006). A shipping line can insert time buffers in the liner service to
cope with the chance of delays. Time buffers reduce schedule unreliability,
but increase the vessel roundtrip time.
When it comes to the service frequency, carriers typically aim for a weekly
service. The service frequency and the total vessel roundtrip time determine
the number of vessels required for the liner service. Carriers have to secure
enough vessels to guarantee the desired frequency.
Given the number of vessels needed and the anticipated cargo volume for
the liner service, the shipping line can then make a decision on the optimal
vessel size and fleet mix. As economies of vessel size are more significant
on longer distances, the biggest vessels are typically deployed on long and
cargo-rich routes.
Decisions on all of the above key design variables will lead to a specific
slot capacity offered by the new liner service. The resulting slot capacity
should be in line with the actual demand so as to maximize average vessel
utilization (given expected traffic imbalances, cargo dispersion patterns and
cargo seasonality and volatility).
134 Shipping Logistics

Shipping routes, network patterns and port

centrality
The aforementioned services altogether form a global maritime network
within which local, regional and global links among ports become intercon-
nected through the establishment of hub, interlining and relay ports.

The distribution of container flows

The weight and growth of major trade routes measured in TEUs provides
evidence about the imbalanced structure of the global liner shipping network
based on the offer of services (Table 8.1). Their distribution confirms the
predominance of the Europe–Asia link both in terms of weight and growth,
closely followed by Asia–USA but with lower growth, while other links lag
far behind in terms of the capacity deployed. This confirms the study by Fré-
mont and Soppé (2005) of the global container shipping network through
the mapping of the top shipping lines’ service offers among world regions.
They explain the dominance of Asia by the role of the Newly Industrialized
Countries (NICs) that provide consumer goods to industrialized countries,
thus intensifying trans-Pacific flows at the expense of transatlantic flows.
They also calculated that in 2002, such relations among the main economic
poles of the ‘Triade’ concentrated about 67 per cent of total service capacity,
22 per cent only remaining for North–South relations with these poles, and
South–South relations being negligible in size.
A more precise method for measuring the weight of links is to trace the
worldwide circulation of container vessels (Table 8.2). Each time a vessel
calls at one port, its capacity in deadweight tonnage (dwt) is added to the
port and to the inter-port link. The yearly total is thus an expression of
the frequency and capacity of the links formed on various levels (ie ports,

Ta B L E 8.1   World’s major trade routes in 2007

Transpacific europe–asia Transatlantic
asia– uSa– asia– europe– uSa– europe–
Main route uSa asia europe asia europe uSa
Cargo flows 15.4 4.9 17.7 10.0 2.7 4.5
(million TEUs)
Growth 2.8 3.0 15.5 9.0 7.3 1.6
2006–2007
(per cent)

SOuRCE Containerisation International

Ta B L E 8 . 2     Distribution of inter-regional flows in 1996 and 2006 (million dwt)
South Latin North South & North
region Oceania europe america africa europe east asia america
Year 1996 2006 1996 2006 1996 2006 1996 2006 1996 2006 1996 2006 1996 2006
Middle East 3 6 53 180 3 20 9 55 70 166 212 759 24 75
Oceania 8 24 4 27 8 16 16 46 116 336 18 62
South Europe 69 341 149 286 269 582 248 973 95 296
Latin America 23 102 177 418 111 570 282 737
Africa 142 154 78 269 11 38
North Europe 793 1439 316 461
South & East 905 1707
Asia

SOuRCE Author’s elaboration based on LMIU data

NOTE Calculated based on direct and indirect calls between regions.
136 Shipping Logistics

regions, continents) in an origin–destination matrix. One important aspect

of the methodology is to have considered all ports of the same vessel voyage
being interconnected, should they be or not adjacent calls in the sequence.
This allows for a better view of the distribution of links and traffics.
The polarizing role of Asia appears even more explicitly, since most
regions have their largest flow link directed to it at both years (Middle East,
Oceania, North Europe, North America), or only in 2006 (Africa, South
Europe, Latin America). In fact the latter regions have shifted their main
traffic flow from North Europe, North America and South Europe respec-
tively (in 1996) to Asia (in 2006), thereby illustrating the continuous influ-
ence of Asia on world trade patterns. Links can also be differentiated by
their traffic growth rate in a descending order, confirming the faster growth
of South–South linkages versus North–North and North–South linkages
(albeit in smaller volumes than main routes):
●● Very fast growth (over 500 per cent): Latin America–Oceania, Latin
America–Middle East, and Middle East–Africa;
●● Fast growth (over 250 per cent): Latin America–South Europe, Latin
America–Africa, Latin America–South and East Asia, South Europe–
South and East Asia, South and East Asia–Middle East;
●● Significant growth (over 100 per cent): South Europe–Middle East,
South Europe–Oceania, North Europe–all regions, South and East
Asia–Oceania, South and East Asia–North Europe, North America–
all regions;
●● Moderate growth (100 per cent or less): Africa–Oceania, Oceania–
Middle East, Africa–South Europe, North America–South and East
Asia, South and East Asia–North Europe, North America–North
Europe.
The importance of intra-regional traffic is estimated based on the sequences
of calls that are internal or external to LMIU (Lloyd’s Marine Intelligence
Unit) regions. Such distinction provides a rough estimate on the extent to
which different regions have different shipping dynamics. The intensity of
intra-regional traffic in total traffic (Table 8.3) can be explained by various
factors such as coastal morphology, the presence of hub ports, and the level
of trade integration within the region. For instance, the low share of Africa
and the Middle East in 1996 clearly reflects the lack of internal cohesion and
integration, but the figure has changed dramatically in 2006, due to greater
interdependency among regional ports. Shipping networks are thus a good
indicator of trade and regionalization dynamics (Lemarchand and Joly,
2009). Regions with high internal connectivity through the extensive use
of hub-and-feeder systems often have a high share of intra-regional traffic,
such as Asia and North Europe, but also Latin America, which includes the
Caribbean port system, whereas for North America, it is more the increase
of multiple calls along the east and west coasts, notably with the shift of
major container traffic and intermodal facilities to the South-east (eg Hamp-
ton Roads, Jacksonville, Miami).
 Developing Liner Service Networks 137

Ta B L E 8.3   Share of intra-regional traffic in total regional traffic

(% dwt)
region 1996 2006
South & East Asia 69.8 70.6
Oceania 49.8 53.9
Latin America 59.1 57.1
North Europe 48.4 52.2
World average 46.7 48.6
Africa 34.7 46.5
South Europe 47.1 43.2
Middle East 32.4 33.3
North America 32.2 32.1

SOuRCE Author’s elaboration based on LMIU data

Topology and the role of distance

Although maritime transport does not use an infrastructure of tracks as in
road or rail transport, Ducruet and Notteboom (2012) calculated that the
overall length of the network using orthodromic distance doubled between
1996 and 2006, from 5 to 10 million kilometres. The length of the longest
inter-port link has remained constant (10,000 km) but the average length
has slightly increased from 1,000 to 1,200 km, as well as the traffic density
from 331 to 407 TEU per kilometre. Such evidence validates the fact that
shipping networks have constantly expanded geographically during this
period. Although it goes beyond the boundaries of this chapter, it is impor-
tant to note that 67 per cent of inter-port links made by container vessels
also carried bulks or other commodities in recent years, thus illustrating the
fact that the spatial distribution of liner shipping networks is not random or
unique but very much path-dependent (Ducruet, 2013).
In addition to these results, Ducruet and Notteboom (2012) also under-
line the influence of distance on traffic concentration. They show that most
traffic occurs across relatively short distances: about 80 per cent of total
worldwide traffic is concentrated over direct links of 500 km or less, while
links of 100 km or less support more than half. Besides the influence of
coastal morphology and the necessity of following successive calls in relative
proximity, such figures can be explained by some local service configura-
tions, as in the case of adjacent seaports serving shared hinterlands (eg Le
Havre–Hamburg range) or acting as dual hubs (eg Busan and Gwangyang),
which often receive multiple calls for the same vessels or liner services.
The noticeable increase of the longest links can be explained by stronger
138 Shipping Logistics

Fi g u r e 8 . 4  Top 100 inter-regional traffic links in 1996 and 2006

1996 Auckland

Honolulu

a
m
Guam

ha
Yo yo
ko

ng
ok
a T

elu
Mapta

an e g e
N zh un K
am

n
Long Beach

ig

sa
Seattle Duch Harbor Hong Kong

Sh
Los Angeles

Bu

en hsi

sh n
Tacoma

a
Sh ao
Vancouver

R
Honolulu
Houston

New Orieans
Savannah Charlesion
Norflok
Montreal Colombo
Kingston New york Boston
Fel

Halifax
Limassol
ix

Liverpool Homburg
sto

Rubao Brememaven
we

Rotterdam
Antwerp
Zeebrugge Mersin
Beilul
Piraeus Haifa
Barcelona Ashdod Hodeidan
Algeciras Fas Damietta
Alexandria Dyboti
Havre

Buenos Aires Dakar

Santos

Main port
Other port Port Elizabeth
Top 50 links Durban
Top 100 links Cape dpwn

Source  Author’s elaboration based on LMIU data

trans-Pacific ties and also by rapid technological progress in the shipping

industry, allowing longer sailing distances between two ports: links of over
5,000 km concentrated 7 per cent and 10 per cent of worldwide traffic in
1996 and 2006 respectively. Overall, it could be calculated that the top 100
direct inter-port links in terms of traffic volume represented no less than 52
per cent and 39 per cent of worldwide container traffic in 1996 and 2006,
respectively, thus confirming a trend of de-concentration due to the multi-
plication of links. The spatial distribution of these top links also shows the
dominance of intra-regional relations, with the exception of trans-Pacific
links. The maps in Figure 8.4 retain only inter-regional inter-port (direct)
links based on the definition of large world regions by the United Nations (ie
Europe, Americas, Asia, Oceania, and Africa). We clearly observe a reduction
and simplification of transatlantic and trans-Mediterranean links together
with the appearance of new links in the top 100 such as Europe–Brazil and
 Developing Liner Service Networks 139

2006
Sydney Melporne

Brisbane

Thursday island

Fremantle
Seattle
Oakland

g
si g
un
on un
e

Ka eel
ab
amyo
Q gy usa a
Sh gd ng K

K
ig ok
Sh T

in a n
Long Beach Dutch Harbor
Hong Kong

en n
Los Angeles

en iam ai
an ao
an B

zh e
Sh X gh
Tacoma Vancouver Singapoore

w
Manzanillo Lazaro Cardenas Port Klang

G
Veracruz

Charieston
Baltimore
Montreal
New york Halifax
Fel iverp
L
ixs oo
tow l

Rotterdam
e

Antwerp Mersin
Barcelona Piraeus Haifa
Aden
Lirquen Cadiz El Dekheila
Maunitius
Las Palmas Dyboti

Santos Pecem
Rio de Janeiro

Main port
Other port
Durban
Top 50 links Port Elizabeth
Top 100 links Cape dpwn

Asia–Mexico. There is, however, also some continuity, since Le Havre–New

York is the heaviest direct link connecting Europe with the world in both
years, and trans-Pacific links remain at centre stage, but with a shift of main
links from Japanese to Chinese ports.
The extent to which the strategies of shipping lines are reflected in the
topological structure of the network can also be verified by applying some
measures from graph theory and complex networks. On a world level, Hu
and Zhu (2009) were the first to confirm that container shipping networks
belong to the category of so-called ‘scale-free’ and ‘small-world’ networks,
ie where a limited number of nodes have the majority of links, the latter’s
frequency being distributed along a power-law, and with high cluster densi-
ties among smaller nodes outside hubs. Although Kaluza et al (2010) con-
tradict Deng et al (2009) about the extent to which the global maritime
network is more or less ‘efficient’ (ie low average number of stops between
140 Shipping Logistics

two nodes) than other transport networks such as airlines, Ducruet and
Notteboom (2012) underlined an increase in efficiency between 1996 and
2006, which is attributed to the expansion of the network as well as to
the emergence of new hub ports. Another important trend topologically
speaking is the decreasing hierarchical structure of the network, as observed
by Ducruet and Notteboom (2012) on a world level and by Ducruet et al
(2010a, 2010b) in North-east Asia and the Atlantic regions. Such a trend
results from the combination of various factors such as regional integration
processes (multiplication of intra-regional links, opening of new direct call
and multi-port services), dis-economies of scale in large gateway and hub
ports, and competition between existing and emerging hub ports.

The centrality of container ports

The impact of a liner shipping network’s operation on container ports is
often analysed in terms of throughput, the most widely available indicator
of port performance in official statistics. Table 8.4 shows the classic port
hierarchy with regard to the number of containers (TEUs) handled by top
ports since the 1970s, regardless of the function of ports in the network.
However, the network perspective allows for calculating the connectivity
of ports, which is critically lacking in the related literature (de Langen et al,
2007). Two main measures of centrality in networks can be obtained based
on the configuration of inter-port links in a binary port-to-port matrix (ie
presence or absence of links between two given ports). First, betweenness
centrality counts the number of positions of a node on the possible shortest
paths among all nodes in the entire network (Ducruet and Lugo, 2013). It
is a measure of accessibility or reachability. Second, degree centrality is the
number of adjacent neighbours, which simply counts the number of ports
connected to a given port. These are two very classic measures in network
analysis across all fields of investigation from physics to sociology (Wasser-
man and Faust, 1994), which can provide answers to theoretical configura-
tions, notably provided by Fleming and Hayuth (1994) on the centrality and
intermediacy of transportation hubs. When it comes to ports, these meas-
ures can reveal other dimensions than sole throughput, with which they can
be highly correlated.
A first look at the top 25 central ports in the worldwide network provides
some evidence about the usefulness of the measures and how they charac-
terize the position of ports in the network. Unlike airline networks where
anomalous centralities depict the peculiar position of very central airports
(betweenness) with few direct connections (degree) (Guimerá et al, 2005),
liner shipping shows a good fit between betweenness and degree (Deng et al,
2009). Thus, very central ports in the entire liner shipping network are also
those multiplying their connections towards other ports. This would mean
that hub ports have many connections while being very central, unlike relay
hubs in airline networks (eg Anchorage). Some exceptions, however, are
visible in the results about ports, in light of the overall drop in the linear
Ta B L E 8 . 4     Top 25 container ports 1970–2009 (thousand TEU)
rank 1970 1980 1990 2000 2009
1 Oakland 336 New York 1947 Singapore 5224 Hong Kong 18098 Singapore 25866
2 Rotterdam 242 Rotterdam 1901 Hong Kong 5101 Singapore 17040 Shanghai 25002
3 Seattle 224 Hong Kong 1465 Rotterdam 3667 Busan 7540 Hong Kong 20983
4 Antwerp 215 Kaohsiung 979 Kaohsiung 3495 Kaohsiung 7426 Shenzhen 18250
5 Belfast 210 Singapore 917 Kobe 2596 Rotterdam 6280 Busan 11955
6 Bremen/Br. 195 Hamburg 783 Los Angeles 2587 Shanghai 5613 Guangzhou 11190
7 Los Angeles 165 Oakland 782 Busan 2348 Los Angeles 4879 Dubai 11124
8 Melbourne 158 Seattle 782 Hamburg 1969 Long Beach 4601 Ningbo 10503
9 Tilbury 155 Kobe 727 New York 1872 Hamburg 4248 Qingdao 10260
10 Larne 147 Antwerp 724 Keelung 1828 Antwerp 4082 Rotterdam 9743
11 Virginia 143 Yokohama 722 Yokohama 1648 Shenzhen 3994 Tianjin 8700
12 Liverpool 140 Bremen/Br. 703 Long Beach 1598 Port Klang 3207 Kaohsiung 8581
13 Harwich 140 Baltimore 663 Tokyo 1555 Dubai 3059 Port Klang 7310
14 Gothenburg 128 Keelung 660 Antwerp 1549 New York 3050 Antwerp 7310
15 Philadelphia 120 Busan 633 Felixstowe 1418 Tokyo 2899 Hamburg 7010
16 Sydney 118 Tokyo 632 San Juan 1381 Felixstowe 2853 Los Angeles 6749
Harbour
(Continued )
Ta B L E 8 . 4     Top 25 container ports 1970–2009 (thousand TEU) (Continued)
rank 1970 1980 1990 2000 2009
17 Le Havre 108 Los Angeles 621 Bremen/Br. 1198 Bremen/Br. 2752 Tanjung 6000
Pelepas
18 Anchorage 101 Jeddah 563 Seattle 1171 Gioia Tauro 2653 Long Beach 5068
19 Felixstowe 93 Long Beach 554 Oakland 1124 Melbourne 2550 Xiamen 4680
20 Kobe 90 Melbourne 513 Manila 1039 Durban 2497 Laem 4622
Chabang
21 Hamburg 72 Le Havre 507 Bremerhaven 1030 Tanjung Priok 2476 New York 4562
22 Zeebrugge 70 Bordeaux 453 Bangkok 1018 Yokohama 2317 Dalian 4552
23 Montreal 68 Honolulu 441 Tacoma 938 Manila 2292 Bremen/Br. 4536
24 Hull 59 San Juan 428 Dubai 916 Kobe 2266 Jawaharlal 4061
Nehru
25 Tokyo 54 Sydney 383 Nagoya 898 Yantian 2148 Tanjung 3800
Harbour Priok
Total 25 ports 3552 19482 49168 120820 242417
World total 4423 34806 84642 235569 432018
Share 25 ports 80 56 58 51 56
(per cent)

SOuRCE Containerisation International

 Developing Liner Service Networks 143

Ta B L E 8.5   Centrality of top 25 ports in 1996 and 2006

1996 2006
Betweenness Degree Betweenness Degree
Port centrality centrality Port centrality centrality
Singapore 150,240 165 Singapore 174,516 226
Rotterdam 97,875 140 Rotterdam 146,454 167

Hamburg 90,978 124 Hamburg 127,733 150

Hong Kong 61,839 126 Hong Kong 117,675 203
Antwerp 50,513 112 Busan 96,257 190
Busan 39,943 105 Shanghai 92,838 193
Le Havre 34,593 90 Bremerhaven 56,219 105
Houston 32,841 71 Antwerp 53,766 137
New York 32,536 70 Port Klang 52,191 148
Yokohama 31,090 83 Gioia Tauro 47,971 120
Los Angeles 30,726 66 Marsaxlokk 45,183 120
Felixstowe 27,606 88 Surabaya 39,030 50
Kaohsiung 27,551 82 Kingston(JAM) 37,495 104
Piraeus 24,827 71 Algeciras 36,846 130
Melbourne 22,516 44 Valencia 33,688 120
Philadelphia 21,867 44 Miami 32,963 83
Bremerhaven 21,661 56 Barcelona 32,462 118
Algeciras 20,373 72 Le Havre 31,623 98
Port Klang 19,782 58 Kaohsiung 31,419 125
Bilbao 19,549 60 New York 30,607 93
Valencia 17,380 78 Jebel Ali 28,785 97
Port Everglades 16,176 67 Felixstowe 28,216 92
Colombo 16,043 62 Durban 27,708 82
Izmir 14,854 55 Santos 26,306 92
Shanghai 14,719 59 Shenzhen 25,582 107

SOuRCE Author’s calculation based on LMIU data

correlation among betweenness and degree from 0.84 in 1996 to 0.72 in

2006. This change suggests a more complex relationship between the two
variables. Indeed in 2006, the peculiar position of some ports having less
degree than betweenness appears with Surabaya and Miami. Those ports
144 Shipping Logistics

thus tend to have a role as regional hubs, with fewer connections to local
ports that are not well connected to the rest of the network, and have no
option but to go through Surabaya and Miami, such as several Indonesian
and Caribbean ports. Surabaya and Miami thus benefit from their bridge
position towards such smaller ports to raise their centrality in the global
network. Such a trend is also visible in the work of Ducruet et al (2010a)
showing how Busan has increased its centrality within North-east Asia but
has simultaneously seen its centrality lowering in the worldwide network.
The extent to which network position relates to the hierarchy of con-
tainer throughput is a crucial question that can be tested in Figure 8.5. Inter-
estingly, the correlation with betweenness and with degree has increased
between 1996 and 2006, showing a better fit with container throughput. In

Fi g u r e 8 . 5  Centrality in liner shipping networks and container

throughput

100000000 100000000
Container throughout (1996)

Container throughout (1996)

10000000 10000000

1000000 1000000

100000 100000

10000 10000
y = 844,78x1,649
R 2 = 0,5698
1000 1000
y = 3793,2x0,4967
R 2 = 0,3983
100 100
0

10

0
00

10 00

10

0
10

00

10

0
10

0
00

10
10

00
10

Betweenness centrality (1996) Degree centrality (1996)

100000000 100000000
y = 2662,8x0,6193
Container throughout (2006)

Container throughout (2006)

10000000 R 2 = 0,4774 10000000

1000000 1000000

100000 100000

10000 10000
1,8636
y = 490,51x
R 2 = 0,6602
1000 1000

100 100
0

10

0
00

10 00

10

0
10

00

10

0
10

0
00

10
10

00
10

Betweenness centrality (2006) Degree centrality (2006)

Source  Author’s elaboration based on LMIU data

Note  Analysis based on the graph of adjacent calls between ports.
 Developing Liner Service Networks 145

terms of variance, betweenness centrality explains 40 per cent and 47 per

cent of total throughput, while degree centrality explains 57 per cent and 66
per cent at respective years. This would suggest that network indicators are
very good tools for understanding overall port performance, although they
do not include land-based dimensions of hinterland connectivity, coverage,
and other aspects of performance such as technical standards and the avail-
ability, quality, size, and cost of terminal handling facilities and services.
Overall, betweenness is less related with throughput than is degree, with
regard to correlation levels and to the slope of the power-law line. Degree
centrality scales super-linearly with throughput, which means that the num-
ber of connections is highly concentrated at large throughput ports. At the
top of the hierarchy, large gateway ports such as Shenzhen and Yokohama
may have less betweenness centrality than transhipment hubs, while ports
combining both functions may rank high in the three indicators. Further
analyses may better explain the role of network position on throughput
performance. Overall, the position of ports in shipping networks seems to
explain a large part of their overall activity.

Conclusions
The extensive worldwide container shipping networks are key to globali-
zation and global supply chains. The requirements on container shipping
service networks have tightened in terms of frequency, schedule reliability/
integrity, global coverage of services and rate setting. The evolutionary path
of liner shipping networks and port operations is characterized by drastic
changes as well as permanencies. Shipping lines have embraced a wide range
of bundling concepts and liner service configurations to drive container ser-
vice network dynamics. As global trade expands in economic and geographic
terms, despite difficult conjunctures such as the global financial crisis, new
ports and new shipping networks are regularly created to cope with demand.
Shipping lines logically adapt to such trends as well as influence them, some-
times by refining their services through rationalization or by creating new
service configurations through a combination of line-bundling itineraries and
transhipment/relay/interlining operations at pivotal ports of the network.
This chapter provided evidence about the increasing complexity and num-
ber of cargo movements that occur in parallel with increased concentration
and polarization, depending on the measures and methodologies applied for
revealing such trends. It discussed some fundamental aspects, such as the
economic and geographic dimension of the variety of services offered by
the industry, as well as the strong and growing interdependency between
maritime centrality and port throughput for container ports, although in this
simple equation, hinterland connectivity and port efficiency are not included.
Looking at the distribution of main trading routes as well as disaggregated
inter-regional and inter-port shipping links, the latter being compared with
146 Shipping Logistics

kilometric distance, we observed that the overall network is growing in size

and length notably thanks to a catching-up of South–South linkages versus
North–North and North–South linkages. However, most worldwide traf-
fic is still concentrated over very short distances that are more specific to
maritime transport than to air transport, due to adjacent calls between ports.
In light of our results, further research on container shipping networks
should go deeper into an analysis of the causal relationship between through-
put and centrality for container ports, while better identifying specific cases
and outliers. Another avenue of future research would be to test the impact
of the global financial crisis on the overall structure of regional and global
liner shipping networks, as well as on the position of individual container
ports, which would complement the classic view of shipping based on aggre-
gated cargo flows among major trade routes. The global database on vessel
movements is being expanded to other years and other types of vessels so
as to better appreciate the linkages between port hierarchy, global/regional
trade patterns, and the evolution of network structure. Last but not least,
the analysis of the situation of ports and cities within combined maritime
and land-based networks would prove helpful for the study of logistics
chains, the hinterland–foreland continuum, intermodal transport systems,
and port competitiveness.

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Supply chain 09
integration
of shipping
companies
p h OT I S M pa N ay I D E S , rO B E r T w I E D M E r ,
pa N ay I OT I S C a N D r E O u a N D   C h r I S TO D O u LO S
LO u C a

Introduction
The integration of shipping companies in the transportation supply chain may
be regarded as a significant strategy in the effort to fulfil demand requirements
and maintain the viability of the companies in the contemporary environment.
The growth of seaborne trade during the last decades reflects the coales-
cent markets in the world. The geographic separation of supply and demand
has raised the expectation towards transportation services. Keeping up with
the growth of global seaborne commodity demand was considered as one
of the biggest challenges. In addition to the satisfaction of demand, shippers
and consignees have become more sophisticated and thus more demanding
with respect to the quality of the transportation service. Users of freight
transportation services provided by shipping companies expect fast and reli-
able service at a competitive cost and covering a wide geographical network.
The consequent growth of shipping companies, either organic or through
mergers and acquisitions, aimed at meeting the demand and fulfilling the
aforementioned requirements.
The downside of this development could be observed in the 2009 eco-
nomic crisis when the global maritime service industry suffered a sharp
decline in demand. Suddenly, the period of growth with huge investments in
vessels and service expansion had to be changed into capacity adjustment
due to the market decline. This has reminded companies and professionals
of the key characteristics of the freight transport industry, viz competitive
intensity, market volatility and cash-flow uncertainty.
150 Shipping Logistics

Integration and consolidation have characterized the container shipping

industry primarily as a means to gain economies of scale and cost efficien-
cies. In previous years, liner companies invested in increasing vessel capaci-
ties in order to maintain profit margins. Considering the large investments
in container vessels, only a high utilization of the companies’ assets guar-
antees profitability. Consequently, the slump in maritime trade affects the
profitability of liner shipping companies.
Vessel capacity and utilization provides only one possibility for competi-
tiveness. Possible ways to elude this situation are to minimize investments in
capital-intensive vessels or to avoid a high dependency on liner services by
diversification of a company’s service portfolio and the integration of logistics
services respectively. Vertical integration is characterizing the modern trans-
port industry, as transport businesses are gearing up towards global logistics
services based on the principle of the ‘one-stop shop’. In order to accomplish
this goal, it is necessary to integrate port, hinterland transportation and logis-
tics management services. It follows that strategic aspects of vertical integra-
tion are of significant importance in the contemporary shipping industry.
The aim of this chapter is to theoretically explain the importance of verti-
cal integration in the supply chain by maritime companies and to investigate
the performance outcomes of integration through an empirical investigation
between supply chain integration and firm value.
The chapter is organized as follows. By referring to the theoretical lit-
erature on supply chain management, the first section explains the concept
of supply chain integration. For supply chain integration to be achieved, a
number of challenges must be overcome. More so in the maritime context
as highlighted in the sections that follow after. Next, the chapter focuses on
the benefits of supply chain integration and particular reference is made to
the performance outcomes of shipping firms that have made moves towards
greater supply chain integration using case examples. An empirical inves-
tigation is then carried out to test the relationship between supply chain
integration and shipping firm performance.

Supply chain integration in the maritime

shipping industry
Supply chain integration
The Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP Glossary
of Terms, 2010) describes supply chain management as a function that:

…encompasses the planning and management of all activities involved in

sourcing and procurement, conversion, and all logistics management activities.
Importantly, it also includes coordination and collaboration with channel
partners, which can be suppliers, intermediaries, third-party service providers,
 Supply Chain Integration of Shipping Companies 151

and customers. In essence, supply chain management integrates supply and

demand management within and across companies.

Supply chain integration is a key component of supply chain management

and thus an internal–external perspective is necessary to understand it
(Chen et al, 2009). Since supply chain management is a boundary-spanning
activity, both cross-functional and inter-organizational management efforts
are important (Day, 1994; Bowersox et al, 1999).
Stevens (1989) emphasized that true supply chain integration includes
both upstream and downstream players, while internal integration provides
the foundation for both. Supply chain integration was analysed as internal
and external integration by a variety of studies (Morash and Clinton, 1998;
Stanley and Wisner, 2001; Ragatz et al, 2002; Pagell, 2004; Petersen et al,
2005), while in more recent studies, it was assigned multiple dimensions
(Stank et al, 2001a, 2001b; Narasimhan and Kim, 2002; Vickery et al, 2003;
Droge et al, 2004; Gimenez and Ventura, 2005; Koufteros et al, 2005).
Bowersox et al (1999) proposed a comprehensive framework and catego-
rized supply chain integration into the following types: customer integra-
tion, internal integration, material service supplier integration, technology
and planning integration, measurement integration, and relationship inte-
gration. Alternatively, Fawcett and Magnan (2002) asserted that there are
four types of integration in supply chain management:

1 internal, cross-functional integration;

2 backward integration with valued first-tier suppliers and as a
consequence with second-tier supplier;
3 forward integration with valued first-tier customers;
4 complete forward and backward integration, where integration exists
from the suppliers’ supplier to the customers’ customer.

Handfield and Nichols (1999, p 5) list the following as the main drivers
of integration: the information revolution; the increased levels of global
competition, which create more demanding supplier- and customer-driven
markets; the emergence of new types of inter-organizational relationships.
Their study describes an integrated supply chain model, which encompasses
information systems (management of information and financial flows),
inventory management (management of product and material flows), and
supply chain relationships (management of relationships between trading
partners (Power, 2005). Lummus et al (1998) point out that the ascending
global competition forced companies to seek supply chain efficiencies. In
addition, the increasing specialization of products and processes has created
inefficiencies arising from the lack of integration.
Vickery et al (2003) emphasize two aspects in their conceptualization of
an integrative supply chain strategy. The first is the existence of integrative
information technologies, and the second is the existence of practices that
strengthen linkages between companies occupying different positions in the
152 Shipping Logistics

supply chain (vertical linkages as in supplier partnering and closer customer

relationships and horizontal linkages as in forming intra-firm linkages using
cross-functional teams).
A key characteristic of supply chain integration is the presence of integra-
tive information technologies that increase the flow of relevant information
amongst process participants to facilitate the integration of processes that
transcend functional and firm boundaries (Bowersox and Daugherty, 1995;
Lewis and Talalayevsky, 1997).
The literature acknowledges that the higher the degree of integra-
tion across the supply chain the better a firm performs (Narasimhan and
Jayaram, 1998; Johnson, 1999; Frohlich and Westbrook, 2001) whereas
there are dangers if suppliers and customers are not fully integrated in terms
of their business processes (Armistead and Mapes, 1993; Lee and Billington,
1992; Frohlich and Westbrook, 2001).

Challenges for integrated maritime logistics systems

For a number of decades after containerization was extensively adopted in the
1960s, the containerized shipping industry was characterized by liner confer-
ences. These agreements created a market of well-balanced service patterns
which guaranteed stability in freight rates. The situation continued until some
liner companies, for example Evergreen, questioned the situation in the mid-
1980s (Notteboom, 2004). The liner shipping industry was progressively lib-
eralized firstly with the US Ocean Shipping Reform Act and lately with the
abolition of the exemption of liner conferences from European Union antitrust
law. The increasing liberalization of the container shipping market led to a
financially underperforming industry. Although the competitive environment
intensified, the industry remained a capital-intensive industry (Notteboom,
2002). High fixed costs challenge the owners to achieve high and stable asset
utilization. Especially under the influence of lower profit margins, the shipping
lines always had the need to find creative answers to a highly variable transpor-
tation market that is characterized by highly inelastic demand, market volatil-
ity and cash-flow uncertainty. Consequently, in a weak economic environment,
container liners have had to accept whatever price is offered in the market.
The challenge of balancing supply and demand in the container shipping
industry is illustrated in Figure 9.1. The demand for container shipments
moves parallel to the global GDP. However, container traffic grows dis-
proportionately fast in comparison to country development. Therefore, the
capacity has to be adjusted by a higher amount than what the actual economy
grows. This challenge is illustrated in Figure 9.1 by the fact that the demand
changes faster than the supply of container capacity. On the other hand, the
slowing of the global economy has had a major impact on the container
shipping industry. During the economic recession of 2009, the manufacturers
and retailers realized that too much inventory had been built up. The con-
sequent bullwhip effect led to the inventory overhang effect (Datamonitor,
2010). Especially at times of sharp declines in demand, the high fixed costs in
the maritime freight industry increase the degree of competition.
 Supply Chain Integration of Shipping Companies 153

Fi g u r e 9 . 1  Annual growth of demand and supply in container

shipping (2000–2010)

Annual Growth Rates

15%
Annual Growth Rates

10%

5%
AGR in %

0%

–5%

–10%
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 e
Demand 10.7% 2.4% 10.5% 11.6% 13.4% 10.6% 11.2% 11.4% 4.3% –9.1% 11.1%
Supply 7.8% 8.5% 8.0% 8.0% 8.0% 10.5% 13.6% 11.8% 10.8% 5.1% 8.8%
World GDP 4.4% 1.8% 2.1% 2.6% 3.9% 3.4% 4.0% 3.7% 1.7% –2.1% 3.7%

Source  Authors, based on data from UNCTAD (2010)

Due to the market pressures, shipping lines have had to expand the range
of their services. The need arises primarily for managing the high volatil-
ity in the container liner business but in addition for fulfilling customers’
expectations. The pressure of geographically growing competitors forces
liner companies to find new solutions. Solutions included among others
the organization in strategic alliances of different forms (see Panayides and
Wiedmer, 2011) and mergers and acquisitions (see Alix et al, 1999; Fusillo,
2006; Heaver et al, 2000). Horizontal alliances were extensively studied in
the literature (eg Evangelista and Morvillo, 1999; Midoro and Pitto, 2000;
Slack et al, 2002; Song and Panayides, 2002). Slot charters, mergers and
acquisitions and alliance agreements are popular ways in which to provide
services in new geographic areas (Heaver, 2001). The vertical integration of
shipping lines has been less studied. The impact of introducing new logistics
services through vertical integration on firm success or performance has not
received the requisite attention.

The benefits of maritime supply chain integration

Supply chain integration in a maritime context has been mostly studied in
the field of container liner shipping. This is a logical consequence of the fact
that the goals, operations and activities of shipping lines have been more
relevant to those of logistics.
154 Shipping Logistics

Casson (1986) conducted one of the first studies related to integration in

the shipping industry. According to that analysis, shipping companies are
seeking ‘arm’s length’ relationships by offering a broad range of services.
However, Casson (1986) underpins that existing contractual arrangements
should not be jeopardized by untried innovations. This especially refers to
existing relations with partners that work as freight forwarders. The conclu-
sion is based on theoretical analysis and is supported empirically. Demand
complementarities exist if, for example, a liner company becomes a cus-
tomer of a port and vice versa. By controlling both segments, port logistics
and shipping services, a company can match service formation and pricing
in the most efficient way (Casson, 1986).
Heaver (2001) specifically addresses the possible economies of scope for
carriers as a result of vertical integration. In addition to the expansion of the
fleet deployed, corporate strategies for different services were integrated into
a liner company. The integration of terminal operations is value-adding if suf-
ficient container traffic is available on offered routes. Nevertheless, customers
expect that the terminals are run independently. Therefore, the integration of
intermodal services does not require ownership but a consistent management
(Heaver, 2001). Only in this way, efficient and effective door-to-door services
are provided. Heaver (2001) concludes that the satisfaction of customers is
not dependent on the ability to offer a wide range of logistics services, but
rather on the actual quality of the container transportation service.
With respect to the container handling business, in Europe leading han-
dling companies developed independently of the liner industry, whereas in
North America shipping liners aim to integrate ports services (Slack and
Frémont, 2005). It is important to realize that transport integration and port
performance influence each other. Port performance is affected by added-
value services and port characteristics such as accessibility and hinterland
size (Ducruet and van der Horst, 2009). These beneficial port features influ-
ence the willingness of container liners to integrate additional logistics
services.
In a competitive, deregulated market, corporations try to simplify and
control supply chains. As stated by Robinson (2002) the integration of
modes, service and networks is crucial for successful transportation chains.
In addition, firms try to ‘seek advantage and value’ (Robinson, 2002, p 22).
In this manner, value is not only related to operating or technical efficiency.
More precisely, the degree of integration of business processes and of the
effectiveness of alliances and inter-firm arrangements is a contributor to a
company’s value chain. In summary, Robinson (2002, pp 20–21) identi-
fies six key drivers that influence the value addition in an integrated supply
chain:

●● operational efficiency and capacity matching (intra-firm);

●● real-time information and the integration of business processes
(intra-firm);
 Supply Chain Integration of Shipping Companies 155

●● alliances and coalitions (intra-firm);

●● chain structures and value chain constellations (inter-firm);
●● market settings (macro level);
●● policy setting (macro level).
Especially at times of increased demand, integrated firms are able to take
advantage of their own service portfolio. Externalities can be controlled
more effectively (Notteboom, 2002), hence, volumes and transportation
times are balanced more effectively. Inefficiencies might arise if core com-
petencies are not developed in each field of business activity. Heaver (2005,
p 206) states that ‘customers are reluctant to use a logistics service if they
feel that logistics services are only offered as a means to feed another
business’.
A widely described advantage for vertical integration refers to the reduc-
tion of transaction costs (Panayides, 2002). Integrating logistics services
may result in gained efficiency by realizing synergies (Panayides and Cul-
linane, 2002). In this manner, information flow between different logis-
tics services can be improved. An improved exchange of information and
business knowledge enhances logistics service quality. Better supply chain
management enables the reduction of cycle times, inventories and improved
flexibility, which especially holds for the competitive container shipping
industry (Casson, 1986).
It is widely recognized in the literature that the future of containerization
will be shaped by inland transportation systems (Notteboom and Rodigue,
2009). Figure 9.2 illustrates potential steps for transport chain integration.
The scenario is developed from the shipping line perspective. The suggested
steps of integration are not necessarily linear. Nonetheless, shipping liners
implement those services into their business portfolios that are closely con-
nected to their own services in the transportation chain. In this way, it is most
beneficial for shipping lines to control terminal operations first. Following
this, the connection to inland transportation can be worth considering.

Fi g u r e 9 . 2  Steps of supply chain integration

Shipping line
Vertical integration

Limited service
Shipping agent
Asset Driven
High utilization
Terminal operations Pricing monopolies

Freight forwarding
High reliability
Holistic view
Inland transportation Supply Chain Driven
End-customer oriented
Logistics provider

Source  Based on Frémont (2009a) and Fransoo and Lee (2013)

156 Shipping Logistics

Furthermore, higher expectations in the production chains force transporta-

tion companies to offer services just-in-time. By offering integrated transpor-
tation services, the shipping lines have closer relationships with the customer
and can reduce their dependence on third-party logistics. In many cases,
in order to offer such door-to-door services, subsidiaries are mandated to
integrate the transportation chain under the supervision of the shipping line.
It must also be noted that inland logistics represent one of the most attrac-
tive parts of the transportation chain for reducing costs. More specifically,
inland costs account for 40 to 80 per cent of the total costs. In contrast to
fixed-cost-driven ocean logistics, inland transportation turns out to be much
more variable, respectively cost-driven. Notteboom (2002, p 92) states that
inland transportation costs are 5 to 30 times higher than long-distance liner
shipping rates.
Notteboom (2009, p 21) provides a positive picture by summarizing:
‘What will take place inland, will shape the future of containerization in
terms of its potential to further accommodate the growth of international
trade.’ Nevertheless, since the shipping company moves away from its core
business, new problems might be encountered. Competition between the
different inland transportation modes is not a given anymore which might
result in inefficiencies (Frémont, 2009a, p 11).

Supply chain integration of shipping companies

and performance outcomes
It is widely accepted that the relationship between supply chain integration
of shipping companies and performance has not been given the requisite
attention in the literature. Hence, to provide a basis for further empirical
support this section makes inferences by examining specific case examples.
Many container lines choose to widen their role by offering global logistics
services. Non-asset services are developed (eg freight forwarding) in order
to reduce the dependence on investment intensive operations. In this way,
freight forwarding can help to streamline fluctuating freight volumes. Fur-
thermore, companies aim to implement ‘one-stop’ service by developing and
combining various value-added activities. In many cases, these activities are
already performed within the in-house logistics group of the company.
Many container lines can be considered as subsidiaries of bigger trans-
portation groups. As illustrated in Table 9.1, the majority of fleet operators
offer transportation services for cargo, liquid and solid bulks and reefer
cargo. In addition, logistics management services like freight forwarding
complement the activities’ portfolio. Due to capacity constraints in many
container terminals around the world, liner companies try to increase their
influence on ports by acquiring shares in major ports. In this way, logistics
activities can be streamlined while the bottleneck ‘port’ is controlled. In the
same manner, the financing of major investments can be supported by being
involved in the finance industry.
Ta B L E 9 .1     Liner companies and their subsidiaries
Tankers and Shipyard/
Shipping lines Terminal other shipping Logistics/ Container
Company (container) activities activities Multimodal production Others
1 AP Möller Group Mearsk Line APM Terminals Maersk Tankers Mearsk Logistics The Odense Maersk Oil
Safmarine og MCC Maersk Drilling Steel Shipyard Supermarked Group
Damco Maersk LNG group Danske Bank
Maersk FPS Container Star Air
Svitzer (towing) Industry Danbor Service
2 Mediterranean MSC Cargo MSC Cruises
Shipping Company
(MSC)
3 CMA CGM Group Delmas River Shuttle Cont. Compagnie du
ANL LTI France Ponant
Mac Andrews Progeco Partir en Cargo
OT Africa Line CMA Rail Tapis Rouge Int.
CNC Line CMA CGM The Traveller's Club
Comanav Logistics (all tourism related)
U.S. Lines TCX Multimodal
Logistics
4 Evergreen Line EG Marine Corp. 4 transhipments
Italia Marittima SpA hubs
EG Marine (UK) Ltd. 3 terminals
EG Marine (Hong Kong) operated
Ltd.
EG Marine (Singapore)
Pte Ltd.

(Continued )
Ta B L E 9. 1     Liner companies and their subsidiaries (Continued )
Tankers and Shipyard/
Shipping lines Terminal other shipping Logistics/ Container
Company (container) activities activities Multimodal production Others
5 Hapag Lloyd AG Hapag-Lloyd Holding with
minor shares in
container
terminals in
Hamburg and
Montreal
6 CSAV Group CSAV COSAN Transportation of SAAM (logistics
Norasia Container Lines SAAM vehicles, reefer activities)
Ltd. cargo, solid and
Companhia Libra de liquid bulks
Navegacao/Navegacion SAAM (tugboats)
CSAV Panama
7 NOL Group American President Line APL Terminal APL Logistics
(APL) Activities APL Log Transp.
Management Serv.
APL Log Wh
Management Serv.
Vascor, Ltd.
8 COSCO Group COSCO Shipping Lines COSCO Pacific Xiamen (bulk) COSCO Logistics COSCO passenger shipping:
Co. Cosco Bulk Carrier China Ocean Shipyard Group Tianjin Jinshen Ferry
Dalian (tanker) Shipping Agency Nantong Sino-Japan Int. Ferry
Guangzhou Ocean COSCO KHI Yingkou COSCO
Shipp (specialized) Ship Eng. Co COSCO Finance Co
Dalian COSCO COSCO Int. ship
Shipbuilding trading
CIMC (container China Marine Bunker
manufacturing)
9 Hanjin Shipping Hanjin Shipping Hanjin Pacific Hanjin Overseas Hanjin ZESCO (ship Samol Co.
Corporation Bulk Shipmanagement repair yard) (renewable energy)
(13 terminals) Hanjin Overseas Hanjin Logistics
Hanjin New Port Tanker Pte. HJLK (Transport.
Company Agency)
Hanjin Kerry Shandong Hanjin
Logistics Log. (ODCY)
Total Terminal Int.
10 CSCL China Shipping Container China Shipping China Shipping Shanghai Yanshan CSCL (Dalian) Data
Lines Terminal Refrigeration Storage and Processing
ShanHai Puhai Shipping Development Universal Shipping Transportation Co. International
Xiang Zhu Dalian Int. Co. Dalian Vanguard Int. Computer Co. (IT)
Container Terminal Shanghai HaiXin Logistics
various other YuanCang Int. Log. Universal Logistics
terminals Various cargo
agencies
11 Mitsui O.S.K. Line Mitsui O.S.K. Liner International MOL Bulk MOL Ship Minaminippon MOL Information
Utoc Corp. Container Terminal Shipping - Tankers Management Shipbuilding Co. Systems
MOL LNG MOL Ferry MO Tourist Co.
Transport Co. Blue Sea Network MO Marine
MOL Car Carriers (ferry and domestic Consulting
transport) MOL Finance
Tug-Boat and
Towing
12 NYK Line NYK Liner Trade Yusen Terminals Bulk Shipping NYK Logistics Yusen Real Estate
Inc. Nippon Cargo Crystal Cruises Inc.
Airline Co. NYK Cruise Co.
Monohakobi
Technology Inst.
(Research)

(Continued )
Ta B L E 9. 1     Liner companies and their subsidiaries (Continued )
Tankers and Shipyard/
Shipping lines Terminal other shipping Logistics/ Container
Company (container) activities activities Multimodal production Others
13 Hamburg Süd Group Hamburg Süd Alianca Bulk Columbus Logistics Hamburg Süd Travel
Alianca Hamburg Süd Service GmbH Agency
Tramp Shipping (CLS) Columbus Tours
Columbus Event Business
Shipmanagement GmbH
GmbH Alianca Consulting
14 OOIL Group OOCL Logistics Ltd. associated OOCL Logistics Maritime Delivery E-services
companies: Ltd. (cargo) Services Inc. Orient Overseas
Ningbo Yuan Dong Reefer Service (trucking) Building (real est.)
Terminal OOL Logistics investment:
Tianjin Port Warehousing and Kenwake Ltd.
Alliance Int. Transportation Soberry Investments
Container Terminal Intermodal Service Ltd.
Co. Wall Street Plaza
Wayton
Wealth Cap. Corp.
15 K Line K Line America, Inc. International RoRo services intermodal services, K Line Travel Ltd.
K Line Transportation Bulk shipping land transportation K Line Accounting
Service Tanker services Century Distribution and Finance Co.
LNG transport Systems
16 Zim Zim Integrated Shipping OOG & Project
Services Cargo
Reefer Containers Tanker
 17 Yang Ming Group Yang Ming Marine Kao Ming Kuang Ming Jing Ming Transport Ching Ming
Corp. Transport Corp. Container Terminal Shipping Corp. Co. Investment Corp.
Corp. (bulk) Yes Logistics Corp.
Honming Terminal &
Stevedoring Co.
18 Hyundai M.M. HMM Container Lines Investment on 5 Cargo Service
terminals Wet Bulk
Dry Bulk
Tanker
Heavy-Lift Service
19 Pacific International PIL container liner Port and terminal PIL Logistics (SCM Singama IT services
Line business in solutions) Container
Singapore and Holdings Ltd.
Thailand (container
manufac.)
20 UASC UASC liner service Shipping Agencies Freight Forwarding Container
Tankers Land Transportation Repairs
Air Cargo Ship Repair
Storage

SOuRCE Authors, companies’ web pages, annual statements

162 Shipping Logistics

The integration of logistics-related subsidiaries has influenced the revenue

structure of shipping companies. Figure 9.3 illustrates the revenue ratios
of NYK subsidiaries. While the shipping business of dry and liquid bulks
counts for almost 40 per cent of NYK’s business, the liner trade business
is the second strongest business division within the group. Although NYK
Line operates the 12th largest container fleet in the world, the revenue of
the liner division is almost as big as the revenue of related logistics services.
Moreover, the significance of port activities has increased for shipping com-
panies as they have realized the chances of increasing influence on the supply
chain. In 2008 over 40 per cent of the container terminal capacity among
the top 12 operators was managed by shipping companies. The remaining
60 per cent of terminal capacity was operated by terminal managers without
shipping services (NYK Annual Report, 2010).
With over 800 vessels, 42 terminals worldwide, 308 distribution cen-
tres in 33 countries in 2010 as well as an air cargo fleet, NYK reflects the

Fi g u r e 9 . 3  Revenue ratios NYK Group for the fiscal year

2009–2010

Revenue Ratios for NYK Group

(fiscal year ended March 31, 2010)

1%
9%
2%
3% 21%

6%

19%

40%

Liner Trade Business (378,1 Billion Yen)

Bulk Shipping Business (733,5 Billion Yen)
Logistics Business (341,8 Billion Yen)
Terminal & Harbor Transport Business (110,3 Billion Yen)
Cruise Business (35,2 Billion Yen)
Air Cargo Business (62,6 Billion Yen)
Real Estate Business (12,2 Billion Yen)
Other Business (156 Billion Yen)

Source  NYK Annual Statement (2010)

 Supply Chain Integration of Shipping Companies 163

changes in the liner industry. Integrated companies promise more stability

and more customer-oriented logistics services. Only in this way logistics ser-
vice providers can fulfil the high expectations of globalized manufacturing
companies.
A major goal of liner companies is an overall optimization of the supply
chain. This ranges from land, sea and air transportation, in-transport inven-
tories and optimized warehousing along the value chain of a company to
the delivery to customers. In this manner, service providers must extend the
geographical coverage, the range of services and the solution capabilities for
every served industry (NYK Annual Report, 2009, p 15). The set of possible
solutions is illustrated in Figure 9.4.
Frémont (2009b) conducted a survey among container lines in order
to understand their definition of logistics and the relations with forward-
ing agents. Annual reports do not give a complete understanding of the
subsidiaries’ role. The turnovers of divisions are generally aggregated.
Therefore, it is difficult to distinguish between the importance of inland
transportation, consolidation activities etc. Although a broad portfolio
of services is offered, shipping lines improve financial performance by
providing maritime transportation. Inland transport is often outsourced
to partners. Furthermore, shipping lines do not want to compete with
forwarding agents that have been close partners and customers for the
liner company. This customer might be lost if the shipping lines enter the
forwarding market.
Although Figure 9.4 provides a picture of advanced service integration,
the maritime groups that develop logistics capabilities remain limited. NYK,
the AP Möller Group and the NOL Group with APL are exceptions. Frémont
(2009b) indicates that many other shipping lines use logistics activities as
labels for publicity reasons.

Fi g u r e 9 . 4  Portfolio of integrated service for a shipping

company

Terminal Operations Terminal Operations

Main transport Add. Transport
services

Warehouses Distribution Centres

OCEAN TRANSPORT
Bulk, Tanker, Cargo
Land Transport
Land Transport Delivery
AIR TRANSPORT
services
Service Range

Expedited delivery

TRANSPORTATION CHAIN

Transport Tracking – Inventory Management System

Add. Logistics
services

Milk-Run; Cross-Docking Cross-Docking

Freight Forwarding Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI)

Coverage of the transportation chain

164 Shipping Logistics

The impact of supply chain integration

on shipping firm performance
Concept
As indicated above, container liner shipping companies may choose to
integrate vertically in order to offer logistics services. The empirical ques-
tion which arises is whether vertical integration transcends into higher firm
value. In the existing maritime literature, no quantitative studies have been
conducted in this direction. On this basis the impact of vertical integration
on a firm’s market value is hereby examined.
In the spirit of Berger and Ofek (1995), segment-level data are used to
estimate the valuation effect of vertical integration by imputing stand-alone
values for individual business segments. Specifically, the actual value of a ver-
tically integrated firm is compared to the sum of its imputed stand-alone seg-
ment values. Imputed stand-alone values are calculated using a portfolio of
singe-business-segment firms, which by nature are non-vertically integrated.
It is hypothesized that vertical integration in the shipping industry pays
off. Based on the abovementioned discussion regarding the shipping indus-
try, liner companies integrate in order to be more resilient in a difficult
industry environment that is characterized by high demand fluctuations,
low profit margins and extensive capital (vessel) investments. Integration
in the value chain supports the firm’s service quality and service range, and
should therefore create a higher market value.

Dataset
The sample consists of all firms listed in Compustat Industrial Segment and
Compustat Industrial Annual databases during the period 1986–2008. The
focus is on single- and multi-(business) segment firms that belong in the
deep-sea freight transportation industry (SIC code 4412). We further restrict
the multi-segment firms into those which generate more than 50 per cent of
their segment sales from supply chain-related industries (SSIC1 codes 4011,
4212, 4213, 4214, 4215, 4412, 4424, 4449, 4481, 4499 and 4731). This
approach resulted in multi-segment firms with the greatest chunk of sales
belonging in the firm’s supply chain. As a consequence we infer that multi-
segment firms are more likely to be integrated across the supply chain. The
final sample consists of 45 firms with 265 firm-year observations.

Methodology
In this section we describe the measurement of three sets of variables used
in the analysis: valuation effects from vertical integration, as the depend-
ent variable; vertical integration measures, as the key explanatory variables;
and determinants of firm value, as control variables.
 Supply Chain Integration of Shipping Companies 165

The dependent variable is constructed following the valuation approach

of Berger and Ofek (1995). Specifically, ‘excess value’ (EV) is used to inves-
tigate whether supply chain integration creates firm value or not. EV com-
pares a firm’s market value to its imputed value if each of the business
segments operates as single-segment companies. Market value is the sum of
the market value of equity (equal to stock price at the fiscal year end mul-
tiplied by the number of shares outstanding) and the book value of debt.
Imputed value is the sum of the segments’ imputed values, obtained by mul-
tiplying each segment’s sales with the median of the market value-to-sales
ratio computed using only the single-segment firms in the same industry. The
industry definition is based on the narrowest SIC grouping that includes at
least five single-segment firms and sufficient data for computing the ratios.
EV, in this setting, is the natural logarithm of the ratio of the company’s
market value to its imputed value and measures the gain or loss from supply
chain integration.
The main independent variables are as follows: Supply Chain Integra-
tion-1 ‘SCI-1’ describes a dummy variable that takes the value of one for
multi-segment firms and zero otherwise. In addition, Supply Chain Integra-
tion-2 ‘SCI-2’ is a firm’s entropy index and aims to capture the breadth of
supply chain integration of a firm’s operations with respect to the number
and relative size of segments. The entropy index is computed as ΣPi ln(1/Pi)
where Pi is the sales attributed to segment i, and ln(1/Pi) the logarithm of
the inverse of sales, is the weight for each segment i.
The control variables are known determinants of firm market value. The
natural logarithm of total assets (Log TA) accounts for the company size.
Other variables control for the investment activity as the capital expendi-
tures over sales (CAPX/SALES), and profitability represented by earnings
before interest and taxes over sales (EBIT/SALES). The choice of the con-
trol variables is based on Berger and Ofek (1995). Furthermore, following
Campa and Kedia (2002), lagged firm size (lag 1 and lag 2 of logarithm of
total assets), lagged profitability (lag 1 and lag 2 of EBIT/SALES) and past
investments (lag 1 and lag 2 of CAPX/SALES) are considered to control for
past firm performance. In addition, the ratio of long-term debt to total assets
(LEV) is taken into account, while ‘ASS2’ controls for possible non-linear
effects of firm size as captured by the squared term of firm size.

Empirical results
Table 9.2 presents EV regression estimates. Regression model (1) replicates
the Berger and Ofek (1995) analysis using the freight transport sample. In
this sample, multi-segment firms as identified by SCI-1 should capture the
value of supply chain integration. In contrast to expectation, results show
that multi-segment firms are valued lower by 16.7 per cent relative to sin-
gle-segment firms (p-value<0.05). The results also demonstrate that profit-
able firms, larger firms and firms with higher investment activity are valued
higher (p-value<0.01, p-value<0.05, p-value<0.01, respectively).
Ta B L E 9.2   The relation between supply chain integration
and firm value
Deep Sea Freight Transportation Firms
excess Value – single and
multi-segment firms
(1) (2) (3)
Const. Yes Yes Yes
SCI-1 –0.167** 0.09677
(0.0843) (0.09927)
SCI-2 0.1399*
(0.0804)
Log TA 0.059** 0.9766*** 0.9874***
(0.0284) (0.2855) (0.2697)
CAPX/SALES 0.084*** 0.0378 0.03498
(0.0175) (0.0363) (0.0363)
EBIT/SALES 0.786*** –0.0055 –0.0046
(0.1703) (0.2617) (0.26256)
Log TA lag1 –0.2353* –0.2386*
(0.1311) (0.12818)
CAPX/SALES lag1 0.0248 0.0226
(0.04082) (0.0412)
EBIT/SALES lag1 –0.1448 –0.1379
(0.2263) (0.2242)
Log TA lag2 –0.0586 –0.05395
(0.1543) (0.1524)
CAPX/SALES lag2 0.00846 0.0067
(0.0218) (0.0214)
EBIT/SALES lag2 0.1365 0.145
(0.1213) (0.123)
LEV 0.614* 0.6154*
(0.20932) (0.209)
ASS2 –0.0554* –0.0555***
(0.0204) (0.01798)
Year/Firm fixed effects No Yes Yes
Clustered standard errors No Yes Yes
No of firms 45 45 45
No of observations 246 216 216
R2 0.2643 0.8805 0.8812
 Supply Chain Integration of Shipping Companies 167

Campa and Kedia (2002) suggest that a proper investigation of the impact
of organizational structure on firm value should take into account the
endogenous nature of a firm’s decision to alter its organizational structure.
That is, firms with higher or lower firm value relative to single-segment
firms may be more likely to subsequently change their organizational
structure. To address such concerns, following Campa and Kedia (2002),
regression model (2) presents results after controlling for past firm per-
formance. In addition, the model also includes year and firm fixed effects
to capture time-invariant year- and firm-specific effects. Finally, standards
errors were adjusted for clustering at the firm level to control for poten-
tial bias into the standard errors estimates when residuals correlate across
time and/or across firm-year observations (Petersen, 2009). The results,
as expected, show that the coefficient of determination increases substan-
tially to 88.05 per cent. Interestingly, the coefficient estimate of SCI-1 turns
positive, as expected, albeit statistically insignificant. Most of the control
variables obey the expected sign, although some of them are statistically
insignificant.
Regression model (3) is similar to model (2), but includes the entropy
index (SCI-2) rather than SCI-1. SCI-2 should better capture variation of
the (multi-segment firm) supply chain integration relative to the SCI-1. The
results show that coefficient of SCI-2 is 13.99 per cent, larger than the SCI-1
coefficient, as expected, and statistically significant (p-value<0.10).
Overall, the empirical results support the presented conjectures of the pre-
ceding sections, and suggest that supply chain integration is value-creating.

Conclusion and further research

The integration of supply chains has been among the most significant
issues to be discussed in the context of transportation in recent years. The
­question of whether integration adds value is of high scientific and practical
value. There are many potential benefits that supply chain integration can
bring about at strategic, economic and operational level, and these ben-
efits have been recognized in the maritime sector and more so in the liner
shipping sector that has been gradually liberalized. This liberalization has
forced companies to adapt in order to ensure their viability in an environ-
ment characterized by intense competition, market uncertainty and cash-
flow volatility. In addition, the increasingly sophisticated and demanding
customer requirements forced companies to extend their service portfolio
and geographical scope by vertically integrating in the supply chain. How-
ever, the relationship between supply chain integration and financial perfor-
mance in maritime supply chains has not been entirely clear. On the basis
of this motivation, this paper sought to provide empirical evidence of this
relationship.
This study has provided preliminary, albeit novel, evidence of the relation
between supply chain integration and performance in the maritime logistics
168 Shipping Logistics

context; evidence which indicates a positive relationship and upon which

further studies can be based, in order for practitioners and managers to gain
the support of the scientific community when they take key decisions. The
field of liner shipping and maritime logistics develops at a very high pace
and it is important for empirical research to be carried out in order to keep
up with the developments.

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Petersen, K Handfield, R and Ragatz, G (2005) Supplier integration into new
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Ragatz, GL, Handfield, RB, and Petersen, KJ (2002) Benefits associated with
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Logistics 10
strategy in
container
shipping
aLfrED J BaIrD

Introduction
Globalization and increases in competitive pressures have led to many busi-
nesses developing logistics as a key part of their corporate strategy in order
to achieve cost and service advantages (McGinnis and Kohn, 2002). Effec-
tive management of the supply chain demands equally effective linkages
with other firms for the coordination of logistical flows of goods (Christo-
pher, 1998).
The emergence of specialized total logistics providers and contractors,
also known as ‘integrators’, particularly since the 1990s, signalled the start
of ‘complete logistics solutions and seamless origin–destination services’ pro-
vided on a global basis, and with far greater customer focus (Doganis, 1991,
p 320). The integrator considers its main advantage to be an ability to oper-
ate on a door-to-door basis, with conditions of carriage structured in order
to permit a seamless shipper-to-consignee service (Forster and Regan, 2001).
This raises the question for ocean carriers, namely: should container
shipping lines become active in providing added-value logistics services? Or,
alternatively, would ocean carriers do better to remain with a focus on what
arguably they know best – liner shipping? This paper seeks to analyse con-
tainer shipping line strategy relating to provision of added-value logistics
services. The aim is to identify, analyse and compare/contrast the logistics
strategies of container shipping lines.
The study involved a short questionnaire survey of the top 20 container
shipping lines to help investigate these questions. The results of the survey,
plus supporting information, are analysed to provide a summary of con-
tainer line strategy with respect to provision of logistics services. The study
172 Shipping Logistics

extends and updates the author’s earlier work in this area (Baird, 2006),
including reference to and discussion of more recent theoretical contribu-
tions on the subject of ocean liner shipping operators’ logistics activities.
The study includes several brief case studies which seek to review and
analyse the specific logistics activities and strategies within several of the
top 20 container lines. The case studies offer a more detailed insight into the
different approaches adopted by major global container lines with respect
to development and provision of logistics services.
The purpose of the overall study is to help develop a wider picture con-
cerning what/how liner shipping competitors are doing with regard to the
provision of logistics and value-added activities, to assess the extent of these
activities in terms of logistics services provided, and to offer an indication as
to how this might evolve in future.

Literature review
In maritime transport, the theoretical evaluation of supply chain management
has emphasized the power exercised by dominant firms in logistics towards
control of assets, technology and markets (Robinson, 2002). In liner ship-
ping there has been more focus on the industry integration of companies and
networks (Bergantino and Veenstra, 2001). The outsourcing of an increasing
number of activities perceived as not being strategic has occurred at the same
time as the general trend for firms to focus on what they regard as their core
business (Hamel and Prahalad, 1990). Heaver (2001) nevertheless cautioned
that, due to the essential spatial dimension of transport, the provision and
control of transport and logistics by a single enterprise is unlikely.
In the context of liner shipping, within an international market that is
becoming ever larger and more complex, growth and diversification has pre-
sented opportunities and challenges for companies (Carbone and Gouver-
nal, 2007). In liner shipping, the level of logistical integration and the level
of organizational integration constitute two variables which can be analysed
to help assess the degree of supply chain integration (Evangelista and Mor-
villo, 2000). In this regard, vertical logistical integration objectives can be
achieved directly through vertical (organizational) mergers and acquisitions,
and indirectly through horizontal mergers; this in turn results in the crea-
tion of larger organizations which tend to enjoy more bargaining power and
easier access to financial resources (Panayides, 2001). A further consequence
of this trend is that larger liner shipping companies develop greater market
power vis-a-vis other service providers, such as port authorities and termi-
nal operators (Meersman et al, 2005).
Liner operators therefore started providing logistics services in order to
meet demands from shippers for integrated supply chain solutions, for ser-
vice and price differentiation reasons and revenue stabilization, as well as to
increase long-run profitability and market share (Haralambides and Accario,
 Logistics Strategy in Container Shipping 173

2010). Nevertheless, it is only relatively recently that some liner operators

have established their own logistics operations (Midoro and Parola, 2006).
Much of the theoretical analysis into strategic management and integra-
tion in liner shipping businesses revolves around a focus on three main opera-
tional elements: the operation of vessels, of terminals, and of inland transport
services (Musso et al, 2001). Analysis of strategic cooperation between liner
shipping companies and various actors has been extended to include freight
forwarding (Frankel, 1999) yet, generally, there seems to be rather limited
analysis looking into more specific ‘logistics’ activities that container liner
shipping operators may be involved in, aside from the main transport opera-
tional functions noted – ie vessels, ports, and inland transport.
It is argued that maritime transport operators could enhance their ‘logis-
tics value’ by fulfilling more of their customers’ logistical needs (Lee and
Song, 2010). Moreover, it is further argued that the need for liner operators
to continuously collect valuable information about their suppliers, custom-
ers, cooperative partners and business environment in order to help identify
ever-changing market situations and demand can result in liner operators
acquiring valuable knowledge via cooperative/co-opetive networks.
But there still remains a ‘dearth’ of analysis in the existing literature
concerning the provision of logistics services by liner shipping operators
(Hwang et al, 2010). While some shipping lines appear to have diversified
into the wider logistics market beyond ships, terminals and inland transport,
in an apparent effort to secure greater levels of profitability (Evangelista,
2004), the extent of this activity is not well known. This, it seems, is linked
to a desire by shipping lines to capture the container trade further back
along the supply chain, perhaps even at source (Cullinane et al, 2004).
However, overall there has been limited research analysis into the role of
liner shipping operators in terms of their provision of logistics services. This
especially relates to the extent of these services, any specific industry focus,
or geographic coverage, and the extent of logistics activities in relation to
overall turnover and profit. Hence the aim of this study is to address these
questions, beginning in the next section with some reflections obtained via a
brief survey on the logistics activities of container lines.

Container line logistics activities

Top 20 container lines
A questionnaire survey was used to investigate the following aspects of
logistics strategy in respect of the top 20 liner shipping companies:
●● ownership and/or relationship of logistics operations to liner
shipping company;
●● global/regional coverage for provision of logistics services;
174 Shipping Logistics

● types of logistics services offered;

● any specific industry focus;
● future development of logistics activity.
Revenue and profits derived by carriers from logistics activity was also con-
sidered, but to a limited extent. It was found that detailed information on
these aspects was not readily available. However, secondary sources coupled
with several liner operator responses has allowed for some approximate
assessment of operator revenues derived from logistics activities, as distinct
from liner shipping services.
The survey of top 20 carriers achieved a 50 per cent response rate. The
top 20 liner container shipping companies are estimated to account for
approximately 70 per cent of all container traffic on the major East–West
arterial trades, plus the majority of North–South trade. The top 20 carriers,
in terms of fleet capacity and number of ships as of April 2011, are shown
in Table 10.1.

Ta B L E 10.1    Top-20 container operators and world fleet

(as of 24 April 2011)
Total Fleet Order Book
Company rank Teu Ships Teu Ships
Maersk 1 1,899,969 417 416,890 48
MSC 2 1,881,690 435 388,634 39
CMA CGM 3 1,035,911 264 245,603 25
Hapag-Lloyd 4 596,737 136 134,758 11
COSCON 5 591,414 148 296,536 36
Evergreen Line 6 586,130 158 160,000 20
APL 7 582,005 142 185,400 20
Hanjin 8 494,135 107 147,762 12
CSCL 9 479,944 123 127,100 15
OOCL 10 384,159 87 150,134 15
CSAV 11 382,680 112 6,316 1
MOL 12 381,324 92 19,020 3
NYK 13 371,435 87 45,600 8
Hamburg Sud 14 335,424 96 175,694 31
K Line 15 331,639 78 42,412 9
YML 16 329,987 81 89,900 14
 Logistics Strategy in Container Shipping 175

Total Fleet Order Book

Company rank Teu Ships Teu Ships
HMM 17 316,546 68 1,888 1
Zim 18 282,469 72 155,418 14
PIL 19 232,143 105 34,404 8
UASC 20 202,642 51 104,800 8
Total top-20 11,698,383 2,859 2,928,269 338
World Fleet 16,603,736 9,669 4,104,975 721
% top-20 70% 71%

SOuRCE http://www.ci-online.co.uk/

The largest of the top 20 carriers is Maersk Line with 417 ships accounting
for 1.9 million TEU capacity. That company is followed by MSC, which has
435 ships totalling just under 1.9 million TEU capacity. In third position is
CMA-CGM with 264 ships and just over 1 million TEU capacity.
Below the top three carriers, all of the other top 20 carriers fall into the
200,000–600,000 TEU fleet-capacity range. This suggests that quite a gap
has now opened up between the leading three operators and the rest. This
gap is expected to widen further in future, taking into account new vessel
orders that have been placed for delivery over the next few years.

Logistics and value-added services offered

In terms of logistics services offered, all top 20 liner shipping companies
offer inland transport services, with 80 per cent also providing documenta-
tion and attending to customs formalities (Figure 10.1). Some 60 per cent of
carriers offer warehousing and supply chain planning, with 70 per cent pro-
viding vendor management. About half of carriers offer to provide logistics
activities at customers’ and suppliers’ premises. A relatively high 25 per cent
of carriers claim to provide financial services. In terms of ‘other’ logistics
activities, carriers mostly mention ‘ocean transport’.
The data suggest that, while some carriers offer an extensive range of
logistics services, others actually provide few services.

Industry focus
All liner companies surveyed have a focus on the retail and electrical/elec-
tronic sectors, with a strong focus also on consumer durables, automotive,
chemicals and consumer packaged products (Figure 10.2). There is rather
 176

D
oc
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em Ph en
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Fi g u r e 10 .2  Industry focus for container liner operators

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Fi g u r e 10 .1  Logistics activities offered by container liner

th
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 Logistics Strategy in Container Shipping 177

less emphasis on pharmaceutical and FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods).

In regard to ‘other’ sectors, one respondent claimed to deal with ‘all indus-
tries’, though this is probably also the case for most operators to a signifi-
cant degree.

Geographic focus
Development of lines’ logistics services has tended to focus, at least initially,
on the home market region and then to expand outwards from this base.
For Maersk, logistics services were initially introduced for the benefit of
European shippers, while at APL the early focus was on US shippers, and
for the three main Japanese lines the emphasis was on Japanese industries
to begin with.
A number of lines started to view offering value-added services in logis-
tics as adding faster growth and better profitability potential than basic
shipping, and hence these activities were expanded internationally. How-
ever, this was also due to the changing demands brought about through
industry globalization (Heaver, 2002).
Virtually all carriers (90 per cent) stated that they now have a global focus
covering more or less all trading regions, and most of these lines further sug-
gested they have the capability to provide specific logistics services almost
anywhere in the world (Figure 10.3). Only one of the lines appeared to have
retained a distinct regional focus (ie Hamburg-Sud, primarily towards Latin
America), but even with this carrier other regions are now being targeted.

Fi g u r e 10 .3   Geographic focus of container liner operators

offering logistics services
100%

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178 Shipping Logistics

Fi g u r e 10 .4   Organization of logistics functions by container

liner operators
100%

80%

60%

40%

20%

0%
Acquisition Creation of Strategic Creation of Other
new logistics alliance/joint new logistics
company venture division

Development of logistics functions

Sixty per cent of lines have created a new distinct logistics company sub-
sidiary, with 40 per cent opting (in addition to creating a subsidiary) to
acquire existing logistics companies within strategic markets (Figure 10.4).
Half of all respondents have entered into strategic alliances/joint ventures
with established logistics providers.
Effectively a new logistics division has been created by 40 per cent of car-
riers. In the ‘other’ response category the logistics activities of one particular
carrier is considered to be ‘integrated into core business functions’, assumed
to imply liner shipping.

Future development of logistics activity

Some 80 per cent of lines said they intend to further develop their logistics
activities through strategic alliances with specialist logistics providers, with
80 per cent saying they would also develop further through organic/internal
expansion (Figure 10.5).
Half of all lines stated that they expect to increase their current level
of logistics activity, with 20 per cent saying they would maintain the cur-
rent level, whilst 10 per cent actually expected to reduce from the present
level.
Perhaps somewhat contrary to the prevailing wisdom, it appears that
some carriers do not view logistics services as critical overall relative to their
core liner shipping, port and intermodal activities. Only 10 per cent stated
 Logistics Strategy in Container Shipping 179

Fi g u r e 10 .5   Future development of logistics by container

liner operators
100%

80%

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they would seek to acquire logistics companies; however, the analysis in the
following section suggests that the actual potential for acquisitions may be
rather greater than this.

Liner operator case studies

Case study approach
Additional, more detailed information has been obtained from secondary
sources regarding liner operators’ development of logistics services and
capabilities. This information is presented in case study format below. The
aim is to compare and contrast the development of liner operators’ logis-
tics services, in particular highlighting the approaches used to integrate
and develop logistics services and capabilities and to ascertain motivations
behind this. There are six case studies in all, most of which focus on carriers
within the top 10. The aim has been to consider not only carriers which have
a strong logistics focus but also to include those retaining a focus on core
liner shipping activities, hence with rather less emphasis on logistics.
180 Shipping Logistics

C a se st u dy

Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC)

In 2004 MSC created what it called a new ‘Logistics Department’, based at its
Geneva HQ, and which is said to ‘control’ over 300 inland depots worldwide. However,
MSC is a carrier that is still very much focused on ocean freight services and rather less
on logistics and added-value activity. Hence, these depots are mainly thought to comprise
third-party facilities at which basic LCL consolidation activities are performed, rather than
evidence of sophisticated supply chain activities or significant investments in this aspect
of the business. ‘Logistics’ to MSC seems to imply not much more than inland transport,
and in this regard it established (in Europe) a company called Med-Log to control inland
operations (Beddow, 1999).
An extraordinary feature of MSC’s meteoric growth to the number one position is that
up to 1996 this was achieved entirely through purchase of second-hand or chartered
ships. Now its focus has altered to include purchase of new-builds, which it volume-buys,
though MSC also remains the most active line in the second-hand market.
Starting new container shipping services and bolstering existing services with larger
tonnage seems to be the primary objective of MSC, with rather less interest in offering
added-value and supply chain initiatives; these functions for the most part are left to
independent specialist logistics service providers.
Being a private company, MSC’s annual revenues from liner shipping are not known.
However, given its very limited involvement in logistics and added-value services, MSC’s
revenues from logistics (excluding inland transport) are estimated to be under US$ 1
billion per annum, so probably below 10 per cent of its assumed total revenues from liner
shipping. Thus, for the largest container operator in the world at this point in time (as of
end first quarter 2011), logistics services do not seem to constitute a key part of the global
corporate activity.

Maersk Line
AP Moller subsidiary Maersk Line views logistics as an increasingly important aspect of
its business. Subsidiary Maersk Logistics (formerly Mercantile, and Buyers) is operated
as a separate entity from the ocean carriage business. Maersk Logistics is free to offer its
services to other ocean carriers, and has the freedom to book cargo with other carriers if
this option is preferred.
Maersk Logistics has offices in around 100 countries, but is largely a non-asset-
owning company managing its quality through careful selection of subcontractors. The
company is involved in markets dominated by large freight forwarding requirements as
well as those in which large clients such as major retail chains have special needs for
more integrated services. In 2002, the then head of Maersk Logistics noted, perhaps
somewhat optimistically that: ‘the logistics activity could grow to outperform those of the
liner, but it will take a while’ (Le Lloyd, 2001).
Maersk Logistics has made a number of acquisitions over the years, including the
purchase in 2001 of USA-based Distribution Systems Limited (DSL). DSL had offices in 60
 Logistics Strategy in Container Shipping 181

countries plus 1,500 employees, compared with at that time Maersk Logistics total of 3,500
employees. Wal-Mart was one of DSL’s major clients so the acquisition gave Maersk Line
potential access to a lot of this business.
While Maersk Logistics has extensive activities in the USA, Asia and Europe, the
company is increasingly active in North–South trades as well. Maersk Logistics moved
into Brazil as various industrial developments expanded there, such as Ford opening
a plant in Salvador (Thorby, 2003). A large number of multinational companies have
assembly plants in the Manaus Free Trade Zone (eg Sony, IBM, Toshiba) at which Maersk
Logistics also has a presence.
Maersk Logistics looks to establish global ocean freight contracts with clients
covering a number of trade lanes. In some markets Maersk Logistics regards itself as a
specialist in key sectors. For example, in South America the company specializes in the
footwear and retail industries, as well as fruit and vegetable exports carried in reefers.
Maersk Logistics markets its ability to provide shippers with a single point of contact
for all their transportation needs, including sea freight, airfreight, and offering a complete
package of value-added land-side services. The company promotes itself as a leading
provider of logistics solutions, managing and improving supply chains, from planning
and procurement through to the delivery of products to their final destination. In terms
of strategy, a key objective is the acquisition of logistics and distribution companies
in destination countries, which can also be used to enhance secondary (ie national)
distribution capabilities.
Like all major logistics companies, there is a strong emphasis on information
technology. Maersk Logistics’ M*Power web search facility allows users to check the
status of particular consignments. The user can view full details of orders, order plans,
containers, cargo receipts, B/L, as well as providing alerts of changes. Maersk’s own
in-house research established that customers want two main things in terms of logistics.
First, customers want to extend supply chain visibility beyond the international transport
move, and are looking for a single source of end-to-end supply chain visibility (Power,
2004). And second, there is considered to be a need to pull more players into the system
as customers want to see manufacturers, service providers and stores all linked up. This
requires an ‘engine’ interfacing with many different supply chain players.
The evidence suggests that Maersk, unlike MSC, is far more proactive in terms of
logistics activities, initially via acquisition. However, even today its logistics activities
are considered unlikely to exceed 25 per cent of its total liner revenues which means the
company is still some way from making logistics equal to liner shipping revenues.

CMA-CGM
CMA-CGM established CMA-CGM Logistics in 2001, although it was originally known as
Logistics-Link. CMA-CGM Logistics aims to develop customer services through what it
refers to as a ‘global logistics approach’. The company seeks to provide clients with a
single contact to answer all their needs concerning the logistics chain.
As most of the services sold by CMA-CGM are port-to-port, there was a belief in the
company that this was not enough in a changing environment. Although it was never the
intention to switch all customers into its own logistics service, there is a desire to offer
customers a wider range of logistics services. A key influence behind the new strategy
is the fact that more and more companies have outsourced, especially in the Chinese
182 Shipping Logistics

trades. To address this challenge CMA-CGM embarked on a joint venture with a Chinese
logistics partner which gave the ocean carrier access to several thousand TEU of
business each year (Boyes, 2004). The entry into the logistics business therefore has as a
primary aim to generate more cargo for the ocean services.
CMA-CGM Logistics intends to ‘help the client elaborate and prioritize his logistics
projects, as well as implement or adapt new industrial solutions’, such as packaging,
co-packing and co-manufacturing. CMA-CGM Logistics is established in both Europe and
Asia, with increasing exposure now in other growing markets.
In June 2004, CMA-CGM Logistics acquired an 80 per cent interest in the logistics
company Qualitair & Sea International, thereby further pursuing a strategy of
strengthening its portfolio of integrated, global logistics services, and enhancing its ability
to respond to customer needs for freight logistics, particularly in China.
At CMA-CGM, the strategy has therefore altered somewhat from a dedicated shipping
business devoted to ships and sea transportation, to selective investments in logistics as
well as development of more sophisticated IT systems (Dekker, 2001).
Nevertheless, as with MSC, the focus of this line is still very much on developing new
shipping services and fleet expansion, and the present level of logistics activity remains
limited. Hence, revenue derived specifically from logistics activity at CMA-CGM is still
estimated to be below US$ 1 billion annually, which is assumed to be less than 10 per cent
of total liner revenues.

APL
APL subsidiary APL Logistics (APLL) claims to have experienced double-digit revenue
growth during most years since 2000. Its growth in 2001 was 72 per cent, though this
reflected the acquisition that year for US$ 210 million of GATX Logistics, the second
largest warehouse-based contract logistics company in the USA. The acquisition
meant APLL at the time employed 5,000 people in logistics in 56 countries spread
across Europe, Asia and the Americas, with 30 million square feet of warehouse space.
That acquisition enabled APLL to serve customers more effectively through primary
(importing) and secondary (national) distribution phases of the supply chain. A further
acquisition followed in 2001 with the purchase of 51 per cent of the German freight
forwarding company Mare Logistik GmbH, representing APL’s first such acquisition in
Europe.
In 2000, the then CEO of APL stated that he wanted: ‘the logistics business to challenge
the liner business as a major breadwinner of the group’ (NOL, 2000). In 2001, APL’s total
liner revenues amounted to US$ 3.6 billion, while logistics revenues were US$ 723 million,
equivalent to 20 per cent; in 2004, logistics revenues exceeded US$ 1.0 billion, equating to
around 25 per cent of total revenues, with liner shipping accounting for 75 per cent; today,
logistics is believed to account for around one-third of APL’s revenues.
One argument put forward by APL to explain its increased investment in logistics
is that shippers and carriers have historically ‘been confused’ by their focus on freight
rate negotiations, instead of looking at opportunities to increase overall supply chain
efficiencies (American Shipper, 2001). APLL’s two key objectives are to increase revenues
and to be a leading global logistics service provider.
The purchase of GATX filled a perceived gap for APL. Previously, APLL was not able to
offer a fully comprehensive door-to-door logistics service to USA-based shippers. With
 Logistics Strategy in Container Shipping 183

the addition of the acquired warehouses it had more flexibility in meeting customer needs.
APL also uses staff ‘implants’ to help customers outsource their logistics functions. Major
clients include Kimberly-Clark, the world’s leading paper tissue manufacturer, for whom
APLL manages several logistics facilities in the USA. An EDI link is in place between
APLL’s IT system, Total Logistics Solution (TLS, )and the client’s order processing system.
A real-time order-tracking system displays the arrival, yard, build and loaded status of
shipments, along with departure time. In addition, the company provides inventory staging
for Kellogg Company, the world’s largest cereal manufacturer. APL claims it has benefited
from synergies not only through a widening customer base, but because it is now able to
provide true end-to-end supply chain execution and visibility.
APLL has entered a number of emerging markets, for example the Kenya market
in 2004 through a partnership agreement with Fastrak Logistics, part of the Freight
Forwarders Kenya Group (Containerisation International, 2004). Fastrak operates logistics
facilities in the Port of Mombasa and inland at Nairobi. Value-added services offered
include purchase order management, export consolidation, warehousing and distribution.
APL Logistics’ main services include:

●● supply chain management;

●● consolidation and vendor services;
●● warehousing and distribution;
●● global freight management;
●● manufacturing support;
●● asset management;
●● IT solutions.

APLL concentrates its activity on four business ‘verticals’: automotive logistics, retail,
high-tech and chemicals. In this environment most of the customers are multinationals
and the company’s joint ventures are carefully constructed around these verticals
(Dekker, 2003). For example, an association with China’s Shenyang Transportation since
2002 helped to expand its business relationship with General Motors.
The key differentiators for APLL are its global presence, added to the application of
sophisticated IT products ‘as the backbone’ of its service. This is necessary due to today’s
operating complexity. For example, one of APLL’s customers sources from 14 different
countries in Asia and it expects the right information flow at all times. APLL’s suite of IT
products is considered to be fundamental to its differentiation strategy. The company’s
IT products are ‘carrier-neutral’, and customers have full supply chain visibility no matter
whether the carrier is APL or Maersk.
In terms of competition for logistics contracts, APLL does not come across many of the
top 20 carriers apart from NYK and Maersk when tendering for business; its main rivals
more often comprise the leading 3PL integrators. This tends to confirm the analysis here
that most of the top 20 ocean carriers actually provide rather limited logistics services.
APLL is continuing to open more distribution centres and increasing its partnerships
and services in certain areas. To some extent APLL sees itself as more of a 4PL, designing
supply chains and creating simulations of, for example, distribution centre locations,
184 Shipping Logistics

routing, and inventory control, and then finding the appropriate second- or third-party
logistics provider to run the client’s operations.
Of all ocean carriers APL is one of the most comprehensive in terms of providing
global logistics services, and this is reflected in the high share of total revenues estimated
to come from logistics (ie in excess of 30 per cent).

Evergreen Line
Apart from Asia (and Taiwan in particular), Evergreen Line is not thought to have very
much logistics activity outside of basic sea freight and inland transport. Evergreen has
no specific logistics subsidiary or division. In 2001 the company actually stated it had no
interest in logistics.
Instead, Evergreen sees its primary role as managing ships, containers and in
some cases terminals and this is by far its main focus. The company considers its role
is to provide excellent advanced transport systems to companies that need door-to-
door service. In 2002, Evergreen did, however, announce that it would be investing in
‘forwarding and logistics’ in Asia and South America (Heaver, 2002), but in fact this did not
mean very much more than establishing joint agencies.
At Evergreen the emphasis is very much on ships and developing new ocean transport
services, rather than on logistics and added-value activities. Activities from logistics in
Evergreen are estimated to be below US$ 1 billion per annum, so less than 10 per cent of
total revenues from liner shipping.

NYK
NYK Logistics is part of the Tokyo-based NYK Group, which was founded in 1885.
The NYK group has more than 30,000 employees around the world and offers various
transportation services including container transport, RoRo, bulk and energy resource
transport, terminals and cruises. When NYK started logistics solution businesses such as
warehousing and distribution in the mid-1980s, revenues from this new activity were only
about US$ 80 million a year. But since then revenues have steadily risen and in 2003 NYK
Logistics’ revenues reached US$ 2.7 billion.
NYK has invested in logistics on a large scale, and organic growth is its main emphasis
rather than setting up alliances or partnerships. NYK began with warehousing and NVOCC
businesses, and went on to set up subsidiary companies, country by country, all branded
as NYK Logistics to give a single global identity to customers. NYK Logistics is now
established in all of the main markets, including South America and Oceania.
NYK Logistics has some 11,000 employees (about one-third of the NYK Group total),
and 320 warehouse and office locations. The principal sectors of its involvement in
developing supply chain solutions are automotive, retail, consumer electronics, food/
beverage, medical/healthcare, special cargo, chemicals, material logistics and project
logistics.
NYK previously used a number of different logistics brands. In Europe the brand was
New Wave Logistics, and in Asia Ocean Consolidation Service and UCI Logistics Inc,
plus Yusen Air Service and Nippon Cargo Airlines. NYK now considers it is in the ‘total
transportation business’ and this includes supply chain management. In 2001 the company
was re-branded with a new title: NYK Logistics & Megacarrier. The new name was
intended to symbolize the new strategic emphasis. It also showed that NYK ‘catered for
 Logistics Strategy in Container Shipping 185

everything’, covering all kinds of goods and supply chain requirements. Logistics within
NYK has been regarded as a steadier business than shipping, although liner shipping
performed particularly well over the period 2000–2007.
NYK IT initiatives include an e-commerce system called Pegasus which enables
customers to monitor and interactively manage online their total supply chains – the
system has a slightly different interpretation in each of NYK’s four main operating regions
(ie Europe, Americas, Oceania and Asia) to take account of different needs. In Europe the
logistics network covers 15 countries divided into geographic areas.
NYK’s logistics operations are categorized under two headings: asset-based services
and supply chain management. In terms of assets, over 25 of its worldwide distribution
centres are in Europe. It also has a 700+ vehicle road transport fleet in Europe. Logistics
revenues have been growing at upwards of 20 per cent per annum, which is faster than
liner shipping (5–10 per cent a year typically), helped by buoyant demand in key sectors
such as automotive, healthcare and consumer electronics (Anon, 2003).
NYK claims to benefit from synergies between its liner logistics and car carrier
divisions in the automotive sector as these have major customers in common. An
operational agreement has been signed with Cosco which permits NYK to use the latter’s
extensive network of warehouses in China, which combined with NYK’s close contact
with Japanese multinationals offers a good fit.
The company is looking for logistics businesses to buy in Asia, Europe and the USA,
and seeks to further develop its operations in South America. During 2001–2003, NYK
bought UCI Logistics in the UK and ETA Logistics in the USA. NYK is focusing heavily on
the automotive industry, with UCI acting as a main distributor for Toyota, Jaguar and Rover
from its hub in Milton Keynes, UK. NYK’s business plan seeks to expand logistics activity
to provide a truly global network of logistics companies. All its logistics businesses are
linked by IT systems via a global NYK-E Logistics software package. Reflecting the large
scale of its global logistics activities, NYK spends some US$ 1 million on IT development
annually.

Strategic groups
Strategic groups based on logistics service provision
Development of logistics services by container lines is not a clear cut issue.
However, it is evident that relatively few shipping lines have expanded their
logistics activities to become substantial LSPs in their own right, and those
that have, generally tend to be operated nowadays as stand-alone business
units with sophisticated IT systems. Although some of these units have in a
number of cases grown faster than liner activities, overall they are still some
way from matching liner operations in terms of income, or indeed profits.
Hence most of the top 20 container lines continue to adopt a strong
focus (and a higher level of investment) towards ocean transport services,
186 Shipping Logistics

terminals and intermodal transport, and rather less so on logistics and

added-value services. To some extent this reflects a distinct strategic orienta-
tion in terms of senior management philosophy; that is, an ocean carrier is
first and foremost an ocean carrier.
On the basis of the survey plus additional analysis at the level of the
firm, it has nevertheless been possible to identify and broadly define three
‘strategic groups’ of liner carriers with regard to the extent of their logistics
service provision. This ‘hierarchy’ is largely determined on the basis of the
following factors:
●● first, the service characteristics/scope or ‘extent’ of logistics services
provided by individual carriers, and;
●● second, the estimated total share of revenues derived from logistics
service activities as a proportion of overall liner service income.
These three strategic groups of carriers in terms of logistics service pro-
vision and activity are presented in Table 10.2, which describes the main
service characteristics/scope of each. The groups are denoted here as Tiers
1–3, which is a hierarchical grouping corresponding with the views of lead-
ing liner operators, reflecting (their) corporate aspirations to become what
in effect are considered as either ‘Tier 1, Tier 2 or Tier 3 carriers’, each
tier representing the provision of a different level/range of logistics services
and scope of activities (Baird, 2001). To some extent this hierarchy mirrors
the findings of Midoro and Parola (2006), and Haralambides and Accario
(2010), who also found three groups, or levels, of liner operators in terms of
logistics services provision.
What are referred to here as Tier 1 carriers are those lines that provide
virtually any logistics service demanded, and almost anywhere in the world
thanks to their global operations. These lines also tend to generate a signifi-
cant level of income from logistics activities, estimated here at above US$ 3
billion per annum. Logistics service income for these lines may account for
anything between 20 and 40 per cent of overall income derived from ocean
transport services. The analysis suggests that three of the top 20 lines are
Tier 1 logistics providers offering comprehensive global logistics services:
Maersk Line, APL, and NYK. These three carriers were also identified by
Haralambides and Accario (2010) as being ‘successful’ examples of liner
operators providing logistics services, and this also reflects the findings
here.
Tier 2 carriers are those lines that can provide a reasonably comprehen-
sive range of logistics services, but with a primary focus on the major trad-
ing regions, and particularly in the home nation/region. These lines tend to
earn a more modest income from logistics activities than Tier 1 operators,
and typically annual revenues of between US$ 1 and US$ 3 billion might
be expected. Logistics service income for these lines may therefore account
for between 10 and 20 per cent of income from ocean transport services.
The analysis suggests that four of the top 20 container lines are Tier 2 carri-
ers offering comprehensive regional logistics services: Cosco, OOCL, MOL,
and K Line.
 Logistics Strategy in Container Shipping 187

Ta B L E 10.2    Strategic groupings for top 20 liner shipping

operators’ provision of logistics services
Tier 1 Comprehensive global Logistics Services
Service Characteristics/ Carrier provides almost any logistics service
Scope demanded
Logistics services provided virtually anywhere
in the world
Logistics service revenues exceed $3 billion per
annum
Logistics income amounts to 20–40 per cent of
ocean transport income

Tier 1 CarrierS: Maersk Line; APL; NYK

Comprehensive regional Logistics
Tier 2 Services
Service Characteristics/ Carrier provides wide range of logistics
Scope services
Logistics services provided mainly in major
regions
Logistics service revenues between $1–3
billion per annum
Logistics income between 10–20 per cent of
ocean transport income

Tier 2 CarrierS: Cosco; OOCL; MOL; K Line

Tier 3 restricted/Limited Logistics Services
Service Characteristics/ Carrier provides restricted/basic logistics
Scope services
Logistics service turnover under $1 billion per
annum
Logistics income below 10 per cent of ocean
transport income

Tier 3 CarrierS: MSC; Evergreen; CMA-CGM; Hanjin; CSCL;

Zim; CSAV; Yang Ming; HMM; Hamburg-Sud;
PIL; UASC; HLCL

Tier 3 carriers are those lines that provide minimal logistics services,
albeit  in some cases with the possible exception of logistics activity con-
centrated within the home nation/market. These lines tend to have a very
limited share of total income derived from logistics activities, believed to be
188 Shipping Logistics

below US$ 1 billion per annum. Logistics service income for these lines will
therefore tend to amount to less than 10 per cent of income derived from
ocean transport services. For Tier 3 lines ocean transport is by far the pri-
mary focus of business strategy and investment. This analysis suggests that
13 of the top 20 container lines are Tier 3 carriers offering minimal logistics
services: MSC, Evergreen, CMA-CGM, Hanjin, CSCL, Zim, CSAV, Yang
Ming, HMM, Hamburg-Sud, HLCL, PIL, and UASC.

Hierarchy of top 20 carriers’ logistics activity

Figure 10.6 further emphasizes the results of this analysis by presenting liner
operators in the appropriate respective hierarchical positions as related to
their strategic approaches towards provision of logistics services.

Fi g u r e 10 .6   Hierarchy of top 20 liner operators’ logistics

service provision

TIER 1
Maersk Line;
APL; NYK
COMPREHENSIVE
GLOBAL LOGISTICS
SERVICES

TIER 2

Cosco; OOCL; MOL; K Line

COMPREHENSIVE REGIONAL
LOGISTICS SERVICES

TIER 3

MSC; Evergreen; CMA-CGM; Hanjin; CSCL; Zim;

CSAV; Yang Ming; HMM; Hamburg-Sud; PIL;
UASC; HLCL

RESTRICTED/LIMITED LOGISTICS SERVICES

 Logistics Strategy in Container Shipping 189

To a significant extent Tier 1 operators have tended to acquire logistics

companies in key markets/sectors in order to more rapidly grow this part of
their business, plus develop IT capabilities. Tier 2 and Tier 3 operators may
have to follow a similar strategy if they wish to expand further their logis-
tics activity; organic growth from a low base will take much longer to reach
a given level, assuming the necessary supply chain management expertise
exists within a line in the first place.
Several Tier 3 lines appear to be implementing to varying degrees more
focused logistics service strategies, which could see them move upwards, in
time, possibly to become Tier 2 operators.
There nevertheless appears to be a significant number of Tier 3 operators
who seem content to remain with their strategic focus on ocean transporta-
tion. It should also be noted that some carriers have actually scaled back
their logistics activity during recent years, selling off logistics assets, and
reinstating their focus on what they see as their core market and core com-
petence – ocean transportation (eg Hapag Lloyd). This development may
not be entirely unrelated to the recent higher returns achieved from liner
container shipping (with the exception of 2008–2009), contrasting with
more modest returns from logistics activities.

Conclusions
Many of the largest container liner shipping companies operating ships, ter-
minals, trucking, rail and inland depot operations have also developed or
acquired logistics capabilities, albeit to rather varying degrees. This has been
aided by the trend towards outsourcing of logistics functions by shippers to
3PLs. Thus, opportunities for carriers who are able to offer services similar
to 3PLs are considered to be greater now due to outsourcing.
While some carriers have made substantial investments in logistics assets,
through direct acquisition and/or organic growth, other carriers are them-
selves outsourcing their (and their customers’) logistics needs to non-carrier
LSPs. The use of strategic alliances and other forms of collaborative ven-
tures has increased, offering ocean carriers a rapid alternative entry into a
business that few seem to really fully comprehend themselves.
Analysis of the top 20 container lines’ logistics strategies has revealed
something of a hierarchical situation where lines are adopting rather dif-
ferent strategies as far as logistics and added-value services are concerned.
Tier 1 carriers, or those lines offering comprehensive logistics services on a
global basis, aim to grow logistics revenue up to or even beyond the level of
liner shipping revenue; however, in all cases they are still far from achieving
this goal, logistics accounting for an estimated 20–40 per cent of Tier 1 liner
operator revenues (or in excess of US$ 3 billion per annum).
Tier 2 carriers derive rather less income from logistics than Tier 1 carri-
ers, and tend to primarily focus what logistics capabilities they have on the
190 Shipping Logistics

major East–West trades/markets. However, Tier 2 carriers do appear to be

starting to make inroads into emerging markets, so the logistics activities of
these operators’ should increase further over time. Tier 2 carriers are defined
here as lines with income derived from logistics of between US$ 1 and US$ 3
billion per year, accounting for 10–20 per cent of total income.
Some Tier 3 carriers, that is, lines offering restricted or limited logistics
services, are looking to expand further into the logistics sphere. However,
on the whole, most Tier 3 carriers tend to derive limited revenue from logis-
tics, and several lines appear uninterested in providing much in the way of
logistics services, preferring to focus their attention on liner shipping, on
terminals and inland transport, which is viewed as the core business activity.
Tier 3 lines derive less than US$ 1 billion from logistics, which is less than
10 per cent of total income.
The reality seems to be that over half of the top 20 carriers, and not just
the smaller lines, actually offer rather little in the way of logistics or added-
value services. Conversely, several top 20 carriers maintain a wide portfolio of
logistics investments and capabilities and hence derive considerable income
from these activities. Yet it is not the case that the bigger the carrier, the more
involvement it will have in logistics services. Indeed, several top 10 carriers,
including some of the very biggest lines in terms of fleet size/capacity, actu-
ally offer relatively little in the way of logistics services. These results tend to
reflect the findings of Haralambides and Accario (2010), the latter suggesting
that there remains plenty of room for liner operators to expand their logistics
services, although whether they would wish to do so remains a key question.
Moreover, there appears to be scant evidence of ocean carriers earning
high profits from logistics. Indeed, higher returns received from liner ship-
ping over recent years (especially just prior to the 2008 economic crash,
and also during 2010 as traffic volumes returned) may partly explain deci-
sions by several carriers to specify (or to re-specify) ocean transportation
as the core business activity, and hence to become rather less interested in
investing in logistics services. However, a return to stronger growth in the
logistics sector could over time be expected to attract more lines back into
that sphere of activity.
The ultimate question for the largest container lines, it seems, relates to
how much additional business can be generated for the core ocean trans-
port services through investments in logistics services. This appears to be
the main objective of ocean carriers investing in logistics service capacity, to
support and strengthen the core business – liner container shipping.

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Tanker shipping 11
logistics
rO B E r T D E S rO S I E r S

Introduction
The bulk movement of crude oil and petroleum products made up 23.8 per
cent of global maritime cargo movements in 2009, requiring 35 per cent of
the world fleet (Asariotis et al, 2010). However, much of the literature writ-
ten on cargo operations at the ship–shore interface has focused primarily on
general cargo, with more recent research focused on containerization. The
literature for tanker operations for the logistics practitioner has been sparse,
outside of environmental concerns and technical publications for tanker and
terminals operators.
This chapter focuses on the transfer of bulk petroleum at fixed terminal
facilities to introduce the reader to the logistics of bulk liquid. Three major
components of petroleum movement will be introduced (the petroleum
itself, the cargo terminals and the ships), followed by the practice of logis-
tics and the steps involved in transferring this increasing valuable liquid.
In addition to the physical movement of petroleum, contractual aspects of
petroleum movement and custody transfer will be discussed to add context
to the need for careful monitoring and proactive efforts by all parties on the
scene to prevent both fiscal and cargo loss.
A knowledge of the legal procedures and processes involved in the trans-
fer of bulk petroleum is important to understanding the constraints and
problems that can and do arise. This knowledge will allow the practitioner
to not only plan more effective operations, but enable all to take action to
improve the processes and make more effective and informed decisions.

Transfer components
Petroleum
The life of the useable litre of petrol begins its voyage as crude oil extracted
from beneath the earth’s surface. It is often pumped via pipelines to storage
tanks where some of the sediments, salts and water are allowed to settle out,
194 Shipping Logistics

Fi g u r e 11.1   Crude oil fractions

Product
Butane and Lighter

Light Straight Naphtha

Naphtha

Crude Oil Distillation

Kerosene
Column
Distillate

Heavy Gas Oil

Residuals

after which it is either sent directly to a refinery or pumped to a crude oil

tanker to be taken to a refinery.
It is important to note that the physical properties of crude oil vary with
its area of geographic origin. Most crude oils are classified by their density
and sulphur content. Less dense oils, or light crudes, have a larger proportion
of light hydrocarbons that can be recovered by simple distillation. Denser
crudes yield larger volumes of low-value product and require more complex
processing to recover the more valuable petroleum product (Leffler, 2000).
With respect to sulphur contents, crude oil with high sulphur content is
known as ‘sour crude’, as the sulphur content complicates the processing
and final quality of the product. Common sour crude oils include much
of the crude oil obtained from the Gulf of Mexico, Kuwait and Venezuela.
Sweet crude has a low sulphur content, making the refining process easier
and less expensive. Some common production areas for sweet crude are the
North Sea, Libya and West Texas.
At the refinery, the crude oil is separated into its various fractions through a
distillation process, similar to the distillation of alcohol, where the crude oil is
heated. The various components evaporate and condense at different tempera-
tures, allowing the crude oil to be separated out into useable fractions (Leffler,
2000). The fractions resulting from the standard distilling process are gener-
ally butanes, gasoline, naphtha, kerosene, gas oil and residue (Figure 11.1).
Once the petroleum has been separated into its refined fractions, the prod-
uct is transported to a marketing terminal for further transfer, or shipped
directly to its destination.

Marine terminals
Marine bulk oil transfer facilities should be designed for the safe and effi-
cient transfer of bulk petroleum between ship and shore. Due to the nature of
the materials being handled, transfer facilities should incorporate adequate
fire prevention design criteria and environmental protection systems. In the
 Tanker Shipping Logistics 195

Fi g u r e 11.2   Simplified bulk petroleum marketing terminal

Pipeline
Storage Tank
Cargo Arms T-Jetty Levee Berm Truck Rack

United States, the design standards are given in the National Fire Protec-
tion Association’s guidelines, as well as other applicable local and national
codes, and established engineering practices. The design and maintenance
schedules should consider the hazards associated with marine vessels, as
well as tank trucks, pipelines and rail tank cars (API, 2005).
There are two basic types of marine petroleum facilities: marketing facilities
and refining facilities. Marketing terminals are generally used for receiving and
storing bulk crude oil or petroleum products for further transfer. Refining facil-
ities take crude oil delivered by tanker and refine it into various compounds, or
fractions. In many cases, the refinery also serves as a marketing terminal.
Regardless of the terminal type, there are several basic elements to petro-
leum terminals (Figure 11.2). The main components of the terminal are: cargo
transfer arms/hoses, cargo pipelines, cargo tanks, and inland transfer facilities
such as truck racks. The cargo tanks are surrounded by levees, or dikes, with
the area around the tank out to the levee referred to as a ‘berm’, a slightly
different use of the term than that often seen in common usage (API, 2005).
Depending on the location and size of the tanks, the transfer of petroleum
into and out of the tanks may be assisted by booster pumps to overcome head
pressure resulting from tanks located significantly above the transfer point.

Tank ship
Petroleum cargoes carried in bulk are most efficiently transported by tank-
ers designed specifically for the carriage of large liquid quantities.
Oil was originally shipped in wooden barrels, resulting in a messy and
risky voyage. In 1878, the Zoroaster, built for the brothers of Alfred Nobel,
of Nobel Prize fame, was introduced as the first ship to use its hull as con-
tainment for liquid petroleum cargoes (Baptist, 2000). In 1886, the Gluckauf
196 Shipping Logistics

Ta B L E 11.1   Oil tanker size categories

Class Size in DWT capacity
ULCC 300,000–500,000
VLCC 150,000–299,999
Suezmax 120,000–149,999
Aframax 80,000–149,999
Panamax 50,000–80,000
Handy Product 30,000–50,000
Coastal Product 10,000–30,000

SOuRCE Branch (2007)

was built and considered the prototype for the modern tanker, incorpo-
rating many of the features seen in today’s tankers, such as pressure relief
valves, cofferdams, cargo valves capable of being operated from the deck,
aft engine room and the ability to load ballast (Tusiani, 1996).
Up until the mid-1940s, tankers remained relatively the same size where
the market and trade patterns required larger tankers to meet the demands
for the recovery from the ravages of the two world wars. In the 1950s, ship-
owners embarked on a quest to build the largest tanker. With the closure of
the Suez Canal for eight years in the late 1960s, tankers were no longer lim-
ited by canal restrictions as they had to go around the Cape of Good Hope.
Economies of scale dictated that larger ships could carry larger quantities at
cheaper rates, culminating with the largest tanker built, the Seawise Giant,
at over 560,000 deadweight tons (dwt).
Today, modern tankers vary in size according to their cargoes and trade
routes. Table 11.1 provides an overview of the various tanker sizes used in
the carriage of petroleum. While a cursory look may seem to indicate they
are large floating tanks, their systems can be quite complex.

Contractual relationships
Charter parties
The legal requirements for the transfer of bulk petroleum are primarily con-
tained in the charter parties governing the ocean carriage of petroleum and
oil contracts governing the purchase and sale of petroleum.
A charter party describes the required performance of the ship in relation-
ship to the carriage and care of the cargo, as well as performance require-
ments for the ship. Common performance requirements are the carriage
 Tanker Shipping Logistics 197

of the cargo with less than half a per cent loss from origin to destination,
ability of the ship to load or discharge the cargo within 24 hours or main-
tain 7.03 kg/cm2 (100 psi) at the manifold, and the cargo to have the same
characteristics upon discharge as when it was loaded (Schofield, 2000). This
requirement is often referred to as the pumping clause or warranty.
The requirements of the pumping clause should not be confused with
the allowed lay time as stipulated elsewhere in the charter party. While
the allowed lay time is cited as a total of 72 hours, 36 hours at the load
port and 36 hours at the discharge port, the lay time can be amended to
cover the expected conditions and delays that may be expected at various
ports (Edkins and Dunkley, 1998). However, when the time for operations
exceeds the allocated lay time, a penalty or demurrage is charged against the
charterer. Table 11.2 outlines some common causes of delays at a terminal
in Texas City, USA.
When the 24-hour time limit is not met, as laid out in the charter party,
it is commonly due to physical limitations of the equipment in use, such
as only one manifold connection, small piping, equipment malfunctions,
or lack of tank space. Weather and port congestion can also contribute to
delays in cargo operations. Thus, problems in these areas may require sig-
nificant financial investments.
The difference in lay time and pumping clause can be attributed to
the activities surrounding the actual transfer of cargo. As can be seen in
Figure 11.3, there are several activities that must be completed before and
after the cargo transfer. Some contractual allowances are made, with two of
particular note: notice of readiness and disconnection of cargo hoses/arms.
The notice of readiness (NOR) is the formal notification that the tanker
has arrived at the port or berth and is ready in all respects to load or dis-
charge cargo (Schofield, 2000). Typically, once the NOR has been tendered,
the lay time commences six hours later, or upon arrival at the berth (Edkins
and Dunkley, 1998) and continues until the hoses are disconnected. A com-
mon stipulation is that if the vessel is delayed in excess of three hours after
disconnection of cargo hoses solely, lay time or demurrage shall be deemed
to have continued without interruption from the disconnection of the cargo
hoses until the termination of such delay (MSC, 2002). A common example
of such a delay is the failure to deliver required documentation, such as the
bill of lading (B/L), to the ship or release the ship to sail.
When a tank ship arrives in port, the ensuing cargo operations have three
principal areas of concern: the performance of both the ship and terminal
in accordance with the charter party, the quantity of cargo transferred, and
the quality of the cargo.
At the end of the cargo operation, vessel release occurs when a person
in a position of authority accepts the results of the cargo transfer. This may
take the form of quantifying the cargo remaining onboard or verifying the
quantity of cargo transferred, and reflects an event that is useful in deter-
mining efficiency. It should be noted that due to departing restrictions, such
as channel congestion, weather delays such as restricted visibility or high
198 Shipping Logistics

Ta B L E 11.2    Sources of terminal delays at Texas City, Texas USA

Delay category Hours
Awaiting pilot, tugs or channel traffic 42
Awaiting daylight 125
Break down (or lack of) vessel equipment 154
Awaiting Tanker man 161
USCG delays 235
In spector Delays (sampling, gauging, arrival etc.) 243
Vessel Discharging slop/Internal stripping/Bunkering 324
Refinery Lab delays 380
Pumping limitations (Reduced Rate) 382
Awaiting pilot, tugs or channel traffic 414
Line wash delays 579
Awaiting berth (Planned outage for maintenance) 827
Breakdown of Shoreequip 962
Cargo Not Available/Not Ready 988
All Other delays (be specific) 1241
Delay at bar or fleet - no reason given 1946
Weather (fog, lightning, high seas) 2123
Scheduling (conflict or change in schedule) 2449
Unit shut down, fire, emergency etc. 2486
Lines Not Available 5694
Limited (or no) Tank Space 7081
Awaiting Berth (Dock scongestion) 7721
grand Total 36557

SOuRCE Fondren (2010)

winds, or night-time restrictions, using the last line event as a measure to

determine process efficiency would be inaccurate.
It should be noted that at all times during ship–terminal operations, all
government, local port and terminal regulations shall be complied with, as
failure to do so could result in lost time, fines or vessel detention. This is
particularly true in the areas of security and safety.
 Tanker Shipping Logistics 199

Fi g u r e 11.3  Tanker–terminal cargo transfer work flow

Terminal Berth Ship – Pre Xfer

• 1 hr prior to ship arrival • Time permitting, • Meet Master/Ch. Mate

• Clear Safety & Security observe berthing • Gauge Tanks (ullage,
• Report to Control/... • Visually observe water cuts, temps) &
(alt. names?) and record Drafts Compute volume
• Discuss sequence of • Gauge Bunkers CGO
events (innage/ullage, water Xfer
• Gauge open tanks cuts, temps) &
(innage/ullage, water Compute volume
cuts, temps) & Compute • Line Displacement
volume • Monitor transfer
performance
Know the Charter Party • Note slowdowns
and other delays
Keep Track of Times
Take action to minimize cargo and time losses
Issue Letters of Protest at time of Occurrence

Ship – Load only Shore – Post Xfer Ship – Post Xfer

• Final Paperwork, B/L • Gauge Tanks (ullage, • Gauge Tanks (ullage,

water cuts, temps) water cuts, temps)
• Compute volume • Compute volume
• Compute ship–shore • Gauge Bunkers
figures • (innage/ullage, water
cuts, temps)
Contact Charterer • Compute volume

• Pass figures
• e-mail files
• Mail hard copies

These requirements make for a challenging environment at terminals where

loading and discharging occur, with multiple parties having a variety of
responsibilities, often working towards the same end. At other times, they
may be working against each other, such as working to get the last bit of
cargo off the ship to maximize freight, while the terminal may want the ship
off berth in order to bring another alongside.

Responsibilities
When the tanker transfers cargo at a terminal, there are generally three
types of parties involved: the ship-owner, the charterer and the cargo owner.
Each of these parties has distinct responsibilities.
●● The ship owner, or ship manager, is responsible for maintaining tank
calibration tables, gauging and sampling equipment and all pertinent
facilities in good operating condition to enable the ship’s crew to
accomplish accurate cargo gauging, sampling and accounting. The
ship owner instructs the master to provide cargo-gauging and
200 Shipping Logistics

sampling data, as well as reports as directed by the cargo owner and

receiver. This requires that the ship’s crew must be competent to
undertake cargo measuring, sampling and calculations in accordance
with written guides and procedures describing these operations.
●● The charterer is responsible for providing the ship’s master with
written guides, procedures, instructions and orders applicable to
gauging, sampling, and accounting for the cargo being carried while
the vessel is under charter.
●● The cargo owner is responsible for providing a qualified person to
act as a shore representative to join with the ship’s officer in the
inspection of all cargo and slop tanks on board before and after the
cargo transfer, and to witness all gauges, temperatures, water cuts
and samples required to account for the net quantities and quality for
the cargo. These measurements will also include the quantity of any
oil residues or other slop material present (API, 2001b).
The cargo owner also ensures that the shore representative validates all forms
used to record gauging and sampling data taken before and after loading
or discharge, including tank condition, gauges, temperatures, gross and net
cargo quantities and load-on-top quantities. Where the cargo owner is also
the loading or receiving terminal, they make certain that safe ship-to-shore
conditions exist while gauging and sampling activities are being carried out
on board and whilst the vessel is moored at the terminal (IP, 1989; 2001).
This is in addition to doing all necessary shore gauging and calculations and
giving the results to the ship for comparison with the vessel’s figures.
The cargo inspector should be regarded as a person who, by reason of his
knowledge and practical experience in the field of bulk oil cargo measure-
ment and analysis, is competent to provide impartial judgements, reports
and recommendations on matters relating to the quantity and quality of
these cargoes. Cargo inspectors should verify the purpose of a cargo survey,
often through the use of a statement of the quantity and quality of oil loaded
or discharged and to highlight matters which may be relevant to the protec-
tion of the client’s interests.
Generally, the inspectors and representatives need to: understand who
they represent; be knowledgeable about the terms of the charter party;
understand how the terms may affect a client; understand elements of cargo
quality and quantity; be conscious of international and local standards for
inspection, testing and equipment; comply with safety requirements; witness
the various stages of the operation; perform and observe surveys noting
non-compliance with recognized standards and instructions; and keep the
client informed before, during and after the survey of relevant details.
When a cargo of oil is transported by ship from one terminal to another
surveys are undertaken to: establish the quantity and quality of oil loaded;
establish the quantity of oil received by the receiving terminal; establish the
differences in quantity of cargo discharged from a vessel as measured by a
shore terminal (outturn difference); provide a time log of the events; identify
 Tanker Shipping Logistics 201

other conditions at either the terminal or the vessel which may affect the
above; and provide certified documents that might be used as a basis for
the recovery of losses, the settlement of demurrage and despatch claims and
assist in arbitration or litigation settlement (API, 1995, 2001b).

Cargo transfer procedures

Cargo inspection
Before any cargo operation commences, all the key personnel concerned
with the operation should meet to discuss operational plans. Generally
cargo will be delivered to a vessel from shore tanks. With tanks, it is neces-
sary to determine the quantity and quality of material in the shore lines from
the tank to the vessel, and the quantity and quality contained in the shore
tank, obtaining samples of this material as appropriate. Where the line vol-
ume represents a significant proportion of the quantity to be loaded, the line
contents should also be sampled for analysis (API, 2001b).
When loading quantity is determined by meters rather than measure of
tank and line volumes, it is necessary to determine the type, size and maxi-
mum flow rate of the meters together with the position and accuracy of the
temperature probe. The average flow rate should also be recorded for the
intended cargo plus the temperature, viscosity and grade.
Shore tanks are examined for noticeable deformities that might affect
the tank calibration data. Prior to quantifying the tank contents, the tanks
should be isolated from other systems by closing and sealing valves on the
filling, crossover and drain systems. Where tanks have floating roofs these
should be free of debris, snow, water, ice and other weights, avoiding the
roof being grounded or in a critical zone.
The calibration tables for the tank should be checked to record the last
calibration check date together with the issuing authority. Data regarding
the measurement point and referenced height should also be recorded. It is
advisable to record when the tank was last cleaned and inspected, as well
as the date of any repairs. If the tank has been recently inactive, a period of
30 minutes is allowed for settlement before any gauging is performed (API,
2001b; IP, 1989, 2001).
The tank reference height, which should be prominently marked at the ref-
erence point, should be compared with the calibration table, and confirmed
by measurement. The tank or ullage should be measured using approved
equipment and the measurement should be checked until two consecutive
measurements agree within 3 millimetres.
Where tanks have sludge or debris present on the bottom, ullage meas-
urement is preferred. This measurement should be related to the tank refer-
ence height. Where water is present in the tanks this should be gauged using
water-finding paste and a steel tape or a portable sonic tape.
202 Shipping Logistics

The tank temperature should be obtained using an electronic device or

mercury-in-glass thermometer. Temperatures should be measured at a num-
ber of levels in the tank to obtain a more accurate assessment of the tem-
perature profile and these should be averaged. Tanks should be sampled as
required by the client and as specified within the industry.

Quantity
Where the parties concerned agree, automatic tank level gauging and tem-
perature measurement systems may be used for custody transfer. Wherever
possible, the surveyor should take his own measurements and compare them
with those of the automatic gauge system.
Where terminals do not allow surveyors to take these, the surveyor should
be satisfied from the terminal’s gauge-proving records that the gauges are
satisfactory, and an appropriate note made in the general comments of the
survey report.
Before gauging, the surveyor must determine the nature and quality of
material in the shore lines and the total capacity of the lines from manifold
flange to the shore tank(s) in use. The steps taken to determine that the shore
pipeline was full of liquid are recorded. Often the line check may take the
form of a physical line displacement at the beginning of loading, by transfer-
ring petroleum from a single shore or ship tank to a single ship or shore tank
(API, 1998). This line displacement can also be used to determine the quality
of the petroleum when this may be of importance.
The terminal should arrange for lines and valves to be set so as to prevent
cargo being contaminated or lost through other lines and tanks, with writ-
ten confirmation. Inspectors must be satisfied as to the system’s integrity,
and attempt to verify previous line contents and characteristics.
When metering, the volumetric measurement of liquid flow is measured,
and thus used to determine the amount of cargo transferred between the
terminal and ship. Before loading, meter data should be recorded upon com-
pletion of the line-up (API, 2001b).
On board the vessel, it will be necessary to study the ship’s drawings and
plans to record details of the vessel. From the general arrangement plan,
the position of gauging points, the length and width of the tanks, the pipe-
line layout and the pipeline quantities may be determined. The surveyor
should also check the vessel’s calibration tables to obtain the tank heights
and whether the pipeline quantities are included in the tank capacities.
When possible, tanks should be visually examined from deck level to
obtain an accurate picture of the interior. Where the appropriate safety
precautions have been taken, tanks may be inspected by entry. A physical
inspection will normally be necessary to examine the condition of the tank
surfaces, heating coils, piping, submerged pumps, and to fully assess the
cleanliness of the tank and the integrity of the tank coating.
Where physical inspection is not necessary or impractical, the amount
and nature of any onboard quantity (OBQ) should be determined prior to
 Tanker Shipping Logistics 203

loading. This should be described as either liquid, non-liquid, free water or

sediment and, if possible, the temperature should be measured and a sample
obtained. It is convenient at this time to check the tank reference height and
this should be compared with the tabulated height in the calibration tables.
A complete inspection of a vessel should also include a check of the bal-
last system, the void spaces, the pump room and the bunker system. This
will depend on the time available, the nature of the survey and other factors.
When the surveyor is satisfied that he has obtained the necessary informa-
tion to report on the vessel’s condition prior to loading he should allow load-
ing to commence. In some cases this may require his advice and supervision.
During the loading the role of the surveyor can vary. The surveyor may be
required to sample the cargo during loading, the operation of meters, or the
performance of the ship and shore facilities. It is upon completion of loading
that the greatest involvement of the inspector will be required.
The survey of the vessel after loading is required to be rigorous and
extensive. The cargo tanks on the vessel must be checked for ullage and tem-
perature, and gauged for water. The calculation of quantities is made easier
when the vessel is on an even keel. It is important that all tank valves on the
vessel are closed prior to this survey and that they remain closed during the
survey. It is important to check non-loaded compartments, void spaces and
ballast tanks, in addition to measuring and sampling the loaded tanks. A
post-loading bunker survey should be performed at this stage
Upon completion of the inspection and gauging on board, the calcula-
tion of the vessel’s loaded quantity should be made using the appropriate
corrections. Application of the vessel’s experience factor should provide a
reasonable check on the quantity stated on the shore-loading certificate. If it
does not, then an investigation should be undertaken to find out the reason
for the discrepancy (API, 1995).
The shore tank check after loading should be undertaken in the same
manner as prior to loading. The shore tank numbers are generally the most
important figures on the bill of lading. Whether the figures are acquired by
tank dipping or by metering, they should be carefully checked as errors are
very difficult to rectify and considerable sums of money depend on the reli-
ability and accuracy of the B/L.
The inspection of a cargo at a discharge port essentially follows the load-
ing survey in reverse, with the same care and attention to detail shown at the
loading terminal applied to the discharge. However, there will come a time
after the discharge when the quantity and quality of the cargo discharged
will be compared with that at the load port. It is for this reason that the
inspector’s impartial report of both operations is of vital importance: the
quantity loaded is rarely the same as that discharged (API, 2001b).
Traditionally, oil cargoes have been measured in barrels and long tons
and corrected to a standard temperature of 60°F using the API gravity, or
expressed in cubic meters and metric tons at 15°C (sometimes 20°C) using
the density of the liquid. All bulk liquid cargoes are measured by volume.
While the measurement of volume may be difficult to determine accurately,
204 Shipping Logistics

this task is further complicated by temperature. Due to the expansion and

contraction of liquid due to temperature, making the use of a standard
temperature to determine volume is critical. The difficulty lies in accurately
determining the temperature of a large tank, with the cargo temperature
affected by heating by the sun and heating coils and the temperature of
surrounding tanks creating temperature gradient in the cargo tank (API,
2001a). It is necessary to provide correction tables showing the factor used
to correct the volume to a standard temperature, as change in the volume of
liquids is not linear.
While the tables have been revised over time to more accurately reflect
the variety of crude oils and their characteristics, some countries will use
the older set of tables, as the newer tables reduce, by a small quantity, the
volume at the standard temperature. The latest tables are in fact a formula
designed to be used with personal computers, now that they are considered
common. The effect of the new tables compared to the old is to reduce by
a small amount the volume at the standard temperature, but both methods
are still considered correct.

Quality
In spite of efforts by the International Organization for Standardization
(ISO) to standardize petroleum products testing, many standards are estab-
lished by various national or business organizations. A single test may have
a variety of different methods by which a result may be obtained. This can
be compounded by two other factors: repeatability and reproducibility.
A laboratory analysis using the same method, equipment and, of course,
sample of material may get two slightly different results. This is recognized
as acceptable as long as the results fall within the range of repeatability.
A lack of reproducibility is where the result found in one laboratory may
differ from the results found in separate laboratory. The same test methods
and types of equipment may have been used, but a different result is found.
These results are also acceptable as long as they are within the range of
reproducibility (Intertanko, 1996).
Another area where a loss may be incurred is at the point of the shore stor-
age system. The shore tanks may have been improperly calibrated, improp-
erly gauged, or simply the difference is between empty and full tank shell
dimensions. Tanks also have bottom movement, or springing, that occurs
when the weight of the liquid increases (API, 2001b). Tanks are calibrated
at a fixed temperature, thus tank expansion due to heated cargoes can be
significant if one is dealing with high-temperature products in large tanks.
The volume in the tank will distort the tank by the effect of pressure on
the sides. The more pressure the greater the distortion. The distortion may
have been allowed for in the calibration tables or it may not. In a fixed
roof tank, the effect of this distortion may create a dip or upwelling that
may affect the ullage and thus the volume calculation (API, 2001b). Some
 Tanker Shipping Logistics 205

tanks have floating roofs that can be affected by debris, standing water,
and snow and so on, affecting their weight and thus the ullage, resulting in
inaccuracies.
For the purpose of custody calculations, it is often assumed that large
pipelines are perfectly filled with the same grade of dry oil before and after
transfer. In practice, however, there is concern about the incidence of air or
void pockets and possible vapour locks in elevated sections of piping, as
well as the presence of free water tending to accumulate in lower sections.
With products, it is often slightly easier as line pigging (clearing the lines
through mechanical means) is more common and free water is less.
Thus, there are two ways in which a loss can occur when considering
pipelines. The first is simple and is easy to verify. That is that the line is not
in the same condition before and after use, for example the line had air or
water in it before use, but contains oil afterwards.
The way to check this is by performing a line push or displacement, or for
some products a slopping’ operation to a road tanker or similar. A displace-
ment is particularly valuable with crude oil where long pipeline systems
are in use, as a 30-inch pipe will contain about 45 m3 per 100 metres (API,
1998). Thus, it does not take much of a percentage in a long pipe to lose a
lot of cargo.
The second error in pipelines is that the pipeline contents are different
before and after. While the pipelines may have been full of oil before, it is
not known what the temperature or density of the material was. Obviously
this density difference would have to be quite large to affect the volume, but
the effect of only a small change in temperature is different: the effect of a
1°C change is about 0.01 per cent of the volume of the pipe.

Cargo losses
During the course of shipments of oil by tankers, it normally happens that
some operational losses occur whereby the quantity delivered at the dis-
charge port is somewhat less than the total supplied on board at the point
of loading. Losses occur, to a greater or lesser extent, over each stage of the
shipment, and may include evaporative losses of the most volatile fractions
or ‘light ends’ during loading, carriage, and discharge operations; additional
evaporative losses during crude oil washing operations; oil clinging to inter-
nal tank surfaces; increase in ROB (remaining onboard) in relation to the
initial OBQ; unaccounted hold-up in the vessel’s cargo lines and pumps;
and accidental spillage and leakage or diversion to non-cargo spaces (API,
1995).
There are four distinct stages during carriage where the loss occurs: load-
ing, voyage, vapour and washing (API, 1995). During loading, even with
closed loading systems, there can be a significant loss. The cargo is entering
the tanks under high pressure through a small aperture and immediately has
206 Shipping Logistics

a big empty tank to fill. Vapour generation on the surface is very rapid, par-
ticularly when the temperature of the air or inert gas in the tank is high. And
all the time this vapour is being forced out of the tank as the vessel loads.
It is hardly surprising that the old practice of topping off tanks with sticks
through open tank ullage ports has been done away with. The losses, quite
apart from the dangers, were considered too significant.
The losses occurring during the voyage depend on the weather condi-
tions and temperatures experienced in conjunction with the duration of the
voyage. As the gas and air in the ullage space heats up, there is a resultant
rise in pressure that is partially contained by the pressure-vacuum (PV)
valves. Eventually, this pressure will be released to the atmosphere allowing
further generation of gas to occur. As the vessel moves through a seaway,
this effect increases as the liquid surges in the tank, forcing the pocket of
gas in the ullage space either out of the PV valve or through other points,
and the tank starts to ‘breathe’ with the movement. Vapour is therefore
continually being lost to atmosphere and continually replaced with more
vapour from the liquid surface. At night the tank cools down and the tank
and air space also cool. A vacuum is formed which activates the PV valve.
Air then enters the tank and becomes saturated ready to be emitted the
next day.
A third area of vapour loss can occur during discharge. Upon sailing after
discharge, the empty tanks will be full of a mixture of oil vapour and inert
gas, much of which may be lost when ROB measurement is taking place.
Finally, there is an increase in vapour losses due to crude oil washing
(COW) operations. COW is used to clean the tanks by the spraying of the
crude oil against the walls and floors of the tanks. This spraying of a crude
oil stream inside a cargo tank generates vapours that can be vented to
atmosphere due to the over-pressurizing of the tanks.
Clingage, where petroleum adheres to horizontal and vertical surfaces of
cargo tanks other than the bottom surfaces, is another area of potential loss.
On crude oil tankers, tanks that have been COWed are often considered to
be free of sludge in the upper areas, on all verticals and most horizontals
down to the bottom. Clingage can be a significant factor in oil losses when
COW has not or cannot be performed.
The increase of ROB cargo after discharge against pre-loading OBQ fig-
ures can be relatively easy to quantify. However, variances in inspection
procedures may result in quantity differences that can be difficult to resolve.
The pipelines and pumps may also contain residual cargo oil creating fur-
ther measurement errors. While preparing the vessel for loading, tanks and
cargo pipelines may have been cleaned, resulting in very little cargo in the
pipelines or pumps (IP, 1989). However, after discharging the cargo, the time
it would take to recover the cargo from the pumps and the lines, as well as
ROB, may not be economically feasible when the value of the cargo quantity
is compared against the value of time of the lay time and demurrage as laid
out in the charter party.
 Tanker Shipping Logistics 207

Conclusion
The logistics of transferring bulk petroleum is subject to a variety of uncer-
tainties and potential losses that need to be monitored and mitigated in
order to ensure effective and efficient operations. Losses are not limited to
quantity and quality, but also encompass the dimension of time. For those
engaged in the transport and transfer of petroleum cargoes, it is important
to understand these issues in order to balance the priorities between these
sometimes conflicting aspects of cargo transfer.
As tanker–terminal operations move into the future, additional pressure
will be placed on these operations that may affect the time to complete the
operations and impact the ability to effectively transfer a quality cargo in
the proper quantities. These pressures may result from security, environ-
mental and fiscal requirements and considerations. It is up to practitioners
to provide the oversight and management to minimize the costs while maxi-
mizing the benefits and opportunities.

Glossary
API:  American Petroleum Institute.
API gravity:  An American unit used in petroleum liquids.
B/L or BoL:  The bill of lading.
Calibration table:  A table, often referred to as a tank table or tank
capacity table, giving the volume of material held in a storage tank for
various liquid levels.
Clingage:  Oil residues that adhere to the surface of tank walls and
structures on completion of discharge.
Cofferdam:  The isolating space between two adjacent steel bulkheads or
decks. This space is commonly void, but may be used as ballast in some
vessels.
Critical zone:  The volume close to the bottom of a floating roof tank
in which there are complex interactions and buoyancy effects as the
floating roof comes to rest on its legs. The zone is usually clearly
marked on tank calibration tables and measurements for custody
transfer should not be made within it.
Density:  The ratio of the mass of a substance to its volume. Since density
is dependent on temperature and pressure these should be stated.
Floating roof:  A tank roof which floats freely on the surface of the liquid
except at low levels when it is partially or wholly supported by ‘legs’.
Innage:  The depth of liquid in a storage tank measured from a reference
level
Light ends:  The low-density constituents which may be easily lost by
evaporation.
208 Shipping Logistics

Manifold:  The final pipe of a cargo system before the shore connection.
The pipe through which cargo is discharged into the loading arm
ashore and from which loaded cargo is distributed to the various
cargo tanks.
Onboard quantity (OBQ):  All the oil, water, sludge and sediment in the
cargo tanks and associated lines and pumps on a ship before loading a
cargo commences.
Quantity remaining onboard (ROB):  All the oil, water, sludge and
sediment in the cargo tanks and associated lines and pumps on a ship
after discharging a cargo has been completed, excluding vapour but
including clingage.
Outturn:  The quantity of cargo discharged from a vessel, measured by a
shore terminal.
Slops:  Material collected after such operations as stripping, tank washing
or dirty ballast separation. It may include oil, water, sediment and
emulsions and is usually contained in a tank or tanks permanently
assigned to hold such material.
Stripping:  The operation at the conclusion of a discharge whereby the
final part of the bulk liquid cargo is removed from a cargo tank.
Ullage:  The distance from the ullage reference level to the oil surface.
The depth of free space left in a cargo tank above the liquid level. Also
known as outage.
Venting:  The process of releasing cargo gas or inert gas to atmosphere by
way of the vessel’s venting system and vent stack.

References
API (1995) Section 5: Guidelines for Cargo Analysis and Reconciliation, American
Petroleum Institute
API (1998) Section 6: Guidelines for Determining the Fullness of Pipelines between
Vessels and Shore Tanks, American Petroleum Institute
API (2001a) Chapter 7: Temperature Determination, American Petroleum Institute
API (2001b) Section 1: Guidelines for Marine Cargo Inspection, American
Petroleum Institute
API (2005) API Standard 2610 Design, Construction, Operation, Maintenance and
Inspection of Terminal and Tank Facilities, 2nd edn, American Petroleum
Institute
Asariotis, R, Benamara, H, Hoffmann, J, Misovicova, M, Núñez, E, Premti, A,
Sitorus, B, Valentine, V and Viohl, B (2010) Review of Maritime Transport
2010, UNCTAD/RMT/2010, UN Conference on Trade and Development
Baptist, C (2000) Tanker Handbook for Deck Officers, Brown, Son and Ferguson
Ltd, Glasgow, Scotland
Branch, AE (2007) Elements of Shipping, Routledge, London
Edkins, M and Dunkley, R (1998) Laytime and Demurrage in the Oil Industry,
LLP Reference Publishing, London
 Tanker Shipping Logistics 209

Fondren, K (2010) Refinery Marine Terminal Operations, British Petroleum,

Galveston, TX
Intertanko (1996) Oil Cargo Losses and Problems with Measurement, Intertanko
IP (1989) Section 2: Petroleum Products, The Institute of Petroleum
IP (2001) Section 1: Crude Oil, The Institute of Petroleum
Leffler, WL (2000) Petroleum Refining in Nontechnical Language, PennWell
Corporation, Tulsa, OK
MSC (2002) Military Sealift Command TANKVOY Proforma, Military Sealift
Command, Washington, DC
Schofield, J (2000) Laytime and Demurrage, LLP Professional Publishing, London
Tusiani, MD (1996) The Petroleum Shipping Industry: A nontechnical overview,
Pennwell, Tulsa, OK
Dry bulk 12
shipping
logistics
C L au D E COMTO I S a N D rOMua L D L aCO S T E

Dry bulk trade

The globalization of economic activities has led to a profound mutation in
the dry bulk trade. First, the world demand for bulk commodities has tri-
pled since the 1970s to reach above 8 billion tons in 2008 with petroleum
products (oil and natural gas) and the five major dry bulks (iron ore, coal,
grains, bauxite/alumina and rock phosphate) accounting for 36 per cent and
25 per cent respectively of overall world seaborne trade (UNCTAD, 2010).
Second, with an increasing share of East Asia’s imports in dry bulk products
originating in Latin America, West Africa and East Coast North America,
ton-miles demand associated with this trade has expanded. Third, the long-
haul trade of raw materials in support of East Asia’s economic growth has
created a demand for tonnage additions in the world bulk carrier fleet with
new buildings entering the fleet being large units with an average size of
66,500 dwt (ISL, 2010). Fourth, the need to penetrate deep inland conti-
nents to secure provisioning or discharging of commodities combined with
the importance of load factor to ensure the competitiveness of transporting
bulk products gives a key role to railways and inland waterways.
More importantly, dry bulk trade underpinned by marine output is a
key element in the supply chain for metallurgical producers, steel plants,
aluminium industries and agro-food businesses. The participation of bulk
trade within global economic processes will not diminish. The growth in the
amount of dry bulk carried by sea and the mutation in the direction of flows
are some of the major phenomena of world exchanges. The steady growth
in the volume of dry bulk shipments has resulted in intensive demand for
increasing the competitiveness of bulk logistics.
The understanding of dry bulk logistics is underpinned by key salient fea-
tures. Bulk commodities have a low value/weight (or volume) ratio implying
212 Shipping Logistics

that the efficiency of land and marine transport has an impact on value added.
The handling conditions of dry bulk materials are influenced by a wide range
of factors (size, weight, water content, surface adhesion, ease of flow, extent
of compaction). Handling equipment is often custom designed for specific
dry bulk commodity. There are various types of contractual arrangement
used for the shipment of dry bulk. The command centre of dry bulk trade is
not always commensurate with dry bulk port location. Ships and consign-
ment size vary enormously. These conditions raise a series of key issues. How
has the dry bulk shipping fleet evolved? How is the commercial structure of
dry bulk trade responding to the globalization of economic activities? Above
all, how are these developments affecting dry bulk shipping logistics?

Dry bulk fleet

Diversity of the fleet
The fleet generally falls into three main categories: specialized carriers, com-
bination carriers and all-round bulk carriers (Branch, 2007). Specialized
bulk carriers consist of different types of vessels essentially built for spe-
cial bulk cargo such as gypsum, bauxite/aluminium, potash, sulphur con-
struction materials, sugar and salt. These ships are constructed with specific
design and handling equipment suited for a particular niche market. Special-
ized bulk carriers account for 1 per cent of total bulk carrier fleet.
Ore carriers are designed for ores and heavy cargoes with a stowage fac-
tor varying between 0.35 and 0.70 m3 per tonne (Stopford, 2009). But the
imbalance of traffic between imports and exports, the limited hold capacity
of these ships and the increasing shipping distance has led to a decline in the
original ore carrier fleet and an increasing market share of combination and
all-round bulk carriers.
The combination carriers were designed with separated section holds to
take advantage of two-cargo options between voyages such as ore/oil, bulk/
oil, car/bulk or container/bulk. After a prolonged upward trends, the fleet of
combination carriers began to decline. While these ships had a competitive
advantage for being suitable for oil cargoes, they lacked flexibility of opera-
tion in the dry bulk markets. Increasing containerization brought significant
demand for larger container ships. More importantly, the high capital and
operating cost (regular maintenance, advanced crew training, accelerated
aging) of these vessels prompted demand for all-round bulk carriers (Clark-
son Research Studies, 2006; ISL, 2010).
All-round bulk carriers suitable for different bulk products vary in size and
facilities. Vessels can be divided in two types: geared and non-geared. Ships
with cargo gear are relatively small vessels, dedicated to minor bulk, essen-
tially over short distances. Gearless ships are larger vessels, suited for major
cargoes (iron ore and coal) with a view to covering long-distances trades.
 Dry Bulk Shipping Logistics 213

This diversity in the dry bulk fleet aims at answering the need to adapt
to the heterogeneity of bulk products, the different size of shipments, the
constraints of trade routes and the geographical conditions of ports of call.
Bulk carriers are thus essentially multi-purpose vessels in terms of size and
equipment facilities. These vessels can carry a wide range of different cargo
types and are often able to pick up backhaul cargo. They are considered as
logistics tools partially in competition in an open market economy (Gar-
diner and Couper, 1992; Packard, 2005).

Evolution of vessel size

In 2008, the bulk carrier fleet consisted of 7,357 vessels accounting for
401,949,000 dwt (De Monie et al, 2010). The bulk carrier fleet comprises
different classes ranging from Handysize (28,500 dwt) to Ultra-large Cape-
size (365,000 dwt). Any analysis of international marine bulk shipping must
consider three interrelated dynamics: increasing tonnage of ships, increasing
size of ships and adaptability of ships to market demand.
First, the average deadweight of dry bulk carriers is increasing. The aver-
age deadweight of Handysize has increased from 24,100 dwt in 1980 to
27,000 dwt in 2009. The average size of Panamax vessels has increased
from 67,800 dwt to 71,600 dwt while average deadweight of Capesize ships
has increased from 117,000 dwt to 157,000 dwt during the same period.
Second, evidence suggests a progressive shift of carrying capacity from
small to larger ships. In 1980, Handysize accounted for 54.3 per cent of the
world bulk fleet capacity, while 14.7 per cent was held by Capesize ships.
In 2000, world deadweight tons capacity was almost at equilibrium with
Handysize and Capesize accounting for 28.7 per cent and 30.8 per cent of
world bulk fleet capacity respectively. The last decade has accelerated shift
in carrying capacity with Handysize accounting for 16.3 per cent of world
bulk fleet tonnage and Capesize 40.5 per cent in 2009 (Table 12.1).
Third, demand for dry bulk carriers is constantly being adjusted to
international seaborne shipment of bulk cargoes. The market share of bulk
carriers of 10–40,000 dwt is declining. In sharp contrast, the demand for
Supramax bulk carriers of 40–60,000 dwt is increasing. These vessels com-
bine the flexibility of Handymax with a higher carrying capacity without
the constraints of Panamax ships in terms of length and draught. Panamax
of 60–80,000 dwt are heavily used and account for approximately 25 per
cent of the world bulk carrier fleet. Their niche market is increasingly being
contested by the upper segment. There is a strong demand for ships above
80,000 dwt. The gradual acceleration of the growth rate for iron ore, coal
and grain notably in China and India is placing increasing pressure for
Capesize bulk carriers with 73 giant bulk carriers of more than 300,000
dwt on order, against only 12 in service. These changes are related to inno-
vation in naval engineering, the search for scale economies, increasing pro-
duction capacity of industrial plants, modernization of ports and terminals
and changes in maritime route patterns.
Ta B L E 1 2 . 1     Evolution of dry bulk carrier fleet
1980 1990 2000 2009
Size dwt dwt dwt dwt
(dwt) Type No (million) No (million) No (million) No (million)
10–40,000 Handysize 3,156 76.2 3,131 82.0 2,887 76.6 2,502 67.6
40–50,000 Handymax 258 11.3 747 20.5 869 38.5 856 38.5
50–60,000 Supramax 233 12.6 183 9.8 124 6.6 702 37.6
60–80,000 Panamax 286 19.4 584 39.0 903 62.3 1,381 99.0
80–120,000 Babycape 102 10.6 110 11.3 57 5.5 247 22.9
120–400,000 Capesize 75 10.1 252 40.3 469 76.8 821 145.2
Total fleet 4,110 140.3 4,734 203.1 5,309 266.6 7,481 414.4

SOuRCE Based on Clarkson (2006); ISL (2010)

 Dry Bulk Shipping Logistics 215

Changes in route patterns

The high growth in international trade is a reflection of global economic
processes with fewer trade restrictions. Dry bulk commodities constitute
25 per cent of the tons and 30 per cent of the ton-miles of international
seaborne trade. The development of dry bulk shipping routes shows three
important trends. The first trend is the growing market share of China in the
international dry bulk seaborne trades related to the steel industry: iron ore,
coal, steel product, bauxite and aluminium. China’s economic growth rate is
affecting the bulk carrier market with ship-owners ordering bigger ships con-
tributing to increasing ton-miles for bulk carriers from 22.4 ton-miles/dwt
in 1990 to 28.6 ton-miles/dwt in 2008 (UNCTAD, 2010).
The second major trend concerns the modernization of the Panama
Canal. Dry bulk traffic, mainly agricultural products and fertilizers from the
Gulf of Mexico and minerals from the Pacific, accounts for 25 per cent of
the number of vessels in transit in the canal. The canal plays an important
role in agricultural waterborne trade with 54 per cent of soya, 45 per cent
of corn and 33 per cent of wheat originating from the United States and
bound for Asia using the Panama Canal (USDA, 2008). By 2014, the mod-
ernization of the canal will have increased the canal lock chambers to 55
metres wide, 427 metres long and 18.3 metres deep. This should permit the
transit of bulk carriers of 119,000 dwt as compared with the estimated cur-
rent capacity of 52,000 dwt, thus prompting many ship-owners to acquire
vessel size to the standard of the New-Panamax bulk carriers with a view
to increasing their competitive position (Panama Canal Authority, 2011).
A third trend is the emergence of shipping routes in the Arctic. Bulk car-
riers and tankers have been using polar routes for several years albeit with
limited frequencies and ports of call. But global warming and the contrac-
tion of the Arctic ice cap is lengthening the navigation season (Somanathan,
Flynn and Szymanski, 2009). But currently the shortening of shipping dis-
tances allowed by the North-west and North-east passages does not com-
pensate for the cost of operating vessels in the Arctic. The integration of
polar routes in the international seaborne trade will largely depend on the
price of bulk commodities.

Economies of dry bulk trade

Diversity in contractual arrangements
The commercial structure of the transport of bulk commodities is varied
(Collins, 2001). Some commodities are transported in ships owned by the
industrial plant, others by ships on ‘time charter’ to the industrial plant. In
time charter the ship- owner still manages the vessel, but the charterer, often
a third-party ship operator, selects the ports and the routes. A third segment
216 Shipping Logistics

Ta B L E 12.2   Distribution cost of chartering a ship

Cost Trip Time Bareboat
type Cost items charter charter charter
Running Ports dues, canal fees, X O O
cost bunkers etc.
Operating Crew, insurance, X X O
cost maintenance, repairs etc
Capital Interest, dividend, debt X X X
cost repayment.

NOTE X indicates on the charge of the shipping company; O indicates on the charge of the charterer.

of commodities are moved on contract of ‘affreightment’ or ‘trip charter’.

The ship owner agrees to carry the charterer’s bulk commodity in his vessel
or gives to the charterer the use of the cargo-carrying capacity of the ship
for the carriage of a given product on a specific voyage or a given period.
A fourth group is ‘bareboat charter’ where shipping companies lease their
vessels for long periods (several years) (see Table 12.2).

The Baltic Dry Index

Shippers have difficulties in forecasting the evolution of the dry bulk market
given the number of products, the size of ships and the choice of routes. The
Baltic Dry Index was created in 1986 as an indicator reflecting the price of
carrying bulk commodities across the oceans. The Baltic Dry Index is based
on 26 different rates linking a type of ship to a specific shipping route (ie
Capesize from the Mediterranean to the Far East; Panamax in a transat-
lantic round voyage etc). While the index measures international shipping
prices for a range of dry bulk commodities, it suffers from one important
shortcoming, in that it varies according to the transport demand of a given
commodity rather than the supply of ships affecting the rates of charter
agreement. In 2008, the rate for time charter for Capesize ships on certain
routes fell from US$ 283,000/day to US$ 5,000/day, thus affecting the finan-
cial liability of many ship owners.
Given this high-risk exposure to charter agreements, ship owners have
resorted to other financial and market instruments. Freight Forward
Agreement is a financial instrument for trading future freight rates for dry
bulk carriers between traders, charterers and ship owners on the price of
a particular freight route on a particular date. Various commodity future
exchanges such as the New York Mercantile Exchange, the International
 Dry Bulk Shipping Logistics 217

Maritime Exchange and London Clearing House contribute to the transpar-

ency and the security of the system (Alizadeh and Nomikos, 2009; Drewry
Shipping Consultants, 2004).

Searching for scale economies

Scale economies are important in bulk shipping. The ratio of payload to
the vessel gross weight tends to increase with increasing size. Construction
costs per ton of capacity decline with increasing ship size. More importantly,
the operating costs of a vessel do not increase proportionately to its size.
Water resistance per ton is less with larger hulls so that horsepower and
fuel consumption per ton are reduced for any given speed, while the ratio of
labour cost to ton-miles performed tends to decline as vessels increase in size
(Drewry Shipping Consultants, 2002). The cost of carrying a ton of freight
on a 10,000-mile ocean voyage is US$ 15.49 with a Handysize, US$ 11.77
with a Handymax, US$ 9.12 with a Panamax and US$ 5.33 for a Capesize
(Stopford, 2009).
But each bulk commodity is marked by constraints and opportunities
affecting the search for scale economies. There is a relation between indus-
trial market (ie production capacity, stocks etc), consignment size, vessel
capacity and maritime distance. Nautical access to ports and depth of water
are also factors affecting the choice of traders and ship owners.
Bauxite is a primary input for the aluminium industry and is carried in
Supramax and Panamax ships as these vessels correspond to the optimal
transport capacity (length of berth, depth of water, handling equipment)
of the Port of Kamsa in Guinea, which accounts for 40 per cent of world
bauxite export.
Coal has two main uses: steel production and power generation. Con-
signment sizes are varied. Coal is also characterized by multiple origins
and destinations for overseas, regional and short-distance trades. Coal can
be handled at specialized or multi-purpose terminals. A few terminals are
located in ports with small draught. Scale economies for coal transport are
thus tailored to frequency of service, ports of call and distance. Evidence
suggests that 30 per cent of coal exchanges are carried in Handysize vessels,
30 per cent in Panamax and less than 40 per cent in Capesize (Fearnre-
search, 2003).
Iron ore is the primary resource for steel production. The average dis-
tance in iron ore trade shows marked trends for long hauls. Steel plants
require regular supplies in large consignment sizes. Vessels are thus handled
in a restricted number of specialized terminals where port authorities are
investing to increase the level of accessibility given the strategic importance
of steel output. As a result, 75 per cent of iron ore is carried on Capesize.
The search for scale economies currently translates in the commissioning of
400,000 dwt ships.
218 Shipping Logistics

Principles of dry bulk shipping logistics

Inventory control and management
Dry bulk logistics is the control of inventory in relation to general economic
activity level with a view to minimizing costs and maximizing services
of dry bulk movement. The movement of dry bulk is a derived demand.
The level of service to be given along the transportation chain cannot be
predetermined.
Suppliers who trade dry bulk commodities must be prepared to have
storage facilities where bulk commodities can be handled and shipped
in consignments of the size required by the customer (Fair and Williams,
1981). Continuous availability of bulk product is a precondition to satisfy
market economy production. Receivers attempt to secure reliable transport
services with a view to allowing inbound transport to be directly integrated
within the production process while maintaining a certain level of inventory
to protect against irregularities in transport performance. The operational
efficiency of dry bulk logistics is also influenced by stock in transit. Coal
reserves can be built up to meet winter heating requirements. Inventories are
required to meet interruption of vessel movements as a result of changes in
the navigation season. The short harvesting period of agricultural products
such as grain requires important storage facilities to meet yearly demand.
Storage can also be employed for speculating purposes in commodity mar-
kets where price changes may be anticipated and storage costs can be offset
against future price gains.
The core of dry bulk business logistics management seeks to balance
production capacity of shippers and receivers against inventory. There are
three principles governing bulk inventory management. First, inventory
must be concentrated at strategic points minimizing stock required. Second,
stock must be located to minimize small shipment transport costs. Third,
the level of inventory must permit maximizing sales while ­ minimizing
storage costs.

Dry bulk supply chain

From inventory control and management, the dry bulk supply chain extends
the focus of dry bulk logistics to the physical handling of dry bulk commod-
ity flows required to optimize the transportation chain. Production and con-
sumption rates are not constant and bulk commodities’ availability is not
unlimited. For this purpose storage facilities are used and secured at selected
points along the transportation chain in relation to the maximum stock level
capacity, the dry bulk commodity to be shipped/received and the transport
mode employed. Dry bulk shipping logistics services are closely related to
the transport chain that is fragmented from origin to destination into oper-
ating units composed of suppliers, land-/river-based transportation, port,
 Dry Bulk Shipping Logistics 219

ship and destination requiring intensive network control. Dry bulk supply
chain management is the management of the complete process in the inven-
tory and carriage of bulk commodities from production origin to destina-
tion locations.
Each segment performs part of the dry bulk shipping process. But trans-
portation output cannot be stored. Therefore, each segment must have
enough available capacity to meet the demand for service at the time needed.
This division of function of the transportation chain and the work involved
in storage, handling and transport determine the costs incurred and level of
charges to be paid.
For suppliers, the dry bulk logistics system is coordinated with produc-
tion scheduling. The demand for producers is generated by reduction rates
in stock levels and forecasting sales. Changes in inventories or sales are
translated into changes in production. Suppliers are in the first stage of the
logistics system. In logistics, the issue for suppliers is the production runs of
a single commodity with a view to making available the adequate volume of
commodity to be delivered within allowable time limits.
In moving minerals or grain from mines or farms, the objective is to pro-
vide volume movement to the first stage of processing. Relatively small vol-
umes of dry bulk commodities are carried by truck, barge or train. Trucks
are for short-haul movement of bulk commodities. With rail and barge trans-
port, bulk-carrying units are assembled into convoy for line-haul movement.
The aggregation of these vehicles to form trains or tows accounts for the
reduced cost of transportation per ton-km. The volume and speed of bulk
movement on land or river transport depend on road width, railway gauge
or water depth. The efficiency of dry bulk movement is strengthened with
the adaptation of transport vehicles for bulk commodities in terms of size,
design or technology employed. An important logistics issue is the empty
backhaul of trucks, railcars or barges. Dry bulk is subject to imbalance of
traffic between directions of vehicle movements. The cost may be offset by
diminishing the loading/unloading cost of terminal facilities.
Suppliers who trade bulk commodities for overseas markets secure ter-
minals where bulk products can be handled and shipped in the consign-
ment sizes required by the customers. This process of distribution involves
ports where terminal operators have made important investment in highly
mechanized handling facilities. Each terminal is marked by varied loading/
unloading rates and variable loading and unloading quantities. Terminal
operators have invested in automated operations embracing computer-
controlled conveyor systems with a view to increasing the utilization rate
of facilities. The logistics service requirement at dry bulk terminals per-
tains to handling capacity (Talley, 2009). Capacity refers to the volume of
throughput produced for a given period of time. Given the magnitude of
investments in specialized equipment, the pattern of dry bulk movement
reveals a concentration of both origin and destination at specialized ports.
The major part of dry bulk traffic is concentrated along selected mainline
ocean routes.
220 Shipping Logistics

Bulk commodities are often located far from demand locations. The
maritime transport of bulk commodities is inevitable as it offers the low-
est cost per ton-mile. Consumption centres own/charter ships or outsource
to 3PLs/4PLs. The work on bulk shipping logistics involving ship routing
and scheduling is confronted with various conditions. First, the company
assigns ships to meet customer orders, but the fleet is composed of ships
varying in capacity and operating costs. Second, the nature of the dry bulk
commodity affects the maximum stowage capacity. Third, bulkers do not
have fixed itineraries. A ship may call at a single production port, be loaded
with specific product followed by a call at specific consumption port to be
unloaded. In sharp contrast, a ship may call at several production ports in
succession before several consumption ports are called in sequence. Fourth,
the terms and conditions of freight rates for carrying bulk cargo are negoti-
ated between shippers and carriers in relation to demand and supply of bulk
shipping services. Freight rates determine the decision of bulk carriers in
adjusting fleet size. Fifth, a ship can load or discharge only one material at a
time and the limited number of jetties at each port imposes ship sequences
for dry bulk loading and unloading.
Those involved in the bulk supply chain aim to reduce this degree of
fragmentation with a view to integrate bulk supplies and physical distribu-
tion activities. The bulk shipping industry is adopting a more integrated
approach. Producers develop inland depots and port terminals to accommo-
date the needs of customers. Customers enter the bulk fleet shipping mar-
ket. Ports undertake joint planning with maritime and inland transportation
carriers. Various stakeholders synchronize and standardize their operations
along the transport chain to insure the fluidity of dry bulk traffic and infor-
mation flows. The development of an integrated approach among actors
and components of the dry bulk supply chain creates value by increasing
capacity, improving inventory management, reducing link uncertainties and
achieving profitability.
The performance of the dry bulk supply chain is constrained by the
chain’s weakest link (Berle et al, 2011). Fluctuating demand in the volume
and direction of international dry bulk trade affects the supply conditions in
the shipping market, impacting on freight rates which in turn influence the
decisions of firms in the marketplace. The volume of bulk commodity han-
dled by a port is determined outside the domain of the terminal operators.
Customers may maintain inventories against disruption of flows, preventing
a single supplier from affecting market demand. Port resources may not
be sufficient to prevent waterside congestion. Importers may seek alternate
sources of dry bulk products through the development of new agricultural
fields or the opening of new mineral deposits. Bulk supply chain stakehold-
ers may have conflicting objectives and be reluctant to share information
and technologies. These complex dynamics explain the limited number of
existing models of decision support systems used in practice. The develop-
ment of a systems approach for global dry bulk supply chain will always
remain a key logistical challenge.
 Dry Bulk Shipping Logistics 221

Bulk shipping vulnerability

Dry bulk supply chains are being optimized in order to reduce operational
expenses. Firms are minimizing their inventory to reduce cost. This lean trend
in dry bulk logistics has rendered the economy more vulnerable to disrup-
tions in the dry bulk supply chain. Lack of capital investment is forcing the
creation of buffers in the system in terms of extra inventory or excess trans-
portation capacity with a view to mitigating potential interruptions of flows.
Vulnerability of the dry bulk supply chain refers to the capacity of the
transportation system to adjust to changes, to moderate negative exter-
nalities and to realize opportunities. Failure of the transportation system
can lead to loss of supply capacity necessary to source dry bulk provisions
needed for elements of the supply chain to perform their function.
The transportation system relies on key elements to be able to move dry
bulk products: vessel, navigable waterway, port infrastructure, trans-loading
equipment, intermodal connection and storage yard. In dry bulk shipping,
it is almost impossible to interchange vessels, to swap dry bulk cargo, to
change vessel routing patterns or to modify customer’s demand. Transporta-
tion systems are vulnerable and disruptions occur. The severity depends on
flow density, elements affected and level of interdependency.
The mission of the dry bulk supply chain is to ensure the fluidity and reli-
ability of dry bulk throughput. Risk assessment pertains to the location, fre-
quency, concentration, duration, trends and magnitude of events that may
negatively impact the capacity of the transportation system to perform its
mission. Assessment of dry bulk shipping vulnerability, however, cannot be
limited to physical engineering system design. Resilience analysis requires
a system-wide perspective encompassing people, facilities, information and
activities within and outside the system. Interviews with stakeholders in the
dry bulk industry suggest seven factors are affecting the resilience of dry
bulk supply chain: environment, physical geography, accessibility, security,
distribution, services and governance.
The main environmental features of distance, topography, hydrology,
climate change and natural hazards can complicate, postpone or prevent
the activities of the dry bulk transport industry. Overcoming physical con-
straints in terms of land expansion and increasing depth of water is para-
mount to create new opportunities for bulk port and shipping operations.
Accessibility pertains to network connectivity to hinterland road and rail
infrastructures. Security is concerned with risk factors associated with acci-
dents, terrorist threats and unlawful traffic that could interrupt marine ship-
ping or port operations. Distribution capacity covers the ability to cope with
shifting market conditions (ie emerging economies, China, fluctuating com-
modity prices). Services include enabling technologies ensuring transpar-
ency, facilitating operational improvements and enhancing competitiveness.
Governance pertains to the capacity of corporate logistics in strengthening
organizational structure of bulk supply chains in terms of capital investment
and high-quality human resources.
222 Shipping Logistics

The world dry bulk trade is growing faster than the world economy. The
cost of disruptions in the dry bulk supply chain for society, industry and
the can be particularly high for goods such as iron ore, coal and grain. The
capacity of the dry bulk supply chain to adapt to changes is a key issue in
sustaining its competitiveness. Assessing the vulnerability should help define
metrics with a view to understanding the resilience of dry bulk supply chain
and identifying adaptation strategies. Results can then be used to elaborate
alternative transport policies.

Challenges in dry bulk shipping logistics

Dry bulk shipping logistics is confronted with three challenges: sustainable
development, break bulk trade and containerization. The environment has
become an unavoidable consideration in dry bulk shipping. While being
perceived as ‘green’, maritime transport still has an impact on the environ-
ment (Comtois and Slack, 2005). Efforts are made by the shipping industry
to comply with air and water pollution legislation through low sulphur fuel
and efficient engines. The objective is to reduce the environmental footprint
of vessels by restricting emissions and improving fuel consumption. Deepen-
ing channels, extending wharves and enlarging stockyards by terminal oper-
ators and port authorities require environmental impact assessment and the
adoption of mitigation measures. Remediation measures are expensive even
when port development is judged compatible with environmental consid-
erations. Climate change predictions suggest significant opportunities for
shipping, including longer navigation seasons, higher precipitation resulting
in more run-off and deeper channels. In sharp contrast, there are potential
negative externalities including greater precipitation variability, which, with
higher rates of evaporation in the warmer summers, could lead to low water
during certain seasons. Managing the growth of dry bulk traffic with the
environmental constraints being placed on fleet and port infrastructures is
likely to be one of the greatest challenges on the future expansion of dry
bulk shipping logistics.
The market segment displaying the highest potential for growth in dry
bulk shipping is break bulk including hazardous materials, waste manage-
ment and recycling business (Comtois and Slack, 2010). One of the impor-
tant activities of maritime trade concerns the movement of heavy chemical
products such as sulphuric acid, petrochemical products and coal-tar prod-
ucts. But several industrial activities produce dry hazardous substances such
as asbestos, heavy metals and hydrocarbon products. Societies are creating
significant volumes of organic waste that is being considered as source of
energy (ie biomass). Several countries have introduced regulations forcing
businesses to consider lifecycle factors in their overall operations where
returns (ie tyres, batteries, household appliances etc) are stripped, recon-
ditioned and component parts recycled. The movement of dry hazardous
products, organic waste and returns constitutes a potentially promising
 Dry Bulk Shipping Logistics 223

sector for the dry bulk shipping industry since these products can be carried
as shipment of a single freight commodity, display low value added and are
not subject to just-in-time production methods.
Dry bulk commodities are being containerized. Industry stakeholders
increase their competitiveness through containerized bulk freight. Traders
unitize dry bulk commodities with a view to reducing damage to goods
movement. Shippers benefit from container liners’ routing and scheduling.
Carriers take advantage of the opportunities of filling empty containers with
new cargo. The efficiency of dry bulk containerized freight associated with
logistics considerations is based on high load factors and intermodal con-
nections for transhipment and movement of products. The size of the local
market determines the volume, frequency and regularity in goods loaded/
unloaded. A fully-fledged intermodal transport network is a prerequisite to
achieve high value added. The development potential of dry bulk shipping
logistics in relation to containerized freight is concomitant with the creation
of economies of scale at sea, on shore and in the hinterland with a view to
lower costs and increased container volumes.

Conclusion
Bulk movements provide an important marker of the impacts of global eco-
nomic processes. The analysis of ships’ typology, vessel size and route pat-
terns closely mirrors pronounced shifts in the world’s economic geography.
The emergence of a market system among industries and shippers imposes
a complex interplay between the price of dry bulk commodities, the cost
of vessel chartering and fleet productivity. The capacity of stakeholders to
constantly adapt to changes is a key issue in sustaining their competitive-
ness. Dry bulk shipping must therefore be analysed in the broader context of
overcoming vulnerability in the bulk supply chain to achieve traffic fluidity.
The invocation of sustainable development, break bulk and containeriza-
tion suggests that challenges in dry bulk shipping logistics are becoming
indistinguishable from the activities of container and liquid bulk shipping
logistics operations.

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pp 696–705
Branch, AE (2007) Element of Shipping, Routledge, London
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Développement des Axes Fluvio-Maritimes: Mieux positionner le système
Saint-Laurent, Ministère des Transports du Québec, Québec
De Monie, G, Rodrigue, JP and Notteboom, T (2010) Economic cycles in maritime
shipping and ports: The path to the crisis of 2008, in Integrating Seaports and
Trade Corridors, eds P Hall et al, pp 13–30, Ashgate, Aldershot
Drewry Shipping Consultants (2002) Ship operating cost annual review and
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Derivatives: Risk management tools for shipping, Drewry, London
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Publications Inc, Plano
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merchant fleet, Conway Maritime Press, London
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PART THREE
Port logistics
Dry ports in 13
concept and
practice
V I O L E Ta rO S O a N D a N D r E a r O S a

Introduction
Maritime transport of goods in containers has been growing at an impres-
sive pace. The increases in volumes transported have required a matching
increase in capacity on the supply side along with measures to exploit econ-
omies of scale and contain unit costs. To this end the maritime sector of
intermodal transport chains has employed ever larger ships (Cullinane and
Khanna, 2000); the latest vessels on order are reaching 14,000 TEU (World
Cargo News, 2006) to fully utilize the economies of scale. The other ele-
ments in the supply chain – port operations and hinterland access – must
accommodate such traffic efficiently (McCalla, 2007; Parola and Sciom-
achen, 2005).
As a result of growing containerized transport, the main problems fac-
ing seaports face today are lack of space at seaport terminals and growing
congestion on access routes. Despite heavy investments in container termi-
nal capacity, larger flows of containers severely strain seaport operations
(Mourão et al, 2002; McCalla, 2007). Port capacity can be increased by
physically expanding existing terminals (McCalla, 1999) at considerable
cost and endeavour, by adding extra equipment or improving productivity
by new forms of technology as analysed by Ballis et al (1997), or by work
organization as suggested by Paixão and Marlow (2003).
Transport services to a port’s hinterland are also strained by the increas-
ing flows. The European Union Road Federation (2008) noted that in the
period from 1996 to 2006 the European hinterland transport market share
for rail decreased while that of road increased: with a 76 per cent market
share, road transport dominates the inland freight transport in EEA member
countries. According to Parola and Sciomachen (2005) the modal imbalance
results in increased road traffic congestion, since a growth in maritime flow
228 Port Logistics

implies an almost proportional increase in road flow. Recent efforts of the

European Parliament towards the internalization of external costs of heavy
goods vehicles open up the possibility of decelerating the negative trend
of the rail share (CER, 2009). The importance of aligning the capacity of
seaports and of hinterland transport to the increasing demand of maritime
container traffic, while containing negative environmental effects, forces
seaports and other actors in the transport system and in society to look for
seaport inland access by intermodal solutions. In their study on the social
cost of intermodal freight transport, Ricci and Black (2005) suggest that
intermodal transport is a major potential contributor to solving environ-
mental problems and that full internalization of external costs would greatly
benefit intermodal transport.
Dry ports are a means to increase port throughput, hinterland reach, and
transfer parts of port operations to inland terminals by relying on inter-
modal transport. In fact, according to Roso et al (2009) a dry port is ‘an
inland intermodal terminal directly connected by rail to seaport(s) where
customers can leave/pick up their units as if directly to a seaport’. Following
this definition, dry ports are also a means to rationalize transport in and out
of a port by bundling the flows and transferring container transport from
road to rail, thus reducing congestion in the proximity of the port – typically
relevant for port cities – and bringing about other environmental benefits.
The dry port idea has been discussed in scientific journals as far back as
1986 (Hanappe, 1986) and in trade journals since 1980 (Munford, 1980).
After several years the concept is now enjoying renewed interest among
researchers (Leveque and Roso, 2002; Tsilingris and Laguardia, 2007; Roso,
2007; Roso et al, 2009; UNESCAP, 2009), as well as among policy-makers
eager to find sustainable solutions to issues due to growing containerized
transport (European Commission 2000, 2001).
To discuss the dry port concept it is useful to mention some points about
intermodal services and review some of the different forms that an inland
freight terminal may take.

Intermodality and seaport inland access

Reduced energy consumption, optimization of the usage of the main
strength of different modes (European Commission, 2000; Rutten, 1998), a
reduction of congestion on road networks, and low environmental impacts
(Woxenius, 1998; Kreutzerberger et al, 2003) are considered the advantages
of intermodal (road–rail) transport. Furthermore, there are economies of
scale resulting in lower costs per unit with the use of appropriate intermodal
transport solutions. The viability of intermodal transport on long distances
is argued by many academics; for example, by van Klink and van den Berg
(1998) and McCalla (1999). Those authors elaborate that seaports can gen-
erate scale economies to operate cost-effective intermodal transport with
 Dry Ports in Concept and Practice 229

high frequency to different destinations beyond their traditional hinterland,

ie to use rail to enlarge their hinterland and at the same time to stimulate
intermodal transport. Distance is not the only prerequisite for the success of
intermodal transport; the volume of goods and the frequency of the service
provided are also central (Woxenius, 1998).
Despite the advantages stated above there is a relatively low share of rail
in the transport of containers from seaports to the hinterland (European
Union Road Federation, 2008). Apart from lack of sufficient rail infrastruc-
ture or free slots, there are many obstacles that prevent transport buyers
from using the railway as a major means of transport, lack of flexibility (in
time and space) and damaged goods being the most significant.
Notteboom (2006) and van Klink and van den Berg (1998) note that
many seaports, as well as shipping lines, integrate vertically to control hin-
terland transport. An example of such a trend is the participation of the
Port of Hamburg – more precisely HHLA Intermodal – into companies pro-
viding intermodal port-to-door transport and running terminals (Jürgens,
2010).
Indeed, hinterland access is a critical factor for the seaports’ competitive
advantage since they are not competing only with seaports in their local
area but also with distant seaports attempting to serve the same hinter-
land (Notteboom, 2001). Progress only in the maritime part of the transport
chain and in seaport terminals, without improvements in seaport inland
access, is not sufficient for successful market expansion. However, the qual-
ity of inland access depends on the behaviour of a large variety of actors,
such as terminal operators, freight forwarders, transport operators and port
authorities (de Langen and Chouly, 2004). Hence the tendency to control
hinterland transport by port actors.
It is generally accepted today that serving seaport hinterlands is more
competitive than before intermodality (McCalla, 1999). However, a key ele-
ment for intermodal connections between seaports and their hinterland is
the provision of terminals with suitable facilities and services.

Intermodal terminal facilities

An intermodal road–rail terminal can simply be described as a place
equipped for the transhipment and storage of intermodal loading units
(ILUs) between road and rail. Intermodal terminals come in a great vari-
ety of shapes and sizes (eg Woxenius, 1998) and a number of value-added
services such as stuffing and stripping, storing and repair of ILUs might be
offered.
As suggested by Höltgen (1995), intermodal terminals can be classified
according to some basic functional criteria like traffic modes, transhipment
techniques, network position or geographical location. Nevertheless, the
transhipment between traffic modes is the characterizing activity.
Ta B L E 1 3 . 1     Terms used in relation to inland terminal facilities
Source Term Definition
UN ECE (1998) Inland Clearance A common-user inland facility, with public authority status, equipped with fixed installation,
Depot and offering services for handling and temporary storage of any kind of goods (including
container) carried under customs transit by any applicable mode of inland surface transport,
placed under customs control to clear goods for home use, warehousing, temporary
admission, re-export, temporary storage for onward transit, and outright export.
Indian Customs Inland Container A common-user facility with public authority status equipped with fixed installations and
(2004) Depot offering services for handling and temporary storage of import/export laden and empty
containers carried under customs transit by any applicable mode of transport placed under
customs control. All the activities related to clearance of goods for home use,
warehousing, temporary admissions, re-export, temporary storage for onward transit and
outright export, and transhipment take place from such stations.
Cardebring & Intermodal A concentration of economically independent companies working in freight transport and
Warnecke (1995) Freight Centre supplementing services on a designated area where a change of transport units between
traffic modes can take place.
UN ECE (2001) Logistic Centre, Geographical grouping of independent companies and bodies that are dealing with freight
Freight Village transport (for example, freight forwarders, shippers, transport operators, customs) and
with accompanying services (for example, storage, maintenance and repair), including
at least a terminal.
UN ECE (1998) Inland Freight Any facility, other than a port or an airport, operated on a common-user basis, at which cargo
Terminal in international trade is received or dispatched.
Harrison et al Inland Port Located inland, generally far from seaport terminals; they supply regions with an
(2002) intermodal terminal offering value added services or a merging point for different traffic
modes involved in distributing merchandise that comes from ports.
UN ECE (2001) Dry Port An inland terminal which is directly linked to a maritime port.
 Dry Ports in Concept and Practice 231

Depending on the role and the services offered, the transport industry
operates different kinds of terminals under different names. Table 13.1
reports a series of terms and definitions related to intermodal terminal facili-
ties, some of which have been used to characterize a dry port.
India introduced ‘inland container depots’ (ICDs) in 1983 and Indian
Customs (2007) bases its definition of an ICD on the UN ECE definition
of inland container depots, but restricts it to containers. India also uses the
term ‘container freight station’ (CFS), which differs from an ICD since con-
tainers are stuffed and stripped there. Hence, an ICD is a consolidation
node for containers whereas a CFS aggregates individual consignments into
containers. A CFS function might be added to an ICD. ICDs are normally
located outside the port towns but there are no site restrictions regarding
CFSs.
The term ‘freight village’, given in Table 13.1 with the definition of UN
ECE, although similar in concept, varies in definitions among countries:
Güterverkehrszentren in Germany, plateformes multimodales logistiques in
France, freight villages in the UK or interporti in Italy. They all provide
transhipment from one mode to another as well as auxiliary services such as
warehouses, customs, maintenance workshops, insurance offices etc.
Several possible definitions of dry port are actually included in the list
on Table 13.1. The ‘inland port’ as characterized by Harrison et al (2002) is
sometimes also termed a ‘dry port’. Moreover, Beresford and Dubey (1990)
use a dry port definition that corresponds to the definition of inland clear-
ance depot. This definition is very specific regarding ownership and services,
and in particular customs clearance, although with no mention of a particu-
lar type of connection to a seaport. Beresford and Dubey (1990) emphasize
the importance of a dry port as a common-user facility that would promote
the transfer of goods from origin to destination without an intermediate
customs examination, the so-called through-transport concept.
Hanappe (1986) refers to dry ports as ‘multifunctional logistics centres’
with a variety of firms operating at the same site. This description corre-
sponds to the concept of freight villages, according to UN ECE, since it
does not emphasize a connection to seaports nor does it specify the range of
services offered at the terminals.
The dry port UN ECE definition (‘an inland terminal which is directly
linked to a maritime port’) is rather broad in its meaning, therefore it may
apply to all the terminal facilities mentioned in Table 13.1 when linked to
seaports.

The dry port concept

We use the definition of dry port formed by Roso et al (2009): ‘a dry port is
an inland intermodal terminal directly connected to seaport(s) by rail where
customers can leave/pick up their units as if directly to a seaport’. This
232 Port Logistics

definition takes the UN ECE one stage further by implying the conscious
and strategic development of intermodal terminals in the seaport’s hinter-
land and in relation to the seaport. It also adds to the previous definition by
underlining the operational side of the connection to the seaport that makes
the dry port the actual interface for shippers to the seaport and the shipping
lines thus extending the gates of the seaport inland. This, in turn, implies a
focus on security and control by the use of information and communication
systems, not just for customs needs. Moreover, this definition highlights the
intermodal character of the terminal and the rail connection to the seaport.
A previous version of this definition emphasized the use of high-capacity
transport means between port and dry port, including rail and barge, since
some existing dry ports or advanced intermodal terminals use both means of
transport. However, the word ‘dry’ may seem contradictory when barges are
used. On the other hand there is a concept of inland port which is defined
by the use of barges. Therefore the definition referring to the use of rail is
deemed more suitable.
The functions taking place at a dry port include those of a freight termi-
nal which, as recalled by Slack (1999) are: transfer of cargo, mostly unitized,
between two modes; the assembly of freight in preparation for its transfer;
the storage of freight awaiting pick-up; and delivery and the logistical con-
trol of flows. In addition to all functions mentioned above, services such as
maintenance of containers, customs clearance, and other value-added ser-
vices should take place at a dry port terminal in accordance with customers’
needs.
The quality of the access to a dry port and the quality of the road–rail
interface determines the dry port’s performance. Scheduled and reliable
high-capacity rail transport to and from the seaport is therefore necessary.
To summarize, the main features of a dry port are:
●● intermodal terminal;
●● situated inland;
●● rail connection to a seaport with scheduled and reliable services;
●● offers services that are available at freight terminals and at seaports,
such as container maintenance, storage of containers, forwarding,
road haulage; and
●● customs clearance.
Conventional hinterland transport is based on numerous links by road and
only a few by rail, which is generally limited to serving major conurba-
tions at relatively large distances from the seaport, as shown on the left
of Figure 13.1. When dry ports are implemented the transport network is
rationalized as on the right of Figure 13.1, with road transport limited to
collection and distribution of intermodal units in the market areas of each
dry port. The figure also shows a seaport and the three types of dry ports –
close, midrange, and distant dry ports – that may be characterized based on
their function and location (Roso et al, 2009).
 Dry Ports in Concept and Practice 233

Fi g u r e 1 3 .1   Comparison of conventional hinterland transport

and an implemented dry port concept
a) b)

Dry port Conventional Shippers Seaport Road Rail City

intermodal terminal

Source  Roso et al (2009)

Benefits of dry ports

Distant dry ports bring about benefits deriving from the modal shift from
road to rail, resulting in reduced congestion at the seaport gates and its
surroundings. Since one train can substitute for about 35 trucks in Europe,
the external environmental effects along the route are reduced. Nowadays,
seaports compete not only on tariffs and transhipment capability, but also
on the reach and quality of inland access. A distant dry port also brings a
competitive advantage to a seaport since it expands the seaport’s hinterland,
ie it improves the seaport’s access to areas outside its traditional hinterland
by offering shippers low-cost and high-quality services. Rail operators ben-
efit from distant dry ports simply by the movement of containers from road
to rail, which increases their business. From the shippers’ perspective, a well-
implemented distant dry port offers a greater range of logistics services in
the dry port area. For environmentally conscious shippers it gives the option
of using rail rather than road, thus reducing the environmental impact of
their products.
The benefits of a midrange dry port are comparable to those of a distant
dry port since the same serves as a consolidation point for different rail ser-
vices, implying that administration and equipment specific to sea transport
are needed at only one terminal away from the seaport. The high frequency
achieved by consolidating flows, together with the relatively short distance,
facilitates the loading of containers for one container vessel in dedicated
trains. Hence, the dry port can serve as a buffer, relieving the seaport’s stack-
ing areas.
Implementation of a close dry port in the seaport’s immediate hin-
terland enables the seaport to increase its terminal capacity and hence
manage the problem of lack of space or inappropriate inland access.
The dry port may be used for storage of containers in the vicinity of the
port. With increased terminal capacity comes the potential for increased
234 Port Logistics

productivity, since bigger container ships may call at the seaport. Road
hauliers lose a marginal market share in terms of road-kilometres, but
would still benefit from shorter waiting times at dry port terminals. In
cities not allowing long or polluting road vehicles, calling at a close dry
port is an alternative to splitting up road vehicles or replacing them with
less polluting vehicles.
Positive effects on regional development and job opportunities due to
the implementation of dry ports are exemplified by the cases illustrated

Ta B L E 13.2    Impacts generated by dry ports for the actors of the

transport system
Distant Midrange Close
Seaports Less congestion Less congestion Less congestion
Expanded hinterland Dedicated trains Increased capacity
Interface with Depot Depot
hinterland Interface with Direct loading
hinterland ship–train
Seaport Less road congestion Less road Less road
cities Land use congestion congestion
opportunities Land use Land use
opportunities opportunities
Rail Economies of scale Day trains Day trains
operators Gain market share Gain market share Gain market share
Road Less time in Less time in Less time in
operators congested roads and congested roads congested roads
terminals and terminals and terminals
Avoiding
environmental
zones
Shippers Improved seaport Improved seaport Improved seaport
access access access
‘Environment ‘Environment
marketing’ marketing’
Society Lower environmental Lower Lower
impact environmental environmental
Job opportunities impact impact
Regional Job opportunities Job opportunities
development Regional
development

SOuRCE Roso (2009b)

 Dry Ports in Concept and Practice 235

later in this chapter. This is consistent with the findings of Bergqvist and
Pruth (2006) who discuss regional attractiveness in terms of environmental
sustainability, cost-efficiency and transport quality through the establish-
ment of intermodal road–rail terminals, with the focus on regional logistics
collaboration.
Dry port implementation thus generates advantages for the actors of a
transport system, as summarized in Table 13.2. This illustrates how dry
ports have the potential to generate environmental benefits which can be
translated into cost reductions, as, for example, less congestion on the road
generates time and consequently cost savings for road carriers. This is dis-
cussed in Roso (2007), one of the few studies about environmental effects
of freight terminals. Roso (2007) shows that with a dry port in the system
CO2 emissions should decrease, queues and long waiting times at seaport
terminals should be avoided, and the risk of road accidents reduced.
Although a dry port implementation, as a sustainable logistics solution,
involves significant investments for the owners, the same has the potential
to gradually generate much higher total revenue for all actors of the system,
not just for direct investors. The dry port concept should be arranged as a
joint venture of all beneficiary stakeholders, of which the biggest one even-
tually is society.
Dry ports are useful facilities to accommodate some seaport activities
such as storage of containers to gain valuable space in ports where space is
an actual issue, typically large ports; however, seaports that do not face a
lack of space at their terminals will not gain by moving their storage area
to an inland terminal. On the contrary, they might lose a significant portion
of the profit (Roso, 2009b). When it comes to time savings that result from
implementation of a dry port into a seaport transport system, the same can
be obtained by eliminating queues at the seaport’s gates or by eliminating
storage at the seaport. The former gives significant gains, not only for the
seaport that performs better without congestion at the terminals, but for
the carriers who suffer from financial losses due to delays caused by the
congestion. Furthermore, there is a whole range of administrative activities
that could be moved inland with implementation of a dry port, generat-
ing further time and cost savings, specifically those related to customs and
truck transport paperwork. In an ideal situation direct loading/unloading
of a ship to/from a train would result in a significant reduction of internal
vehicle transport.
Ultimately, full implementation of a dry port could create seamless sea-
port inland intermodal access, ie smooth transport flow with one interface
in the form of a dry port concept instead of two, one at the seaport and the
other one at the inland destination (Figure 13.2).
The concept can be compared to the case of an increased level of func-
tional integration of supply chains (Notteboom, 2006), where many interme-
diate steps in the transport chain have been removed and therefore enabled
a so-called one-stop-shop, creating a single contact point on a regional or
even global level.
236 Port Logistics

Fi g u r e 1 3 .2   Transport network with and without a dry port

Origin–destination route
with a conventional
inland terminal as a part
of the network

Inland
Sea Port Inland Road
Origin terminal Destination
transport interface transport haulage
interface

Transport
network

Dry port concept interface

Sea Inland Dry Road

Origin Port Destination
transport transport port haulage

Origin–destination
route with a dry
port as a part of
the network

Source  Roso (2009b)

In transport systems a node is often equivalent to a stop in the flow, and

there are often needless long stops in nodes as discussed by Woxenius (1997)
who questions the functionality of intermodal terminals and even sees them
as possible barriers to intermodality. The functional connection between dry
port and seaport, instead, aims at creating a seamless series of physical and
procedural links so as to provide a smooth flow of goods in containers
­Figure 13.2).
Although a concept of a dry port should bring numerous benefits to
the actors of the transport system there are still many hindrances to the
implementation of the same. Roso (2008) identified four impediments to
the implementation of dry ports: regulations, environment, land use and
infrastructure. It is not just about general awareness of the benefits from
rail freight transport or the environmental issues arising from it; it is about
regulations and policies. The question of environmental impact is closely
related to the issue of land use; the closer the potential site for an intermodal
terminal is to a metropolitan area, the higher the price as well as the greater
the demands regarding environmental impacts.
 Dry Ports in Concept and Practice 237

Dry port examples in Europe

There are a number of dry ports already in operation in several parts of the
world (eg Roso and Lumsden, 2010). The following are three examples of
dry ports in Europe.
Dry Port Hallsberg in Sweden is jointly owned by the municipality and
rail operators, who also initiated the development of the combi-terminal
at the end of the 1990s. It is a well-established dry port today, handling
65,000 TEU per year. It started as a conventional intermodal terminal with
basic terminal services and gradually, by introducing new value-added ser-
vices, it developed into a dry port with no particular obstacles during the
implementation process. Hallsbergkombiterminallen AB (owned by the dry
port owners) has been running the dry port since 2003. There are daily
rail connections to the ports of Göteborg, 260 km; Trelleborg, 500 km and
Malmö, 470 km away. On its 6.2 ha site, the dry port offers the following
services: transhipment with two reach stackers, storage and depot of 0.4
ha, customs clearance, maintenance of containers, cross-docking, sequenc-
ing, kitting, forwarding and road haulage. The dry port has 27 employees
who are trained to do all services that the terminal offers. At peak times
there is a need for all personnel to be involved in transhipment but in the
meantime they can perform other value-added activities such as sequencing;
consequently, the cost for sequencing can be low. Diversity of value-added
services is recognized as a very important factor for the attractiveness of
the dry port. However, functioning rail connections to the seaport and road
haulage are essential. The biggest advantage, apart from improved customer
service, is the attractiveness of the region for the establishment of new busi-
nesses, which has resulted in new jobs in the region. Furthermore, with
the dry port, rail transport increased and generated increased capacity and
volumes at the seaports, as well as improved inland access to them. Conse-
quently, congestion at seaport terminals as well as environmental impacts
decreased.
Dry Port Madrid in Coslada, Spain, is a result of joint efforts and interest
of the Spanish Ministry of Development, the municipalities of Madrid and
Coslada, the Spanish Port Authority and the Spanish national rail operator,
RENFE. Today the dry port’s major owners are four Spanish ports with
the following distances from the dry port: Barcelona at 600 km, Bilbao
at 400 km, Algeciras at 660 km and Valencia at 360 km. Its uniqueness is
in the fact that it is promoted not by a single port but by four competing
ports. The idea for its implementation came in 1995 and the terminal was
operational in 2000; however, its dry port status was gained only in 2003.
The main goal of the facility was to facilitate transport organization, cus-
toms and administrative procedures to achieve a competitive position for
the ports in the region in which the dry port is located. The Coslada loca-
tion was chosen due to its proximity to Madrid as well as its good national
and international intermodal connections. The biggest impediments to its
238 Port Logistics

success were the condition of the existing rail infrastructure, as well as regu-
lations (monopoly of the rail), which were eventually overcome. The dry
port generates advantages such as increased use of rail, which resulted in
increased volume and consequently lower transport costs, as well as lower
environmental impact and lower congestion at the seaports. Furthermore,
the use of the dry port brings competitive advantages to the seaports as well
as attracting new business to the area, resulting in the creation of new jobs.
The dry port is equipped with one rail-mounted gantry crane, three reach
stackers and three forklifts, for the handling of 60,000 TEU a year, on an
area of 14 ha. Full customs clearances as well as forwarding are available on
the site. There is a storage area for 2,500 TEU of loaded container as well as
a container depot for 1,700 TEU of empties.
Dry Port Rivalta Scrivia in Italy is 67 km away from the Port of Genoa
and is a spin-off of the adjacent freight village set up in the 1960s intended
as a dry port for Genoa. The dry port company Rivalta Terminal Europa
(RTE), set up in 2006, is mainly private but counts on shares by regional
public authorities. The RTE facility extends for 90 ha, part of which is still
being equipped. The rail terminal is connected by intermodal rail services
with several locations, but the most interesting service for this paper is a
rail shuttle connecting it with the Voltri container terminal in Genoa, with
no intermediate stop. Thanks to a change in customs procedures, the con-
tainers carried on those shuttles undergo inspections and clear customs in
the dry port, where a branch of the Genoa Customs has been set up. This
was the first application of such procedures in Italy. The dry port manage-
ment expects to extend it to connections with other terminals in Genoa.
The special rail shuttle started in 2009 with one service per day in each
direction, soon increased to two services per day, five days a week. As of
2014, the shuttle runs twice daily in each direction, six days a week, with
the possibility to add a third return service on any day. Each shuttle has a
capacity of 57 TEU, and allows for high cube containers. Shunting within
the dry port and to the adjacent rail station is performed on own account
and RTE owns shares in the company providing the traction between the
seaport and the dry port as well as in the company providing shunting in
the seaport. The RTE railyard consists of five tracks with a length of 750
m over which operates a rail-mounted gantry crane, with a second one
expected soon. Operations are also performed with four reach stackers
and four front loaders but it should be recalled that the facility deals with
a total traffic of 51,000 containers/year including other rail connections.
Services in the dry port include container storage, repair and cleaning, for-
warding and road haulage, and warehouses are being built. All containers
carried by the bonded shuttle between Rivalta and Genoa Voltri arrive
or leave the dry port by truck, and are mostly picked up or distributed
within a range of 70–100 km. The rail shuttle service avoids the need to use
trucks on the congested road system of the city of Genoa and crossing the
mountains that line the coast while the transit procedure reduces container
delivery time.
 Dry Ports in Concept and Practice 239

Conclusions
A dry port is an inland intermodal terminal directly connected to seaport(s)
by rail where customers can leave/pick up their units as if directly to a sea-
port. The physical connection – the rail link used by intermodal services – is
one aspect which is made fully operational by the procedural set-up, allow-
ing shippers to refer to the gates of the dry port as if they were at the sea-
port. Dry ports are thus inland extensions of the seaports, are consciously
set up as such, and are not limited to the provision of mode transfer but
include coordinated and efficient services such as storage, maintenance of
containers, customs clearance, and tracing and tracking.
Dry ports may bring advantages for all operators involved as well as for
the environment thus making green logistics interesting rather than some-
thing perceived as an added cost. Operators’ advantages include cost and
time savings (due to reduced road congestion but also to the inland interface
of the port and the efficient document handling), bundling of containers
flows and economies of scale, space added to those in space-constrained
seaports, and regional development. Environmental advantages are fostered
by rationalization of flows and by the use of intermodal transport and may
include reduced congestion, less pollutant emissions, lowered accident risks,
avoidance of the need to use port cities’ roads and cross environmental
zones with trucks. Regional development and job opportunities are further
advantages for society as a whole.
Dry ports are to some extent extensions of seaports inland and as such
are part of the process of regionalization of seaports characterized by Not-
teboom and Rodrigue (2005). In that process, and due to the importance of
inland distribution, seaports expand their hinterland reach through a num-
ber of strategies including close links with inland freight centres based on
higher functional integration.
This chapter has discussed three examples of dry ports in Europe (Halles-
berg in Sweden, Coslada in Spain, Rivalta in Italy) and more have been
developed elsewhere in the world.

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Port-centric 14
logistics in
concept and
practice
N I KO L a O S Va L a N Ta S I S - K a N E L LO S a N D
D O N g -w O O K S O N g

Introduction
The word port can refer to either water-related or non-water-related ports
(Bichou and Gray, 2005). Ports located by lakes, rivers, inland waterways
and canals are other potential meanings of water-related ports, while non-
water-related ports are dry or inland ports (Wood et al, 2002; Bichou and
Gray, 2005). However, for the purpose of this chapter the word ‘port’ refers
to seaports.
Ports are defined as ‘a geographical area where ships are brought along-
side land to load and discharge cargo – usually a sheltered deep-water area
such as a bay or river mouth’ (Stopford 2009, p 81). Additionally, ports are
characterized as four-modal nodes where waterborne and land transport
can converge (Charler and Ridolfi, 1994; Paixão and Marlow, 2003).
Moreover, ports are referred to as ‘economic catalysts’ for the regions that
they serve. This characterization is grounded on the fact that ports trigger
the creation of many work positions both internally and externally (Wood
et al, 2002). In alignment with this view ports can be perceived as ‘clusters
of economic activity’. According to de Langen (2004) the main function of
ships and cargo accommodation that takes place at a port is responsible for
the attraction of various economic activities to the proximity of the ports.
Carbone and Martino (2003) consider ports as organizational clusters in
which various logistics and transport-related firms collaborate and provide
value for the final customer. In this view, the multifaceted combination of
products and services provided by the port cluster create the diversified port
offering (de Langen and Sharypova, 2013).
244 Port Logistics

The notion that ports are generators of trade and commerce can be traced
back to the era of the Phoenicians. At that time ports constituted the mar-
ket of the city as the main trade of products was undertaken around them
(Sletmo, 1999).
Additionally, van der Lugt et al (2013) characterize ports as business net-
works. Within these networks companies are interdependent for the holistic
development of the system. Thus, inter-firm relationships are of high impor-
tance. Additionally, according to van der Horst and de Langen (2008) and
Notteboom and Rodrigue (2012), effective network integration of port ter-
minal operators with transport or third-party logistics providers (3PLs) is in
many cases the strategy enabling the offering of door-to-door services by ports.
However, as this chapter focuses on ports in the logistics environment, a
relevant definition must be employed. Bichou (2009, p 2) defines ports as
‘the interface between land and a sea or a waterway connection providing
facilities and services to commercial ships and their cargo, as well as the
associated multimodal distribution and logistics activities’. This definition
matches the scope of ports in a maritime logistics environment as it com-
bines the main function of the port, which is the reception of vessels, with
the additional logistics services that ports are called on to offer as part of a
system.
The remainder of this chapter is divided as follows. Initially, the contem-
porary business environment of ports and its effects on ports are outlined.
The evolutionary development of ports on a global scale is then discussed
from three different perspectives. The first perspective is involved with the
port generations model, the second is involved with the privatization of
ports, while the third with the emergence and expansion of global port oper-
ators (GPOs). Finally, before the main theme of this chapter, which is the
development of port-centric logistics (PCL) in the UK over the last decade,
the unique paradigm of the ownership and management mandates of UK
ports is outlined.

Contemporary business environment

of ports
The discussion in the introduction of this chapter reflects one of the many
academic conceptions of ports’ evolution. This development of port defini-
tion is in line with changes in ports’ operating environment. According to
Notteboom (2007) ports have operated in an environment driven by chang-
ing economic and logistics systems, which increased the level of uncertainty
and forced port managers to identify strategies that would enable them to
respond effectively to the dynamics of their market. Thus, the role and gov-
ernance of port authorities and port management teams, with particular
economic objectives, has been reassessed.
 Port-centric Logistics in Concept and Practice 245

Pallis et al (2011) also argue that the rapidly changing environment in

which ports operate is driven by developments in logistics. Particularly, they
support the view that increased vessel sizes, horizontal and vertical inte-
gration of shipping lines, developments of land-side logistics services and
increased attention to the rationalization of the hub-and-spoke system, were
some of the actions of shipping lines and terminal operating companies in
their attempt to increase profit margins and customer satisfaction.
The need of ports to respond to these changes created the notion that ports
should be considered as ‘elements in value-driven chain systems’ instead of
simply being perceived as highly complex places (Robinson, 2002, p 252).
According to this view, ports need to deliver value to their customers but
also need to capture value for themselves. The paper by Robinson was one
of the most influential papers that triggered academic interest in the need for
port transformation. Until that point ports were perceived as ‘pawns in the
game’ (Slack, 1993). In particular, even though ports were required to invest
heavily in order to accommodate customers’ needs, they did not have con-
trol over global commerce. Privately-owned companies have taken control
and exploited ports’ resources. This notion was also supported by Sletmo
(1999) who argues that the emergence of containerization and supply chain
restructuring practices were the reasons that ports competitive role in mul-
timodal systems was undermined (Pallis et al, 2011).
According to Juhel (2001) there were two reasons for the need to refor-
mulate national port systems development strategies. The first is related to
the changing nature of the cargo generating hinterlands, while the second is
related to the fact that shipping lines have reconstructed their ocean trans-
port network. According to the same author, port strategies need to include
reforms in the legislative, institutional and procedural provisions of ports.
Furthermore, according to Pettit and Beresford (2009), ports are also
perceived as important contributors of supply chain integration as a result
of their actions to include logistics activities in their operations spectrum,
which can be offered as value-added services (VAS) (Paixão and Marlow,
2003). It should be mentioned here that the factors that influence the evo-
lution of a port system are not totally understood (Ducruet et al, 2009).
In particular, port development can be characterized as path dependent
because past decisions, structures and processes influence future actions,
but port system evolution ‘is also contingent and open ended as decisions
may deviate from an existing development path’ (Wilmsmeier and Monios,
2013, p 118).

Port generations model

According to Paixão and Marlow (2003) the development of ports after
World War II has been categorized by UNCTAD (1992) who in an attempt to
describe the development of ports during the second half of the 20th ­century,
developed the ‘three generations port model’ (Verhoeven, 2010). This model
246 Port Logistics

aims to describe ports’ development from a functional and institutional per-

spective (Bichou, 2009).
However, it should be mentioned that UNCTAD’s 1992 model has
been criticized as unrealistic and inaccurate due to the fact that ports have
been observed to present a continuous development instead of evolving
in discrete steps (Beresford et al, 2004; Bichou and Gray, 2005; Pettit and
Beresford, 2009; Verhoeven, 2010). The same commentators on the port
generations model argue that within the same port, elements of different
evolution streams might be identified due the composite nature of ports.
Additionally, elements of previous generations can still be observed within
later generations. Nevertheless, the port generations model does provide a
useful conceptualization of how large multi-purpose gateway ports have
evolved (Verhoeven, 2010) and for this reason will be discussed here.

First-generation ports (pre-1960s)

Before the 1960s ports were considered as the changing points between trans-
portation modes, where only cargo loading/unloading and storing activities
would take place (UNCTAD, 1992). Additionally, Beresford et al (2004)
argue that ports operated in isolation from transport trade activities and
did not attempt to meet their users’ requirement. Monopolistic behaviour
(UNCTAD, 1992) and isolation from the surrounding municipalities would
also be observed in ports before the 1960s with the exception of some sepa-
rate development plans (Beresford et al, 2004). Furthermore, first-generation
ports lacked promotion at commercial level due to the isolated behaviour of
the companies operating within the port. Distinct characteristics were also
low productivity and consequent slow cargo movements and unfamiliarity
of port users with the entire entity of the port (UNCTAD, 1992).

Second-generation ports (1960s–1980s)

In contrast with first-generation ports, the range of activities of a second-­
generation port was broadened and the notion that ports operate as ‘trans-
port, industrial and commercial service centres’ became prevalent (UNCTAD,
1992, p 13). Consequently ports were allowed to offer various industrial
or commercial services to their users (UNCTAD, 1992). Particularly, com-
mercial services were considered as services that add value to cargo, while
industrial services resulted in the build-up of industrial facilities which were
observed to extend further into the hinterland of the port (Beresford et al,
2004). The industrial facilities developed around the port and its hinterland
were involved with ‘iron and steel, heavy metallurgy, refineries and basic
petrochemicals, aluminium, paper pulp making, fertilizers, sugar and starch,
flour milling and various agro-food activities’ (UNCTAD, 1992, p 14).
Additionally ports developed closer relationships with transport and trade
partners as well as with surrounding municipalities (Beresford et al, 2004).
 Port-centric Logistics in Concept and Practice 247

Moreover, second-generation ports were characterized by increased cargo

throughput speed as a result of integrated port activities. However, this inte-
gration was not organized but spontaneous (UNCTAD, 1992). Another
basic distinction between first and second generation ports was the fact that
second-generation ports were characterized as capital-intensive in contrast
with the labour-intensive first generation ports (Bichou, 2009).

Third-generation ports (1990s–2000)

Global containerization and intermodalism are the two factors that triggered
the development of the third-generation ports after the 1980s (Beresford
et al, 2004). During the early 1980s the competition among North American
ports was heavily influenced by the emergence of intermodal transportation
(Hayuth, 1987; van Klink and van den Berg, 1998). Europe lagged behind
in the implementation of intermodal transportation until the 1990s when
various deregulations associated with the emergence of the European Union
(EU) were introduced (Slack, 1993).
During this time period the requirements imposed by the expansion of
containerization needed to be taken into consideration by ports in order to
accommodate the demand at national and international levels. Addition-
ally, ports were forced to incorporate intermodal transportation systems in
order to accommodate the seamless transfer of containers among land and
sea transportation modes (Parola and Sciomachen, 2005). This develop-
ment acted as a significant enabling factor of increased throughput but also
increased congestion around ports (Parola and Sciomachen, 2005).
Furthermore, during the 1980s ports were considered dynamic nodes
within global trade networks, an opinion based on their proactive manage-
ment which envisioned the development of ports in transport centres and
logistics platforms integrated within the global trade networks (Beresford
et al, 2004). Additionally, port services were more specialized, variable and
integrated with the traditional services provided during the previous gen-
erations. In particular, the provision of VAS in addition to cargo-handling
services is a key characteristic of third generation ports (Bichou and Gray,
2004). However, the usage of modern equipment and information technol-
ogy was perceived as standard for the provision of conventional services by
ports (Beresford et al, 2004). Furthermore, ports’ offerings were enhanced
by two kinds of industrial services (UNCTAD, 1992). The first was involved
with ship/vehicle industrial/technical-related services (eg ship repairing,
engineering services). On the other hand, the second kind involved cargo-
related industrial services, where the port either provided industrial services
or allowed third parties to establish operations in its proximity in order to
generate cargo throughput and value-added for the port (UNCTAD, 1992).
Moreover, the reduction of the environmental impact of ports was
addressed by the implementation of environment protection measures
(Beresford et al, 2004). Additionally, the introduction of advanced infor-
mation and communication technologies in port operations increased the
248 Port Logistics

administrative efficiency of ports and in terms of infra- and superstructure

utilization, ports moved towards seven days per week operation. Conse-
quently, the spectrum of third-generation ports’ capabilities was enriched by
improved administration and extended commercial services.
These ports were also characterized by the provision of logistics and dis-
tribution services. A result of this change was the fact that the medium- to
long-term warehousing functions were no longer needed, as ports were per-
ceived as passing corridors after the emergence of containerization. How-
ever, according to Beresford et al (2004) warehousing services were still
needed by ports but in the form of high storage quality.
Additionally, various IT developments were adopted by ports (eg
electronic data interchange systems). Other key characteristics of third-­
generation ports were increased profitability triggered by the provision of
VAS, reduced custom regulation and various internal and external organiza-
tional changes (UNCTAD, 1992; Beresford et al, 2004).
Bichou (2009, p 44) summarized the development of third-generation
ports ‘as the product of the unitization of sea trade and multimodal cargo
packaging which has led to the development of ports as logistics and inter-
modal centres offering valued added services, with technology and know-
how being the major determining factors’.
Relevant to the third-generation port model is the conceptualization of
ports as logistics systems offered by Paixão and Marlow (2003). They argue
that in contrast to manufacturing units, ports are bi-directional logistics
systems due to the fact that they accommodate product flows from sea to
land and vice versa.
The conceptualization of ports as logistics systems by Paixão and Mar-
low (2003) implies that ports are engaged with the receipt and dispatch of
goods and information both inbound and outbound as well as with all the
internal associated processes (Panayides and Song, 2008). Furthermore, port
logistics systems can be broken into three further subsystems. According to
Paixão and Marlow (2003) these subsystems are related to goods and infor-
mation transfer from sea to land and vice versa (1st and 2nd subsystems)
and to the ship-to-ship transfer (transhipment), which includes the feeder
shipping and inland waterways transport trades.

Fourth-generation ports (post-2000)

According to Pettit and Beresford (2009) since the three-generation port
model of UNCTAD, technological changes and developments in working
practices and the commercial environment have taken place. Consequently,
the relationships and linkages between service providers, facilitators, and
end consumers became tighter. In 1999, UNCTAD introduced the concept
of fourth-generation ports, ‘which are physically linked through common
operators or through common administration’ (UNCTAD, 1999, p 9). They
provide the example of the ports of Copenhagen and Malmö which formed
a joint venture in order to promote the competitiveness of the ports under
 Port-centric Logistics in Concept and Practice 249

a single administrative unit. However, they argue that far more frequently
terminals in various places around the world are linked under the common
management of a single global port/terminal operator or a shipping line.
UNCTAD’s definition of fourth-generation ports is constrained to the
spatial evolution of port and takes no account of other operational and
societal changes that occurred in port development during the 21st century.
Additionally, academics interpreted fourth-generation ports in a different to
that intended by UNCTAD (Verhoeven, 2010). In particular, Perez-­Labajos
and Blanco (2004) argue that fourth-generation ports should focus on
attracting big logistics operators. Furthermore, Paixão and Marlow (2003)
argue that a fourth-generation port should become proactive rather than
reactive to the changes in their environment. Thus, they support the view
that port managers should adopt new strategies which encompass the con-
cept of agility.

Global port operators

As global port operators (GPOs) are defined, those companies that expand
their activities in order to include international port operations with the
intension to establish worldwide network services can be deemed to be
global port operators (Bichou and Bell, 2007). Three reasons can justify the
emergence of GPOs. The first two relate to the port evolution and develop-
ment stages while the third relates to the vertical integration activities of
shipping lines (Slack and Frémont, 2005). In particular, the limitations of
their original scope of operations, and the limited opportunities for internal
growth and profitability enhancement, triggered many port/terminal oper-
ating companies to seek to expand the scale and scope of their operations
through horizontal integration (Notteboom and Winkelmans, 2001). Thus,
by means of refining and applying already successful management prac-
tices in different countries, these companies have successfully managed to
increase their profits (Slack and Frémont, 2005).
The second reason that justifies the emergence of GPOs relates to port
privatization and liberalization schemes implemented in various countries.
Thus, many port/terminal operators, driven by the incentive of expanding
their operational and managerial expertise in new markets, acquired ter-
minals or entire ports and created joint ventures with other port/terminal
operators (Slack and Frémont, 2005). The international expansion through
horizontal integration practices such as M&A or new terminal construc-
tions represent the first wave of GPO development. The success experienced
by the international expansion strategies of the pioneers described above
triggered the emergence of the second wave of GPO development (Notte-
boom and Rodrigue, 2012).
Vertical integration activities of shipping lines are considered as the third
reason for the emergence of GPOs (Slack and Frémont, 2005). Through the
implementation of such activities shipping lines achieved economies of scale
and scope, internalized terminal handling costs, and increased their level of
250 Port Logistics

control by extending operations further down the supply chain. The verti-
cal integration activities of container shipping lines shape the third wave of
GPOs development (Notteboom and Rodrigue, 2012). In particular, accord-
ing to Slack and Frémont (2005), Midoro et al (2005), Parola and Musso
(2007), and Notteboom and Rodrigue (2012) the vertical integration activi-
ties of shipping lines can be summarized in the following four forms:
●● a unique contractual agreement between a third-party stevedore
company and the ocean carrier;
●● acquirement of a minor shareholding of the terminal by the shipping
line;
●● joint venture between the shipping line and a third-party stevedore
company that will be associated with dedicated terminal use;
●● a dedicated terminal in which the shipping line or a terminal-
operating sister company will possess at least 51 per cent of its
shares.
Based on various GPO classifications Notteboom and Rodrigue (2012)
have proposed the following three group categories: stevedores, maritime
shipping companies, and financial holdings. The first category, stevedores,
refers to terminal operators that have expanded globally. The second cat-
egory, maritime shipping companies, refers to the vertical integration activi-
ties of container shipping lines. The third category, financial holdings, refers
to firms from various backgrounds that have adopted an interest in port/
terminal operations due to the revenue generation potential of the sector.
Pawlik et al (2011) identified a category of investors in port terminal opera-
tions which resemble the financial holdings category. They call them private
equity funds (PEFs) and argue that the expansion of PEFs in the port indus-
try represent a fourth wave of GPOs’ expansion. Table 14.1 shows the top
10 GPOs according to the Global Container Terminal Operators Annual
Review and Forecast of the shipping consultants firm Drewry (2013).

Port privatization
Ports are managed by port authorities (PAs), which are responsible for the
provision of the services needed to accommodate ships (Mangan et al, 2008).
Thus, they plan, authorize, coordinate and control and in some cases also
provide port services (OECD, 2011). PAs construct and maintain port infra-
structure which is then provided to other private entities under the form of
leases or concessions (Dooms et al, 2013). Additionally, PAs aim to enhance
the competitiveness of the port cluster (Dooms et al, 2013) and to secure
cargo by the promotion of an efficient intermodal system (Woo et al, 2011).
For the majority of the world PAs are public or semi-public organiza-
tions (Baird, 2002). The public involvement in the management of ports,
in the form of nationally or locally administered PAs, has been prevalent
since the early modern European era (Verhoeven, 2010). Public PAs exist
 Port-centric Logistics in Concept and Practice 251

Ta B L E 14.1    Top 10 global/international terminal operators’

equity-based throughput (2012)
Characterization
% share of according to
Million world Notteboom and
ranking Operator Teu throughput rodrigue (2012)

1 PSA International 50.9 8.2% stevedores

2 Hutchison Port Holdings 44.8 7.2% stevedores

3 APM Terminals 33.7 5.4% maritime shipping

company

4 DP World 33.4 5.4% financial holding

5 COSCO Group 17.0 2.7% maritime shipping

company

6 Terminal Investment 13.5 2.2% maritime shipping

Limited (TIL) company

7 China Shipping Terminal 8.6 1.4% maritime shipping

Development company

8 Hanjin 7.8 1.3% maritime shipping

company

9 Evergreen 7.5 1.2% maritime shipping

company

10 Eurogate 6.5 1.0% stevedores

SOuRCE Drewry (2013)

in two forms or schemes. The first scheme is centralized port governance,

where the government of the country is responsible for the management and
operations of the ports. The second is decentralized port governance where
the management and operation of ports is the responsibility of regional or
municipal public authorities (Goss, 1986; Cullinane and Song, 2002).
Currently PAs are recognized as hybrid organizations in the sense that
they are ruled by both public and private law (Verhoeven, 2010; van der
Lugt et al, 2013). Additionally, a PA, in the form of a GPO, may manage
more than a single port in different countries (Mangan et al, 2008).
Ownership, structure and mandate are the determinant factors that shape
the objectives guiding the actions of the PA (Heaver et al, 2001). Ports may
have various forms of ownership. The entity that owns the port is referred
to as the port landlord, who owns the land and in many cases owns the
252 Port Logistics

port infrastructure as well. It is possible that the PA may also be the port’s
landlord but examples where PAs and landlords are different organizations
exist (OECD, 2011).
Some ports are managed by the government of the country they are
located in, while others are managed by private companies (Stopford,
2009). However, few examples of ports exist which are entirely public or
private (Cullinane et al, 2002). The dissimilarity of port ownership models
obstructs the development of a common approach to ports, a problem that
also arises amongst ports with similar functions and roles (Bichou and Gray,
2005). According to Thomas (1994) diversity of ownership and organiza-
tional structure in ports exists because port development is influenced by
various social, political, cultural, commercial and military circumstances.
Interest in the effects of private sector involvement in PAs’ strategy forma-
tion was initiated by Goss (1990) who challenged the need for public sector
PAs (Verhoeven, 2010). It is a common understanding nowadays that the
operational efficiency of PAs is linked to the increased involvement of the
private sector in the ownership and operation of ports (Tongzon and Heng,
2005). Additionally, the efficiency of a port can create the basis for a nation’s
competitive advantage in international commerce, because ports are per-
ceived as vital links in global trade. Pallis and Syriopoulos (2007) argue that
port governance is a crucial determinant of port performance. The develop-
ment of port trajectories and their divergent governance structures are related
to the concepts of path dependency and lock-in, concepts which originated
in the fields of institutional economics and evolutionary economics respec-
tively (Notteboom et al, 2013). Regardless of their ownership structure, ports
should provide a certain set of facilities and services (see Table 14.2).

Ta B L E 14.2   Facilities and services offered by ports

infrastructure Approach channel, breakwater, locks, berths

Superstructure Surfacing, sotrage (transit sheds, silos, warehouses),

workshops, offices

equipment Fixed: ship-to-shore crane, conveyor belts etc

Mobile: straddle carriers, forklifts, tractors etc

Services to Harbour master’s office (radio, vessel traffic system etc),

ships navigational aids, pilotage, towage, berthing/unberthing,
supplies, waste reception and disposal, security

Services to Handling, storage, delivery/reception, cargo processing,

cargo security

SOuRCE UNCTAD (1995, p 27)

 Port-centric Logistics in Concept and Practice 253

However, the contemporary understanding about services and facilities

offered by ports is that they should reflect the developments of the supply
chains that pass through them. Thus, many ports have altered their offerings
towards the provision of more than the traditional port services (Bichou and
Gray, 2005; Brooks and Cullinane, 2007).
With regard to offering the facilities and services presented in Table 14.2,
a distinction between two types of ports can be made, the comprehensive
port and the landlord port:

●● To the comprehensive port type belong those ports where the

provision, management and operation of facilities and services
is the complete responsibility of the public PA. These ports are
also characterized as totally integrated ports (Cullinane et al,
2002).
●● Ports belong to the landlord port type if the PA’s role is limited to the
provision and maintenance of basic infrastructue and crucial services
(eg fire services, security etc), while independent third parties are
responsible for the provision of all other facilities and services
(Cullinane et al, 2002). These ports can be also referred to as purely
regulatory ports.

According to Baird (1995), Brooks and Cullinane (2007), World Bank

(2007), Debrie et al (2013) and Dooms et al (2013), the vast majority of
PAs around the world operate under the landlord port model (eg the ports
of Rotterdam, Antwerp, New York and Singapore).
A modification of the two port types model exists, which divides ports
into three categories: service, tool and landlord ports (Cullinane and Song,
2002). The classification of ports into three models is referred to as the ‘tra-
ditional port organization model’ (Baird, 2000; Chen, 2009):

●● The service port model refers to those ports where the public PA is
the owner of the port’s land and assets and is responsible for the
management and operations of the port. Additionally, some of the
cargo-handling services can be conducted by an independend public
entity (Brooks and Cullinane, 2007). However, Cullinane and Song
(2002) argue that the service port model is by definition identical to
the comprehensive port model.
●● The tool port model refers to those ports where the PA is public and
is responsible for the development and maintenance of port
infrastructure and superstructure (Brooks and Cullinane, 2007).
However, some onboard, quay and apron operations are performed
by private organizations.
●● The role of the PA and its functions in the landlord model are the
same in each of the two or three models of port classification.The
tool port model can be considered as a modification of the landord
model (Cullinane and Song, 2002).
254 Port Logistics

Port function privatization matrix

Baird (1995) developed the port function privatization matrix (Table 14.3)
which summarizes the various types of port administration in four models:
pure public sector, public–private, private–public and pure private sector.
According to the port function privatization matrix, the functions of a port
can be divided into three categories: the port landowner function, the port
utility function and the port regulatory function.
The majority of container ports fall into the second model where the
public sector is the landlord of the port and is also responsible for the func-
tions and regulations of the port, while the handling of the cargo is the
responsibility of the private sector (Baird, 1995). Ports that are owned and
managed by the public sector which is also responsible for the handling of
the cargo are assigned to the first model, the pure public sector (Baird, 2005;
Mangan et al, 2008). The third model, private–public, describes the case of
ports that have a private landlord and cargo-handling organization but the
functions of the port follow the regulations set by the public sector (Baird,
1995). The fourth model is the pure private sector model. Ports that have
employed this model are owned and managed by a private company which
is responsible also for cargo handling. This model is applicable to UK ports
(Baird, 2005) and a few examples in the rest of the world such as Australia
and New Zealand (Dooms et al, 2013). Baltazar and Brooks (2001), based
on the matrix of Baird (1995), developed the Port Devolution Matrix. How-
ever, as this has not been validated (Brooks and Cullinane, 2007) it will not
be further discussed.

World Bank Port Reform Toolkit (WBPRTK)

The World Bank (2007) extended the traditional port organizational model
with the addition of a fourth port type, the private service port or private
port. According to Chen (2009) the private port was generated by the split-
ting of the service port into a public service and a private service   port.

Ta B L E 14.3   Four models of port administration

Port functions
Models Landowner regulator utility

Pure public sector Public Public Public

Public–private Public Public Private

Private–public Private Public Private

Pure private sector Private Private Private

SOuRCE Baird (1995, p 136)

 Port-centric Logistics in Concept and Practice 255

Table 14.4 presents the allocation of responsibilities among the four port

models as suggested by the WBPRTK. Furthermore, according to the
WBPRTK the private port type refers to ports where the government has no
interest in any of the port activities (Brooks and Cullinane, 2007). The pri-
vate sector is responsible for the regulatory, capital-related and operational
activities of the port and is the owner of the port land.
However, it should be mentioned that although the models proposed by
the WBPRTK are widely used in the relevant literature they are general in
their construction and consequently decontextualized (Debrie et al, 2013).
On the same lines, Brooks and Cullinane (2007) argue that WBPRTK clas-
sifications can be treated as the starting point torwards an understanding of
the allocation of infrastructure and superstructure investment responsibili-
ties and the allocation of the managerial and operational functions of the
port. However, these models ‘fail to fully provide an understanding of the
strategic intent of a port, its role in the economy as seen by government and
the allocation of responsibility for regulatory monitoring (such as environ-
mental and safety monitoring)’ (Brooks and Cullinane, 2007, p 410).
The discussion so far has conceptualized the universal development of
ports. However, one exception is the UK ports paradigm which is discussed
in the following section.

Port privatization in the UK

Although ports around the world operate according to the landlord model,
in the UK the majority of ports are completely privatized. This section briefly
addresses the reasons that led to the current situation and the challenges
that UK ports face with the implementation of a complete privatization
scheme. However, first a short description of the UK port sector situation
after World War II is provided.
During the 1970s, UK had more than 250 PAs or public operators
and approximately 1,400 companies involved in stevedoring, towage and

Ta B L E 14.4    Allocation of responsibilities based on the World

Bank Port Reform Toolkit
responsibilities Service Tool Landlord Private

infrastructure Public Public Public Private

Superstructure Public Public Private Private

Port labour Public Private Private Private

Other functions Majority public Mixed Mixed Majority private

SOuRCE Brooks and Cullinane (2007, p 410)

256 Port Logistics

warehousing activities (Cullinane and Song, 2002). Four different port types
existed in the UKL public or nationalized ports, trust ports, municipal ports
and company ports (Thomas, 1994). Liu (1995) highlights that in the UK
even public ports were not financially supported by the government. Instead
they were required to create revenue that would cover their operational
costs and finance any investment without subsidies or any other form of
financial support from the government. Additionally, UK public ports were
also free from any government interference in their management. To that
extent UK public ports were perceived as being similar to private ports with
the exception that UK ports were non-profit organizations and customers
had the right to appeal if they thought that port prices were unfair.
The British port industry was nationalized after World War II (Suykens
and van de Voorde, 1998). The British Transport Docks Board was created
which covered all the ports of the country, and in 1947 the National Dock
Labour Scheme was created. The aim of the labour scheme was to provide
balance between the bargaining power of employers and employees in the
most important UK ports. Additionally, the scheme aimed to preserve the
so-called dock work activities of registered dockers. These arrangements
granted privileges such as standardized payment even in periods of no work
availability (Asteris and Collins, 2009).
The scheme adversely affected the reliability and efficiency and increased
the cost of UK ports, which, in combination with the developments of con-
tainerization, resulted in the loss of UK ports’ competitiveness against lead-
ing ports in mainland Europe. A threefold strategy was adopted by shipping
lines in order to overcome the barriers set by the scheme. Initially, the ship-
ping lines preferred to call at ports that were not included in the labour
scheme, explaining the rapid development of the so far insignificant Port of
Felixstowe. Second, shipping lines preferred to tranship products through
continental ports which were not protected by similar labour schemes.
Third, they initiated a campaign focused on the removal of the constraints
of the scheme, which proved effective towards the end of the 1980s. This
deregulation resulted in increased efficiency of UK ports before the millen-
nium (Asteris and Collins, 2009).
The full privitization scheme of the UK has been implemented for three
reasons (World Bank, 2007). The first was the need to modernize the out-
dated institutions and installations in order to meet demand needs. The sec-
ond was the aim to achieve financial stability and targets with the increasing
flow of private funds. The third reason mentioned in the World Bank report
was involved with the establishment of labour stability and rationalization
which would be followed by a higher degree of labour participation in the
new organizations. Cullinane and Song (2002) maintain that the main rea-
son for the implementation of a full privitization scheme in the UK was the
poor financial performance of the ports.
The first UK port privatization scheme was implemented through the
Transport Act 1981 (Suykens and van de Voorde, 1998). The Act included
the managerial takeover of 19 ports, managed by the British Transport
 Port-centric Logistics in Concept and Practice 257

Dock Board, by the newly formed Associated British Ports (ABP) (Cullinane
and Song, 2002). ABP was controlled by Associated British Port Holdings,
a government formed organization. However, in 1983 49 per cent of the
company’s shares were offered to private investors. Thus, Associated British
Ports PLC was formed, which had no ‘authority over the directors of ABP
with respect to the exercising of their statutory powers and duties as a port
authority’ (p 70). Goss (1998) argues that the abolishment of the labour
scheme which was discussed earlier was perceived as a prerequisite for the
implementation of privatization in UK ports. He further argues that no dis-
tinction between PAs’ statutory duties and economic functions, and the port
activities has been made by the government’s policy regarding the extent of
privatization level of ports at that time.
Further privatization of the remaining public ports was made in 1991
by the UK government (Suykens and van de Voorde, 1998). In particular,
according to Goss (1998, p 67) the Port Act 1991 enabled the government
‘to compel the remaining trust port to transfer their rights, duties, assets,
and liabilities to companies formed under the Companies Act, which would
then be sold to some other company’. The preferred scheme supported by
the government was the management–employee buy-out (MEBOs) (Farrell,
2013). Furthermore, in 1992 five trust ports were voluntarily sold: Tees and
Hartlepool, Clyde, Forth, Medway and the Port of London (Tilbury) (Baird,
1995).
In addition, in 1993 the Secretary of State for Transport, using the pow-
ers under the Ports Act, was able to force the remaining trust ports, with
annual turnovers above £5 million, to pursue privatization (Baird, 1995).
In particular, the Port Act 1991 was focused on the privatization of trust
ports and was applied to the majority of PAs. The Department of Transport
intended to sell those ports by competitive tender in order to achieve the
highest possible price. Furthermore, PAs had the right to proceed with the
formation of a limited company that could take over the property, rights,
liabilities and operations owned by the PA (Baird, 1995).
According to Farrell (2013), the acquisition prices of those trust ports
were low, a fact responsible for the enduring ‘get rich quick’ image of the port
sector. Baird (2013) argues that the increased profits of UK ports, ever since
the various deregulations and privatization schemes, attracted the interest of
the banking community in UK ports. In particular, UK ports were re-sold to
private equities1 under highly leveraged transactions. One result of this is that
the profits made by ports are used to pay off those transactions. This situation
prevents the development of new advanced port infrastructure, a fact that
can endanger the future international competitiveness of UK ports. Addition-
ally, the UK Department for Transport does not encourage port investment,
as this requires ports to contribute to enhanced road and rail infrastructure
and results in lengthy and expensive public enquiries (Baird, 2013).
From the discussion above it is clear that UK ports belong to a specialized
category of private ports that is not encountered in the rest of the world.
Furthermore, several disadvantages have been identified regarding the UK
258 Port Logistics

port governance model which can be related to the lagged development of

UK ports. Regardless of these concerns, UK container ports appear to have
adopted a new strategy which is proving to be very popular and yields many
benefits for the ports and their users. This strategy is the so-called concept of
port-centric logistics, which is discussed in the next section of this chapter.

Port-centric logistics in concept

Port-centric logistics (PCL) is a concept that has attracted increasing atten-
tion from the maritime, logistics and supply chain management scholars
over recent years. PCL is defined by Mangan et al (2008, p 36) as ‘the pro-
vision of distribution and other value-adding logistics services at ports’. It
should be mentioned here that the revived interest in PCL concerns contain-
erized cargo, as port-centric activities for bulk cargo have been in existence
for several years, and evidence of PCL activities on non-containerized cargo
is available for a number of years (Falkner, 2006).
As currently conceived, ‘port-centric operations’ refers to the practice of
destuffing imported containers on the port’s premises, where the cargo will
be held in warehouses until the final destination is known and the products
transported there directly without being stocked at other points in the sup-
ply chain. This practice is in contrast to the UK model in which containers
are transported inland to be destuffed at the centrally located DCs (distri-
bution centres) and then transferred empty back to the port in order to be
loaded onto vessels (Wall, 2007).
Falkner (2006) argues that PCL represents a step back from the current
port development model, as it is based on the notion that the port acts as
the sole point at which goods are imported, stored and distributed inland.
Consequently, PCL challenges traditional supply chain models, as it enables
entire segments of the supply chain to be removed, a fact that will result in
increased efficiency and visibility, reduced demurrage and inventory levels.
Additionally, the relocation of companies’ warehousing operations to the
proximity of a port can offer increased flexibility to those firms in terms of
response time to delays in vessel arrivals.
An example of early PCL operations in the UK is the Port of Tyne which
was focused on the accommodation of bulk cargo, mainly coal. However,
in the early 2000s considerable investment in the expansion of the port’s
super- and infrastructure was made in order for the port’s capabilities to be
enhanced with the accommodation of containerized cargo and the offering
of various PCL services (Falkner, 2006).
Another port that has been extensively promoting its port-centric strat-
egy is the north- east-based medium-sized Teesport, operated by PD Ports.
The project to establish port-centric operations was considered as successful
when leading supermarket chains Asda, with a 30-year contract lease and
Tesco moved part of their warehousing operations to the proximity of the
 Port-centric Logistics in Concept and Practice 259

port (Falkner, 2006). Wall (2007) argues that a focus on the development
of Teesport as a northern gateway is the result of the need to decongest
the UK’s southern ports which face strong pressures and have no plans to
develop their infrastructure further. Particularly, Asteris and Collins (2009)
argue that the development of PD Ports at Teesport is one of the two port
projects, the deep-water port development of Peel ports at Liverpool being
the second one, that have been approved outside the south-east of the UK.
The managers of Teesport exploited the fact that ‘big’ retailers have moved
their warehousing operations near to the ports in order to attract more ship-
ping lines to call there (Falkner, 2006).
The implementation of PCL implies various benefits for ports and their
users. Four distinct categories of benefits can be identified: environmental,
operational, cost savings, and increased competitive advantage related ben-
efits. The following sections provide an overview of those benefits.

Environmental benefits
Piecyk and McKinnon (2010, p 31) evaluate the forecasts for ‘CO2 emis-
sions of road freight transport in 2020’. They argue that the extensive use
of the hub-and-spoke system increases road-kms, thus an increase of tonne-
kms is expected. However, the expected development of PCL can balance
out the increase of road-kms, as some parts of the supply chain can be
eliminated. Furthermore, Monios and Wilmsmeier (2012b) argue that the
expected environmental benefits of PCL can help ports to seek government
support for the development of their infrastructures to accommodate PCL
activities.
The advantage of using rail or canals for inland transportation and thus
reducing road-kms and the associated CO2 emissions is highlighted by
many practitioners. In particular Analytiqa (2007) provides the example
of Eddie Stobart. The company claims to eliminate 13,000 annual truck
journeys by using rail services instead. Additionally, Wall (2007) argues that
reduced emissions will occur from the use of red diesel within the bonded
areas of ports that implement PCL. Moreover, removing unnecessary road
movements by delivering to the retailers’ DCs directly, instead of moving
cargo to the DCs in the Midlands and then redistributing them according
to demand will aid green initiatives and reduce carbon emissions (Allen,
2008a; Anon, 2011a; Hearn, 2012; Mannix, 2012). Dossetter (2010) and
Anon (2011b) support this argument by describing the reduction in carbon
emissions as a result of the PCL and airport-centric approach of Samsung
and their inland distribution partner Yusen (previously known as NYK-
logistics) who claimed to have saved 869,880 road-kms. Anon (2010a)
and Jack (2010) argue that fewer road-kms equals lower CO2 emissions.
Anon (2010a) justifies this speculation with the example of Taylors of Har-
rogate, a tea company that signed a contract with Teesport to handle all
their imports. This new contract is expected to result in 100,000 road-miles
reduction per annum, as Teesport is conveniently located closer to their DC
260 Port Logistics

compared with the two ports that were previously used as import points.
However, in this case the reduction of road-miles is caused by the difference
in distance between the DC and the port used and not because of any PCL
activities.

Operational benefits
Mangan et al (2008) mention faster repositioning of containers as one of
the main operational benefits of PCL. According to the definition of PCL,
containers will not travel to inland DCs, thus they can be available for
shipping lines faster as they can be unloaded within the port’s premises.
Additionally, the full weight capacity of containers can be utilized. Weight
restrictions for road transportation prohibit the full capacity utilization
of imported containers. However, as the containers can remain within the
port’s premises, in the case of PCL, such restrictions will not apply. McKin-
non (2014) argues that shippers have verified increased container loads of
imported containers and in addition he identifies opportunities for the full
weight utilization of containers if a PCL model is adopted for the outbound
movement of containers as well. By this practice exporters could also be
benefitted by PCL. He particularly argues that 1.5 tonnes extra load per
container would result in a 6 per cent reduction in vehicle-kms and assorted
CO2 emissions. Moreover, Pettit and Beresford (2009) suggest that road
congestion between the port and logistics centre can be reduced as a result
of fewer empty runs.
Furthermore, Neale (2006), Analytiqa (2007), Allen (2008a), Falkner
(2009), Tindall (2009), Jack (2010), Anon (2011b), Mannix (2012), Landon
(2013) and Clark (2013) argue that the implementation of PCL can lead to
faster distribution as a result of the reduced number of transportation legs
in the supply chain and the elimination of empty runs, which are also linked
with easing of road congestion and the removal of expensive and wasteful
practices from the supply chain. Analytiqa (2007) and Falkner (2009) also
suggest that increased visibility can be introduced into the importer’s inven-
tory levels the inventory can be managed at a single point prior to further
inland distribution. Wall (2007) argues that operational benefits can be real-
ized because the implementation of PCL can allow the owner of the cargo
to use a single point for import, customs clearance and storage of the goods.
Allen (2008a, 2008b) mentions that PCL can reduce the double handling of
containers and imported goods, a fact that directly influences the containers’
turnaround time. Moreover, the reduction of double handling reduces the
risk of cargo damage (Jack, 2010). Tindall (2009) and Anon (2010b) com-
ment that increased operational efficiencies can be achieved by the use of
rail services or canals for inland distribution, a fact that can reduce the num-
ber of trucks approaching the port to load and unload cargo. Anon (2012)
mentions that improved operational efficiencies are expected to benefit the
retailers who use the shared storage facilities such as the Wynyard logistics
park at Teesport.
 Port-centric Logistics in Concept and Practice 261

Cost savings benefits

Savings in transportation costs can be derived from the dramatic reduction
of empty runs associated with the implementation of PCL strategy, as con-
tainers will never leave the port. Moreover, PCL can benefit supply chains
that adopt lean strategies and are in need of continuous stock replenishment
of products with predictable demand and short or long lead-time. As the
cargo will be stored in a single warehouse located in the proximity of the
port of import, direct replenishment to customers can occur. Thus, inventory
will not have to be held in multiple locations and savings in warehousing
costs will occur (Mangan et al, 2008; van Asperen and Dekker, 2013).
From another point of view Neale (2006), Analytiqa (2007), Allen
(2008b), Anon (2011a) and Clark (2013) mention lower operational costs
in terms of reduced transportation costs, arising from the elimination of
transportation legs from the supply chains. This will be achieved as PCL
enables faster and more efficient deliveries to the stores through bypass
of regional distribution centres (RDCs). Transportation costs can also be
reduced by taking advantage of multimodal operations, which are crucial
for PCL activities. According to Hearn (2012), 30 per cent of the outbound
inland transportation of London Gateway will be moved with the more
cost-effective rail transport. Furthermore, reduction in transportation costs
can also be caused by reduced fuel consumption. The 86,988 gallons reduc-
tion in fuel consumption after the adoption of port- and airport-centric
models by Samsung and Yusen support this argument (Jack, 2010).
Based on the Samsung/Yusen case study, several authors support the argu-
ments that PCL implementation can help in the reduction of storage costs
(Dossetter, 2010) and enable costs to be taken out of the supply chain (Tin-
dall, 2009; Anon, 2011b). Additionally, Allen (2008a), using statements by
the group development director of PD Ports, argues that the adoption of PCL
can lead to reduced labour and land costs, as these costs are lower near the
port when compared with the Midlands, where the majority of the DCs are
currently located. Savings related to reduced inventory levels are mentioned
by Allen (2008b) and Falkner (2009), who both also argue that cost savings
can arise from the elimination of demurrage fees, which retailers used to pay
to the port for the time the containers remained fully loaded in the port yard
when the inland DCs had no storage space available. Shared warehousing
facilities used by 3PLs to accommodate the imported cargo of their customers
will reduce the capital cost of these customers as they will no longer need to
maintain their own inland storage facilities (Mannix, 2012; Joyce et al, 2013).
However, this cost saving is applicable only to the users of shared facilities.

Increased competitive advantages

Increased competitive advantages can be gained for the port and other users
of the PCL activities. In particular, Mangan et al (2008) highlight that by the
implementation of PCL, ports can change their role in the supply chain from
262 Port Logistics

passive to active. Moreover, the authors argue that additional VAS provided
within the port’s premises as a result of PCL implementation will increase
port revenue.
Monios and Wilmsmeier (2012b) build on the same argument and sug-
gest that the increased revenue for the ports will be secured by the increased
cargo throughput derived from the presence of the retailers’ establishment
close to the port. The new role of ports after the implementation of PCL and
the fact that VAS can help ports to support this new role, is also mentioned
by Pallis et al (2011). Pettit and Beresford (2009) argue that the thrust for
supply chain integration in the case of PCL is promoted by the provision
of VAS. Additionally, Monios and Wilmsmeier (2012a) suggest that ports
can become more integrated in supply chains because of the influences of
inland transportation after the implementation of PCL. From another point
of view Feng et al (2012) argue that if the Humber port invested in PCL,
retailers could be attracted to set up warehouses in the proximity of the
port and the need for inland transportation and logistics services within the
direct hinterland of the port will be created. According to the authors this
practice can bring competitive advantage to the port and increase the port’s
competitiveness. Additionally, PCL together with the port regionalization
and the development of hub-and-spoke networks can provide productivity
gains for the terminal operators (van Asperen and Dekker, 2013).
Dossetter (2010) and Smith (2010) use the Samsung–Yusen example and
argue that Samsung was able to enter new market segments and increase
service levels because of the enhanced logistics performance and market
capability provided by the application of PCL. Anon (2011a) argues that
PCL can help a port to gain hub status and achieve competitive advantage
over ports that are considered only as feeder ports. Moreover, the same
author argues that PCL increases the VAS and the service level provided by
the port which will be to the direct benefit of the port users. One example
is the advanced inventory systems adopted by the Port of Tilbury which can
increase the visibility of inventory for cargo owners.
Furthermore, PCL can optimize the inbound supply chain, and can
increase supply chain efficiency (Anon, 2008; Mannix, 2012). Finally, Song
(2013) argues that the competitive advantage of a single-point-control solu-
tion can be provided by the implementation of PCL. This practice increases
the control of the supply chain and the provision of VAS.

Disadvantages of port-centric logistics

Several disadvantages associated with the implementation of PCL are also
anticipated. In particular, Holter et al (2010) suggest that PCL might increase
the transit time of international freight transport by up to one week. This
can negatively affect the cash-to-cash cycle of the shippers. However, the
main focus of their paper is the development a new model that takes into
consideration various trade-offs associated with long-range freight trans-
port and can provide considerable saving to shippers. The testing of the
 Port-centric Logistics in Concept and Practice 263

model showed that transport costs, transit times and payment terms can
affect routing decisions. However, conclusions regarding the effects on rout-
ing decisions and the implementation of PCL have not been provided. Such
a relationship must be evaluated by further research.
More recently, Monios and Wilmsmeier (2012b) expressed concerns that
the application of PCL will undermine the advantage of intermodal trans-
port, as the container will break into smaller loads at the port. Moreover,
the authors also mention that PCL can influence exporters, as containers
will remain at the port and will not be available inland. Similarly, storage
facilities at ports can interrupt the seamless flow of cargo between ports and
dry ports (Ng et al, 2013).
Additionally, Monios and Wilmsmeier (2013) argue that companies
located at regional UK ports which have implemented an PCL strategy
might encounter the risk of raised prices of shipping lines and no alternative
choice.
Demirbas et al (2014) identified, by case study research, certain disadvan-
tages and constraints of PCL. They particularly argue that one of the prereq-
uisites for the adoption of PCL strategy is land availability. However, PCL
can be implemented outside the perimeter of the port. The risk in this situ-
ation is that the port needs to ensure high-quality service provision even in
those premises. Failure to do so can lead to customer and reputational loss.
Additionally, their findings lead them to conclude that PCL can increase
both the complexity of operations at the port and the responsibilities of the
port operating company which will need to sort imported goods against
orders and notify the responsible bodies for their collection. Another factor
that increases the complexity of PCL operations is the fact that the port is
required to work with different ICT systems of the various entities involved
in the PCL operations (Demirbas et al, 2014). Coronado Mondragon et al
(2012) anticipated this implication in the implementation of PCL and sug-
gest the use of dedicated short range communication (DSRC), which is a
form of intelligent transport system (IST), in order to overcome these issues.
Further disadvantages can be identified from the practitioner’s point of
view. Particularly, concerns are expressed regarding the risks involved with
the multi-user warehousing functions proposed by some PCL operators.
These risks need to be evaluated and included in the new contracts between
warehouse operators and cargo owners (Joyce et al, 2013). Moreover, Joyce
et al (2013) express concerns about potential negative effects on the perfor-
mance of the supply chain, caused by loss of control over its legs. This is due
to the fact that the owner of the cargo will not be in control of a particular
segment as it used to be prior to the implementation of PCL.
Tindall (2009) also expresses concerns about negative effects of PCL. The
first concern is related to PCL at Teesport. As the geographical location of
this port is in the north of England shipping lines might not be willing to
call there because of the increased travel time. The second concern regards
the port land cost and particularly the fact that it might not be possible to
balance out the high land costs with the cost savings the cost savings derived
264 Port Logistics

from the elimination of inland journeys. Hearn (2012) is concerned with the
road congestion risk involved in case of inadequate rail connections to the
port and the risk and cost associated with relocating warehouses. However,
none of the concerns have been supported by empirical research.
From the discussion above, the various advantages and disadvantages of
PCL appear to be concentrated only in the UK. The following section aims
to justify this phenomenon, and also aims to support the view that PCL is
not a new strategy for container ports on a global scale, as similar activities
have been identified since the 1980s, but it is a new strategy for container
ports within the UK.

Criticism of PCL and its importance for the UK ports

and distribution system
According to Monios and Wilmsmeier (2012b) the definition of PCL pro-
vided by Mangan et al (2008) does not describe anything different from
the common practice of warehousing services at ports. Pettit and Beresford
(2009) also argue that value-added logistics services provided by a port is
not a new concept. The so-called ‘distriparks’ in Rotterdam and the ‘distri-
centres’ in Singapore have applied these practices for many years now. This
view is also supported by port managers, who associated PCL with the con-
cepts of distriparks and free trade zones (Demirbas et al, 2014).
Allen (2008a) agrees that the ‘new’ term is not considered so ‘new’ in
mainland Europe, but it is perceived as the continuation of a practice that
has been implemented for many years. Rodrigue and Notteboom (2012)
link the PCL’s suggested practices with the gateway distribution system
(GDS) which in practice replaces RDCs and DCs with a DC at the point of
import. They provide examples of European GDSs, which are called EDCs,
and mention that in North America the GDCs are divided by coast. Their
paper is another one that suggests that PCL is a term only used within the
UK, as similar practices have been in existence for several years in mainland
Europe and North America.
However, according to Demirbas et al (2014) PCL is a relatively new con-
cept for UK ports. They argue that the practices of relocating DCs inland,
experienced during the 1960s and 1970s, resulted in the transformation of
ports as simple transit points. On this notion, Pettit and Beresford (2009)
argue that UK ports and port operating companies focused solely on the pro-
vision of cargo and ship handling services, while neglecting entirely the pro-
vision of warehousing and VAS. Such practices have been implemented by
major mainland European ports since the 1980s, a fact that enabled them to
be advertised as logistics platforms. Rodrigue and Notteboom (2010) argue
that UK ports fall behind the mainland European ports, which experienced
high container throughput volumes, even in the new millennium. Indicative
of this situation is the fact that the ports in the Hamburg–Le Havre range
handle more than 48 per cent of European container throughput.
 Port-centric Logistics in Concept and Practice 265

The importance of PCL in the UK is highlighted also by Monios and

Wilmsmeier (2012b).They argue that the current distribution network of
the UK was developed when the majority of products were sourced locally,
a fact that led to the development of the golden triangle of logistics. How-
ever, the shift of manufacturing towards the developing countries of East
Asia changed UK sourcing patterns (Mangan et al, 2008; McKinnon, 2009).
Imports through ports have increased, thus the centralized distribution
model developed in the 1980s is no longer efficient. Additionally, Monios
and Wilmsmeier (2012b) believe that PCL can enable retailers and 3PLs to
optimize their distribution network by balancing cost and time between pri-
mary and secondary distribution. In this sense, the same authors argue that
heavy containers can be kept off the road network as they will be emptied
at the port site and direct distribution to the stores could be made by trailers
instead of containers.
In particular, de Langen et al (2012) argue that the majority of distribu-
tion centres are located centrally in the UK while the deep-water ports are in
the south. The authors suggest that PCL developments in the Humber port
area are a response to the need for a change in this pattern. Additionally,
Pettit and Beresford (2009) argue that a new model needs to be developed in
accordance with the notion that maritime freight is passing through ports.
PCL is a vital aspect of this new design, as it is involved with the moving
of DCs from inland locations towards the ports. This shift is caused by
the influences of inland transportation which can help ports become more
integrated with the supply chain (Monios and Wilmsmeier, 2012a). Addi-
tionally, Coronado Mondragon et al (2012) also support the argument that
PCL acts as a new strategy for UK ports which aims to attract companies
to establish their logistics-related operations on ports’ premises, in order to
take advantage of the fact that products are imported in the UK by ports.
Moreover, Wilmsmeier and Monios (2013) argue that PCL is relevant
to the UK as it can support the changing logistics paradigm and facilitate
the partial transposition of the UK’s gateway role to location in mainland
Europe. Furthermore, the same authors argue that PCL can enable the shift
of UK ports from their gateway role to become transhipment hubs, a fact
that will initiate a deconcentration in the existing port system.
PCL has also been academically investigated as a way to overcome
­Scotland’s problem of double (geographical and institutional) peripherality
(Monios and Wilmsmeier, 2012b). Two solutions related to PCL are sug-
gested as solutions to this problem. The first solution is involved with PCL
development in Scotland in order to attract feeder services, while the second
is the use of offshore PCL activities. The offshore logistics activities would
involve the use of warehouses located at ports in mainland Europe and the
utilization of the existing RoRo connectivity of Scotland with the Port of
Zeebrugge in Belgium (Monios and Wilmsmeier 2012b).
Large-scale port-related investments occurring in the UK and the response
of retailers to this trend are also evidence to support the emerging impor-
tance of PCL as a contemporary strategy for UK ports. New ports were
266 Port Logistics

constructed based on the PCL concept (eg Teesport, London Gateway, Liv-
erpool 2), while other existing major ports altered their strategies in order to
implement PCL (eg Felixstowe, Humber, Grangemouth, Tilbury and others).
Examples such as Tesco, Asda and Sainsburys, the UK’s top three retailers,
which set up warehouses at Teesport and Felixstowe, confirm the fact that
retailers have shown a great interest in this concept (Wall 2007; Analytiqa
2007; Mangan et al, 2008; Clark, 2013).
Before any conclusion it must be made clear that PCL was initially
adopted as a strategy by medium-sized container ports in the UK as a way
to compete with the greater container ports in the south.

Port-centric logistics in practice

During the last decade many UK ports have altered their strategies towards
the provision of PCL services. Based on the offerings of each port the fol-
lowing list of PCL services has been created:
●● custom clearance and inspection facilities;
●● freight forwarding services;
●● state-of-the-art warehousing and warehousing managing systems;
●● multi-user warehouses with leasing opportunities;
●● packing, relabelling and light manufacturing services;
●● cross docking – transhipment;
●● inland distribution and cargo tracking;
●● multimodal connections (rail, barge, short sea shipping, road);
●● hazardous goods specialized services;
●● supply chain management;
●● ancillary services and container repair and maintenance.
It should be mentioned that the spectrum of services offered by each port
varies and is dependent upon each port’s capabilities and resources.
In the majority of PCL operations across the UK, as shown in Table 14.5,
the PA of the port itself is also the provider of the value-added PCL services.
However, it is apparent that in some ports the PCL services are either pro-
vided by a third-party logistics provider (3PL) or by another PA. For exam-
ple, the port authority of the Port of Southampton, the second largest UK
container port, does not offer PCL services. These services are offered by a
3PL that stores the imported products, free of duty and taxes, in warehouses
adjacent to the port until their final shipment to the retailers. The same
applies currently also for the Port of Bristol. The cases described above can
be characterized as PCL offering by a single entity.
On the other hand a port’s PCL offering can be provided by multiple
entities. For example, a common practice is the provision of PCL services
 Port-centric Logistics in Concept and Practice 267

Ta B L E 14.5   PCL at UK container ports

Port authority PCL services by PCL services
and PCL another port by a third
provider authority party

Port of • • •
Felixstowe

Port of •
Southampton

Port of Tilbury • •

Port of Liverpool •

Thamesport •

Port of •
Grangemouth

Belfast Harbour • •

Port of Hull •

Tees and •
Hartlepool

Port of •
Immingham

Bristol •

Clyde •

Tyne • •

Gateway • •

by various 3PLs in addition to the PA of the port. In these cases the PA

might have offered port land to 3PLs to establish operations in the port’s
premises or the 3PL might have built the distribution centre in the proxim-
ity of the port. The anticipated development of the biggest logistics park
in the proximity of the London Gateway is an example of the former case.
Similar developments are the London Container Terminal and the London
Distribution Park at the Port of Tilbury. Property management companies
are responsible for the marketing and utilization of the land.
268 Port Logistics

Another form of PCL is the provision of PCL services at a port by another

PA in addition to the PA of the port. An example of such practice is the Port
of Tyne, which operates its own PCL facilities, but PCL services are also pro-
vided by another PA. A similar case of PCL services offered by multiple enti-
ties is the Port of Felixstowe. In Felixstowe PCL services are offered by the
PA of the port and by the logistics department of another port authority as
well as by many other 3PLs that have established operations near the port.

Conclusion
Ports around the world have developed in various ways in order to cope with
the ever changing business environment in which they operate. Although there
is considerable diversification among types of port, the UK example stands
unique amongst developments in other parts of the world. As discussed, UK
ports have been entirely privatized, a fact that resulted in the loss of their com-
petitive position and a need to change their strategies. Over the last decade
many container ports in the UK have adopted the so-called PCL strategy as
a way to enhance competitiveness and experience many other benefits. These
benefits have been identified in the extant literature and have been presented in
four categories environmental, operational, cost saving and increased compet-
itive advantage. However, the implementation of PCL is associated with sev-
eral disadvantages which were also extensively discussed. Finally, the chapter
supported the view that PCL is not a new universal strategy for container
ports, but a new strategy for container ports in the UK. Before this chapter
ends it must be mentioned that the current practices of PCL are focused at a
single port. The ambitious developments in the west of the country where a
‘network of PCL operations’ is created will expand the ‘narrow focus’ of PCL
beyond the limits of the port per se. The centre of those developments is the
Port of Liverpool, where a major new container terminal is being built. This
new terminal will be connected with distribution centres along inland water-
ways and with other ports, thus offering an extended network of PCL.

Note
1 Private equity is an asset class consisting of equity securities in operating
companies that are not publically traded on a stock exchange (Baird, 2013, p 159).

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Container hub 15
ports in concept
and practice
h y u N g -S I K N aM a N D D O N g -wO O K S O N g

Introduction
Since the hub-and-spoke concept was introduced to the aviation market
after the US airline deregulation in the late 1970s, it has become a pri-
mary distribution model employed by leading international logistics compa-
nies. This pattern drives companies to consolidate large-scale shipments at
major terminals (ie hub) and to redistribute smaller-scale shipments to their
respective destinations via radial links (ie spoke). In the field of logistics and
supply chains, however, the hub concept has been often introduced under
various terms based on functionality, such as logistics centre, logistics zone,
freight terminal, distribution centre, and warehouse. Such a heterogeneous
terminology for the concept of ‘logistics hub’ seems still to be in usage by
practitioners and academics alike. Having recognized this rather ambiguous
concept and its definition in the literature, this chapter attempts to define the
logistics hub concept as it applies to the maritime industry by synthesizing
existing studies/perspectives and examining its possible implications.

Logistics hub in perspective

The development of international trade and industrial distribution patterns
have had impacts on the development of logistics facilities as they have
been recognized as main strategic contributors to achieving competitiveness
and attractiveness (Cullinane and Song, 1998). However, there has been no
clear-cut definition of what a logistics hub is. The Concise Oxford Diction-
ary (2005) defines the term ‘hub’ as a central part of vehicle’s wheel and
exchangeable with ‘centre’. The hub is commonly used in the aviation (espe-
cially the passenger sector) industry after the US Airline Deregulation Act in
276 Port Logistics

1978; since then the route structure has been adopted by a large number of
airlines that operate in the deregulated market. A hub is strategically located
at an airport utilized as a collection–distribution centre for passengers and
serviced generally by a single carrier (Cavinato, 1989). Since the Deregula-
tion Act eliminated routing restrictions, networks based on a hub-and-spoke
architecture have proliferated in the US freight transportation industry as
well. In the 1990s, the hub concept became the primary distribution model
employed by logistics integrators such as DHL, TNT, UPS, and FedEx, and
leading international carriers. Shipments coming from several origins are
consolidated at major terminals (ie hub) and redirected to their respective
destinations through radial links (ie spoke) (Cavinato, 1989).
The hub concept has been often introduced under various terms mainly in
accordance with its storage and transportation functionality: eg logistics cen-
tre, logistics zone, freight terminal, distribution centre, warehouse, intermodal
terminal, international transport terminal, intermodal terminal and so on.
According to Rimiene and Grundey (2007), the ‘logistics facilities’ (or
‘logistics centre’) concept appeared around 30 years ago and can be classi-
fied into three different generations over the course of its evolution. Euro-
platform (2004) provides a precise definition of logistics centre: the hub for a
specific area where all the activities relating to transport, logistics and goods
distribution, both for national and international transit, are carried out on
a commercial basis by various operators. Johnson and Wood (1996) view a
logistics centre as a cost reduction centre which is defined as a facility where
commodities move constantly to the end of circulation and warehousing
and other relevant costs are reduced as much as possible. UNESCAP (2002)
states that a logistics centre should be equipped with all the public facilities
necessary to carry out all logistics-related activities. Logistics centres serve
a variety of purposes including cargo transhipment, production synchro-
nization, facilitating business and trade, whereas others aim to strengthen
the logistics capability for transforming a region into a more attractive or
competitive market. However, the fundamental requirements for a logistics
centre are being on a nodal point of transport network, common infrastruc-
tures, intermodality, and logistics and transport services (Bhutta et al, 2003).
Over time there have been changes to how things are produced stored
and moved, which have been significant for the development of logistics
centres. The logistics facilities concept could, however, be derived from three
different perspectives: a ‘traditional logistics and supply chain management’
perspective (ie distribution centre or warehousing); a ‘freight transport’ per-
spective (ie load centre, freight village and transport node point); and a
‘foreign direct investment’ perspective (ie international logistics zone and
international free trade zone). Rimiene et al (2007) provide three stages of
development of logistics facilities: 1960s to 1970s, 1980s to early 1990s,
and mid-1990s to the present. In the first stage, logistics facilities are viewed
as mere warehousing and as a physical location for inventory, with no direct
linkage with production. Relevant references, terms and highlights are sum-
marized in Table 15.1.
Ta B L E 1 5 . 1    Perspectives on logistics centre/hub
Perspectives Types of hub Key points references
Traditional Logistics Distribution Centre / ● Place for a physical facility used to complete the procedure for the product Rushton et al (2006);
and Supply Chain Warehouse line adjustment in the exchange channel. Cavinato (1989);
Perspective ● Warehouse for storing finished goods. Europlatform (2004);
●
Johnson and Wood
Facility from which wholesale and retail orders can be filled.
(1996)
● Place where consignments from different origins are grouped and/or split.
● Control the product flow in contrast to storage.
● Place for creating value-added services.
● Connecting link between producer and customer
Freight Transport Freight village / ● Place for transport, logistics and goods distribution functionality. Europlatform, (2004);
Perspective Logistics node Bhutta et al (2003)
● Provide geographic coverage.
● Facilities which include warehouse and storage area.
● Provide for public service and full territory access.
Freight Terminal ● A terminal for freight transport modes change Bhutta et al (2003);
Roso (2005)
● Provide a service for handling operation
● Place for value-added services
Dry Port ● Inland location for consolidation and distribution of goods Ng and Gujar (2009);
Roso (2005)
● An integrated and intermodal extension of ports.
Foreign Direct International Logistics ● Parts of the territory of a state where any goods introduced are Reynaud and Gouvernal
Investment / Zone (or International generally regarded, in so far as import duties and taxed are exempted. (1987);
International Facility Free Trade Zone) Min and Guo (2004)
Location Perspectives ● Space for an arrangement where different trading entities, usually
member countries, agree to cut or scrap taxed in order to lower
business costs and remove bureaucracy
278 Port Logistics

Bowersox (1968) defines ‘distribution centre’ as a physical facility used to

complete the process of product line adjustment in the exchange channel, and
its primary function concerns product flow in contrast to storage. However,
Reynaud et al (1987) expand its simple warehousing function into transpor-
tation, and define it as a place where consignments from different origins are
grouped or split; it is above all a transportation organizational centre, located
at a nodal point in the logistics system. In the second stage of development,
these centres are engaged with additional outbound transportation functions
(Mangan et al, 2008) and are often called a ‘transport terminal’ and a ‘freight
village’. Freight village is a defined area within which all activities relating to
transport, logistics and distribution of goods, both for national and interna-
tional transit, are carried out by various operators (Rimiene et al, 2007). It
is claimed that there are four requirements for being a freight village: it must
allow access to all companies involved in the logistics activities in order to
comply with free competition rules; it must be equipped with all the public
facilities including staff and equipment; it should preferably be served by a
multiplicity of transport modes (ie intermodal transportation); and it must
be run by a single body, either public or private (Europlatform, 2004). In the
final stage, logistics facilities become a market-oriented logistics node, offer-
ing value-added services and a point where diverse routes converge (Min and
Guo, 2004). UNESCAP (2002) identifies determinant factors that make up
successful logistics centre as follows:

●● a community desire to have a comprehensive hub development

strategy;
●● existence of comparative cost advantages;
●● a favourable fiscal environment;
●● existing high-tech manufacturing industry base;
●● one-stop-shop local marketing organization that proactively
promotes the location;
●● supporting infrastructure at all transport terminal facilities and
human resources;
●● appropriate incentive packages for foreign investors.

Application of logistics hubs

to container ports
The development of container ports
Maritime logistics is often referred to as a process of planning, implement-
ing and managing the movement of goods and information with ocean car-
riage being involved. It has, in particular, highlighted the role of maritime
 Container Hub Ports in Concept and Practice 279

transportation in global logistics and supply chains (Panayides and Song,

2008), and its strategically significant role within the logistics integration
system (Agapio et al, 1998). However, as Notteboom (2002) indicates, mari-
time logistics is concerned with individual functions relating to sea trans-
portation as well as an effective logistics flow as a systematic entity of the
logistics integration system.
Maritime logistics consists of three key players of maritime transporta-
tion: shipping companies, port operators and freight forwarders. Although
shipping is mainly concerned with moving goods from one port to another,
it also provides related logistics services in order to support an overall
logistics flow, including pick-up services, inbound/outbound bills of lading,
intermodal services and container tracking. Ports in modern logistics sys-
tems involve not only loading/off-loading cargoes to/from a vessel, but also
various value-adding services including warehousing, storage and packing
and arranging inland transportation modes. Freight forwarding, as the third
component of the whole maritime logistics systems, encapsulates the process
of sea transportation in order to arrange the complex process of interna-
tional trade such as booking vessels on behalf of shippers, preparing docu-
ments for ocean carriage and arranging logistics services for the shippers.
Although the concept of hub was traditionally developed by the pas-
senger airline industry (Martin and Roman, 2004), which identifies hub-
and-spoke airports in the international aviation market, there have been a
number of studies concerned with building seaport-based logistics hubs and
their integration into the global supply chain network (Mangan et al, 2008;
Min and Guo, 2004; Lee et al, 2008). Botha and Ittmann (2008) describe the
role of seaports as main components in determining the competitiveness of
a nation’s economies, and there is a close relationship between development
and expansion of seaport and economic growth. Therefore, in this chapter,
the main context of maritime logistics hub is defined as seaport and hinter-
land in terms of spatial boundary where logistics activities are conducted.
Traditionally, ports have been defined as areas made up of infra- and super-
structures capable of receiving ships and other modes of transport, handling
their cargo from ship to shore and vice versa (Paixão and Marlow, 2003).
However, the definition has been expanded to encompass the provision of
logistics services which create value-added (Paixão and Marlow, 2003),
with ports constituting a critical link in the supply chain, and their level of
efficiency and performance influencing to a large extent, a country’s com-
petitiveness (Cullinane and Song, 2002). Tongzon (2007) provides nine key
determinants for a successful port (and a logistics hub): port operation effi-
ciency level, cargo handling charges, reliability, port selection preferences of
carriers and shippers, the depth of the navigation channel, adaptability to the
changing market environment, land-side accessibility, product differentiation,
and government role (including government support, and law/regulation).
Notteboom and Rodrigue (2005) and Lee et al (2008) have shown the
importance of a port’s hinterland as a new phase of development. Hinterlands
are categorized into two types: main and competition margin (UNESCAP,
280 Port Logistics

2005). The fundamental (main) hinterland is the space over which a port
has near exclusivity for providing services. The competition margins are the
areas where other ports are in competition. The fundamental hinterland is
being challenged by intense port competition with a port regionalization
mainly composed of competition margins and few fundamental hinterlands.
­Notteboom and Rodrigue (2005) explain four phases of port development
(called Bird’s model) in terms of level of functional integration: setting, expan-
sion, specialization and regionalization. The important role of the hinterland
can be found in the last phase: the hinterland reach of the port through a
number of market strategies and policies linking it more closely to inland
freight distribution centre. Lee et al (2008) provide three regional patterns of
hinterland concentrations in three geographical areas: North America, West-
ern Europe and South and East Asia. According to their research, current
Asian ports are characterized by ports concentrated in coastal region with
relatively low hinterland coverage.
UNESCAP’s report (2005) provided three evolutional patterns of port
development. Until the 1960, ports played a simple role as the junction
between sea and inland transportation systems. At that time, the main
activities in the port region were cargo handling and cargo storage, leav-
ing other activities extremely unrepresented. Such a way of thinking greatly
influenced relevant people in government and local administration. It also
influenced people related to the port industry, who considered it sufficient to
develop and invest only in port facilities, as the main functions of the port
were cargo handling, storage and navigation assistance. It was for these rea-
sons that important changes in transportation technology were neglected.
Moving to the next pattern of development (ports built between 1960
and 1980), ports had been run either by central/local government or by port
authority, so the port service providers could understand each other and coop-
erate for mutual interests. Activities were expanded ranging from packaging,
labelling to physical distribution. A variety of enterprises were also founded
in ports and hinterlands. Compared to first-generation ports, these second-
generation ports were characterized by a tighter relationship between freight
forwarders and cargo owners. It could be said that the second-­generation
ports had begun to notice the needs of customers, but when it came to keep-
ing long-term relationships with customers, they took a passive attitude.
From 1980, container transportation developed quickly, and the new
intermodal transport system emerged. Production and transportation activi-
ties were linked to form an international network. The former services func-
tion was expanded to include logistics and distribution services. Environment
protection is becoming more important, so the ports are developing closer
relationships with those in their surrounding neighbourhoods. Compared to
the past, today’s port authorities are focusing on efficiency rather than effec-
tiveness. In the third-generation ports, the needs of customers are analysed
in detail and port marketing has been actively engaged. The late 1980s saw
the emergence of major changes (Notteboom and Rodrigue, 2005). Custom-
ers began to ask ports to provide a greater variety of services. Providing
 Container Hub Ports in Concept and Practice 281

value-added services is a powerful way for ports to build a sustainable com-

petitive advantage. Shippers and port customers are becoming increasingly
demanding. Customers now tend to look at value-added logistics services
as an integral part of their supply chain. As a result, ports must attempt to
satisfy these needs by offering differentiated services.
Among a number of logistics value-added service (such as consolidation,
packaging, labelling, assembly, economic processing, contingency protection,
and operation efficiency), the importance of a port’s value-added service is var-
ied by different authors. Carbone and De Martino (2003) indicate that pro-
curement and pre-assembly service are of greater significance, but Panayides
and Song (2008) conclude that the provision of port facilities for adding value
to cargoes is an important criterion for ports integrated in the supply chain.
In order to develop maritime transport as an integrated logistics and supply
chain management system, ports have to simultaneously work in several direc-
tions, by taking into account the requirements of the senders and receivers of
goods (such as physical accessibility from land and systematic organization of
the information flow, which affect the choice of seaport) as they become their
business partners in addition to the traditional ones (such as shipping compa-
nies, terminal operators, and forwarding companies). Chen (2001) also points
out that the main contribution of modern ports depend upon: the availability
of efficient infrastructure and inland connections, as part of a global transport
system; and the ability of logistics and transport operators to contribute to
value creation and to meet qualitative customer demands (such as reliability,
frequency, availability of information, security etc).

Ta B L E 15.2   The transhipment volume of main ports

in Asia-Pacific region in 2005
Total Transhipment estimate
throughput estimates transhipment
Port region (Million Teu) (Million Teu) incidence
Singapore Southeast 23.19 18.79 81.0%
Asia
Hong Kong Southeast 22.60 10.15 44.9%
Asia
Busan (South Northeast 11.84 5.18 43.7%
Korea) Asia
Kaohsiung Northeast 9.47 4.82 50.9%
(Taiwan) Asia
Tanjung Southeast 4.17 4.00 96.0%
Pelepas Asia
(Malaysia)

SOuRCE Huang, Chang and Wu (2008)

282 Port Logistics

According to hub-and-network development, the container port can be

divided into three categories: hub port, trunk port, and feeder port. Huang
et al (2008) pointed out that the main criterion for being a hub port is not
throughput cargo rate but transhipment cargo rate. They conclude that
there are five hub ports in Asia Pacific region: two in South East Asia (Tan-
jung Pelepas, Hong Kong and Singapore) and three in North East Asia (ie
Kaohsiung and Busan) in terms of total throughput and transhipment (see
Table 15.2). In 2005, the ratio of transhipment container and container
throughput for these five ports was over 40 per cent. Singapore port han-
dles the highest transhipment volume, 18.79 million TEU, equivalent to 81
per cent of throughput volume. The second highest is Hong Kong, which
handles 10.15 million TEU of transhipment container equivalent to 44.9
per cent of container throughput. The third is Busan port, with a tranship-
ment volume of 5.18 million TEU (43.7 per cent). The fourth is Kaohsi-
ung port (4.82 million TEU/50.9 per cent) and the fifth is Tanjung Pelepas
port (4 million TEU/96 per cent). Although the container throughputs for
Shanghai port and Shenzhen port are already over 10 million TEU, their
transhipment volumes are only 0.40 million TEU and 1.30 million TEU,
lower than 10 per cent of container throughput. As Huang et al (2008)
conclude, this is why Shanghai and Shenzhen ports cannot be called hub
ports.
Having the aforementioned discussions in mind, we would propose an
operational definition of maritime logistics hub as follows:

A maritime logistics hub is i) a nodal point of cargo transit or transhipment

assuring flawless door-to-door cargo movements, ii) a principal distribution
centre functioning as a temporary storage and sorting, and iii) a place creating
and facilitating value-added services on the regional and/or international scale.

The above definition could be easily applicable to the regional or interna-

tional container ports, competing to have more shipping lines calling at a
particular port that wants to be a maritime logistics hub in the region or on
the global stage by establishing, extending and sustaining networks for the
shipping lines.

Economics and social network theories for container

hub port evolution
Economic and social network theories could be conceptual frameworks
within which to examine the evolutionary development of container hub
ports.

Economic theories
As Wooldridge (2008) noted, economic theories and econometric models
are useful tools, which are based on the development of statistical methods
 Container Hub Ports in Concept and Practice 283

for estimating economic relationships, and evaluating and implementing

government and business policy. These methods are commonly used when
forecasting future trends which are based on past historical data. Economet-
ric models are often used in the field of transportation logistics particularly
airport networks for passenger aviation, seaport competition, and consid-
eration of multinational companies’ (MNCs) facility location. Three notable
econometric models are summarized as:
●● Traditional hub-and-spoke model: Marianov et al (1999) use the
hub-and-spoke model to find the best location for a hub airport in a
competitive aviation environment, and to show the relationship
between cost of fare, captured traffic flow and airport location.
Their research addresses customer capture from competitor hubs,
which happens whenever the location of a new hub results in a
reduction of the time or distance needed by the traveller to go from
origin to destination. Their model is useful when an airline wishes to
relocate hubs when there are also several competitor hubs. The
model used by Martin and Roman (2004) could apply to maritime
transport when liner shipping chooses ports in the neighbouring
countries.
●● Foreign direct investment (FDI) model: Bhutta et al (2003) provide
an FDI investment model for distribution centres and production
facilities using a number of variables such as capacity requirement,
capacity changing costs, inventory holding costs, shipping costs,
exchange rate factor in the marketplace, and government policy (in
terms of tariffs and custom duties). The model provides a cost-
effective way to study the impact of global factors on the
operations of firms and provides help with facilities configuration
decisions.
●● Time series data analysis method: This method is useful for making
forecasts based on past historical data. Different stationary and
trend stationary models of economic and financial time series often
imply different predictions, therefore deciding which model to use is
of vital important for applied forecasters. Diebold and Kilian (2000)
suggest three important choices for forecasters: always difference the
data, never difference, or use a unit root pre-test. The time series
data analysis model consists of three stages of data analysis:
Stationarity Test (or Unit Root Test), Cointegration Test, and the
Granger Causality Test (or Error Correction Model). Yap and Lam
(2006) provide a theoretical framework for competition dynamics
between 10 major container ports (five in China, one in Korea, and
three in Japan) in East Asia. Using time series data of container
throughput in terms of TEUs, the study adopts two models:
Cointegration Test (to determine the existence of long-run
relationships between various port pairs) and Error Correction
models (to determine short-run inter-port dynamics). Although the
284 Port Logistics

study has been limited to a single variable, the authors conclude that
the study could be complemented with other information sources
and perspectives which include information on container throughput
handled by trade route, financial data, operational data and general
economic impact.
Apart from above three econometric models, the Japanese economic devel-
opment theory called the ‘Flying Geese Paradigm’ could also be identified
as vital in this respect, as this theory explains economic and industrial
development in East Asia, and the maritime transport sector that are mainly
influenced by a nation’s economic growth and industrial development. The
term ‘flying geese pattern of development’ was originally coined by Kaname
Akamatsu (1961) The flying geese model explains the ‘catching-up process’
of industrialization of late-coming economies. Japan was flying at the head
of the Asian economies, leading the formation of the other flying geese.
Korea and Taiwan were flying closely behind Japan, followed by the mem-
ber countries of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN),
then by China at some distance. Akamatsu’s original model has been devel-
oped by Kojima and Ozawa, students of Akamatsu, and the flying geese
model is well established to explain economic and industrial development,
and trade patterns in East Asia. There is a close relationship between eco-
nomic and industrial development and the maritime industry, as the latter
(mainly the development of shipping, seaports and containerization) plays
a key role during a nation’s growth. Therefore, the model can be adapted to
prove how and why North East Asia’s maritime container ports have been
developed.

Fi g u r e 1 5 .1   Flying Geese pattern of economic development

Value

Production

Export
Import

Year
Source  Kwan (2002)
 Container Hub Ports in Concept and Practice 285

Akamatsu’s original model (called the ‘fundamental wild-geese-flying

pattern’) is illustrated in Figure 15.1. Akamatsu (1962) explained the ‘fun-
damental pattern’ of the flying geese model in the following four stages:
1 Import of manufactured consumer goods begins.
2 Domestic industry begins production of previously imported
manufactured consumer goods while importing capital goods to
manufacture those consumer goods.
3 Domestic industry begins exporting manufactured consumer goods.
4 The consumer goods industry catches up with similar industries in
developed countries. Export of the consumer goods begins to decline,
and capital goods used in production of the consumer goods are
exported.
Akamatsu’s ‘fundamental’ model is based on the case of Japan’s industrial
development, specifically industries involving cotton yarn and wool. He pro-
vides statistical evidence to support the flying geese pattern and completes a
picture of import, production, and export in Japan’s cotton yarn and wool
industries from the 1860s to the 1930s (Dowling and Cheang, 2000).

Social network analysis

Analysing container hub ports used to involve evaluating their throughput,
largely in terms of TEUs. There is, however, a question whether greater vol-
ume of container throughput should be regarded as the main or sole condi-
tion to become a regional hub port. As defined in the previous section, a
greater level of connectivity with neighbouring ports via shipping lines could
be another signal that indicates whether a port is a regional hub or not.
A promising alternative for such an examination is a network theory,
which is part of graph theory in social network analysis (Wasserman and
Faust, 1994) and is an area of computer and network science useful for
mapping and measuring relationships and flows between objects (ie people,
groups, organizations, and other connected information/knowledge enti-
ties). It can be presented in a form of visual and mathematical relationships.
Network theory is concerned with the study of graphs as a representa-
tion of either symmetric relations or, more generally, of asymmetric rela-
tions between discrete objects. Each graph represents a set of objects called
‘vertices’ (or nodes) connected by links called ‘edges’ (or arcs). Scott (2000)
explains that a graph structure can be extended by assigning a weight to
each edge or by making the edges to the graph directional (eg X links to Y,
but Y does not necessarily link to X, as is in web pages), which is technically
called a ‘digraph’. In graph theory, a digraph with weighted edges is called
a ‘network’. A primary aim/usage of graph theory is to identify an ‘impor-
tant’ objective (called ‘actor’). On the other hand, the centrality and prestige
concepts of graph theory seek to quantify graph theoretic ideas about an
individual actor’s prominence within a network by summarizing structural
286 Port Logistics

relations among the nodes (Freeman, 1979). The centrality concept shows
how many inter-relationships an actor is involved in with other actors in
the network, regardless of sending and receiving directionality (ie volume
of activity), whilst the prestige concept indicates how many directed ties an
actor receives from other actors, but the actor does not initiate such rela-
tions (ie the actor’s popularity is greater than extensivity) (Wasserman et al,
1994; Freeman, 1979).
These two concepts (centrality and prestige) are potentially highly appli-
cable to the maritime transport and logistics sector, which is in essence a
network-based industry. Measuring the centrality is a widely used meth-
odology in the field of transportation: for example, Ducruet et al (2009),
Blonigen and Wilson (2006), and Ducruet et al (2010). Ducruet et al (2010;
2009) examine North East Asia’s hub port status according to central-
ity measurement with ‘degree centrality’ and ‘betweenness centrality’).
The degree centrality can be simply measured by the sum of direct net-
works between nodes: a sum of direct network connection by shipping
lines between two ports. The betweenness centrality is a measure of a
node within a graph, and nodes that occur on a number of shortest paths
between other nodes have higher betweenness than those that do not: the
sum of proportions, for all pairs of ports, in which a main port is involved
in a pair’s geodesics.
These centrality measurements would be a useful tool to diagnose the
regional hub port competition in North East Asia or even other parts of
the world where a number of adjacent ports make significant efforts to be
key ports in that region. Currently both Japanese and South Korean con-
tainer ports have lost their competitive position to Chinese ports in terms
of container throughput. However, it does not necessarily indicate that they
have also lost their relative hub port status; it might have been maintained
or even have been strengthened, based on network analysis. An analysis of
regional hub port competition based on network theory would deliver a use-
ful insight into how regional ports build an advantage against competitors
and cooperate each other within the region.

Concluding remarks
This chapter has attempted to make a meaningful concept and definition of
maritime logistics hubs in the spirit of an effective literature review enhanc-
ing academic knowledge. There have been a number of empirical studies on
the topic but these have been conducted under vague assumptions or defini-
tions of maritime logistics hubs, generally proxied in a form of container
hub ports. While those empirical analyses have their own merits by offering
a fact-based picture of industry trends over the past years, they are unfortu-
nately unable to clarify issues of what a maritime logistics hub or container
hub port is, what factors make a hub, how to predict the next steps, and
 Container Hub Ports in Concept and Practice 287

what measures, in terms of policy and strategy making, are required to make
a hub. It is hoped that this chapter initiates further discussion and scientifi-
cally rigorous examination into the topic from a variety of qualitative and
quantitative perspectives. This line of study will surely be beneficial to those
engaged in port development and policy-making, in daily port operations
and management, and other strategically related industry sectors.
Nevertheless, the existing literature is not rich enough to be directly
applicable to the topic concerned, and the boundary of disciplines associ-
ated with the issue is still high, which makes it difficult to reach a consensus
on the concept, definition and scope of the matter. It is sincerely hoped that
we in the maritime academic community can deal with these issues in an
objective and scientific manner so that our understanding and knowledge
are elevated and embellished.

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Multinationalizing 16
container ports:
Business models
and strategies
f r a N C E S CO pa rO L a

Introduction
In recent decades, the container port sector experienced unprecedented
transformations, which profoundly re-designed industry structure and its
competitive boundaries (Song, 2003; Bichou and Bell, 2007). The explosion
of globalization made world economies increasingly interrelated as a result
of focused manufacturing and growing international trade. In this context,
the World Bank favoured the process of integration and trade development,
also stimulating port reform in developing countries and financing numer-
ous terminal projects (Peters, 2001). This new economic and institutional
environment, which also heavily impacted on advanced economies, offered
many investment opportunities in port facilities worldwide and progressively
opened the stevedoring market to global competition (Olivier et al, 2007).
Some terminal operators, previously bounded within national borders,
paved the way to industry internationalization and started to outgrow their
respective home ports. Hereinafter, numerous container port multinational
enterprises (MNEs) expanded operations overseas, looking for portfolio
diversification, network and scale effects in their cost base and additional
financial margins (Olivier, 2005; Peters, 2001). The port industry is now
witnessing an increasing number of terminal projects fuelled by the mas-
sive diffusion of containerization in global commodity chains (Parola et al,
2013). These overseas initiatives entail a high degree of complexity in terms
of amount and variety of allocated resources, eg financial investment, mana-
gerial and organizational skills, staff, ICT etc (Fung et al, 2011). Besides,
they expose the parties involved to a range of commercial, technical, regula-
tory, political and financial risks (Estache and Pinglo, 2004). The magnitude
292 Port Logistics

of such worldwide investments is considerable. In the 1986–2013 period,

the World Bank recorded approximately 200 container port projects involv-
ing private participations referring to developing countries alone, for a total
investment amount of roughly US$ 40 billion.
The nature and ultimate strategic objectives of container port MNEs are
not univocal. Some heterogeneous business models, in fact, establish them-
selves in the market and mutually influence each other (Drewry, 2005).
Notably, there have been increased levels of investment on behalf of ship-
ping lines in container facilities, looking for cost control and port opera-
tions efficiency (Haralambides et al, 2002; Cariou, 2003). At the  same
time, pure stevedoring companies have emerged and are now the domi-
nant force in the industry. These players understood that the fierce com-
petition driven by port privatization could not allow them to survive only
by managing their domestic operations, and decided to expand their focus
internationally (Olivier, 2005). In recent years, however, there has been a
blurring of the distinction between shipping lines and pure stevedores, as
they began to adopt rather converging strategic and organizational behav-
iours (Parola et al, 2013). Finally, the industry was also penetrated by
an array of large equity firms and financial corporations, whose prime
objective is to generate a return on investment (Notteboom and Rodrigue,
2012).
Unlike many other industries that now enjoy advanced stages of interna-
tionalization, worldwide deregulation of the port sector is still a relatively
recent phenomenon. Container port MNEs present, in some cases, unique
spatial and temporal dynamics of internationalization, which require a new
and different conceptual toolbox to those offered by traditional interna-
tional business (IB) theories.
In particular, container port MNEs from emerging economies performed
as a powerful force spearheading the internationalization drive, and quickly
‘leapfrogged’ traditional temporal phases of internationalization, sketch-
ing patterns of spatial outreach different from those of traditional MNEs
(Olivier et al, 2007). These emerging MNEs, due to their latecomer status,
have been somehow forced to undertake more risky and accelerated over-
seas paths, exploiting the benefits accumulated during inward operations
(Satta et al, 2014b). In addition, the recent surge of born-global financial
operators demonstrated that equity firms have an unsurpassed capacity to
allocate large amounts of resources and set up new subsidiaries by acquiring
shares in multiple locations (Notteboom and Rodrigue, 2012).
Rapidly expanding container port MNEs are experiencing fundamen-
tal shifts in entry pattern dynamics. Basically firms can adopt internal or
external growth strategies, which means that they can enjoy concession con-
tracts under privatization or greenfield schemes (internal option), or resort
to financial transactions (external option) to acquire existing terminal enti-
ties (Parola et al, 2013). In equity terms, in addition, firms need to decide
their degree of commitment in the new venture, ranging from a minority
 Multinationalizing Container Ports 293

shareholding to a fully controlled subsidiary (Olivier, 2005). Notably, entry

strategies and organizational forms adopted by container port MNEs are
strongly affected by ongoing competitive shifts as well as changes in local
institutional settings (de Souza et al, 2003). The growing market and finan-
cial pressure triggered numerous players to massively resort to large net-
works of equity joint venture (EJV) arrangements for supporting overseas
ambitions (Parola et al, 2014).

Empirical context and aim of the chapter

This chapter is based on empirical data regarding container port MNEs col-
lected from Drewry Shipping Consultants (Drewry, 2002–2012), and inte-
grated with additional information sourced from consolidated firms’ annual
reports and financial statements, corporate websites, specialized press and
port authorities’ web portals. This approach achieves a high degree of com-
pleteness and consistency for all the observations. Group structure is also
taken into account in data elaboration. Overall, approximately 60 MNEs
have been monitored over the 1962–2011 period. An in-depth investigation
has been carried out on the 2002–2011 timeframe, which appears particu-
larly dynamic and insightful for achieving an overarching interpretation of
main industry trends.
We define container port MNEs as firms operating/holding at least one
terminal/subsidiary overseas. The dataset includes approximately 1,000
MNEs entries in port facilities worldwide (since the early 1960s) and a sys-
tematic record of container port MNEs terminal portfolios in the 2002–
2011 period. Overall, more than 550 facilities located in 84 countries have
been scrutinized, including information about (over 300) local sharehold-
ers. The main data collected regarding each facility are: geographic location
(port, country and region), annual throughput, shareholders, equity partici-
pation, operational capacity and utilization ratio.
This chapter aims to provide an exhaustive overview of the container
port business state of the art and evolution, depicting mainstream trends and
common managerial practices. For this purpose, extant academic literature
has been scrutinized in-depth and critically discussed. The second section of
the chapter conceptualizes the nature and typology of the stevedoring ser-
vices, enlightening the differences between dedicated and multi-user facili-
ties. This section also introduces business models of leading market players,
exploring the main drivers of growth. The chapter then goes on to analyse
spatio-temporal dimensions of container port MNEs’ internationalization,
illustrating the timing and the geographic scope of overseas expansion. This
is followed by a section depicting the most common firm entry patterns and
expands understanding of inter-firm partnerships, which originate ‘hidden
families’ of cooperation across multiple locations. The final section outlines
some concluding remarks.
294 Port Logistics

The supply of stevedoring services:

Leading players and business models
Stevedoring service and customers: Dedicated vs
common-user facilities
Ports are strategic nodes inside maritime logistics chains. Container termi-
nals have to ensure a smooth synchronization between transport modes,
such as maritime, rail, and road transport, which are characterized by
diverse economies of scale and frequency of arrivals (Notteboom and Rod-
rigue, 2005). In this perspective, transloading operations from ship to shore
(and vice versa) assume a vital importance as they affect overall logistics
efficiency. The terminal customer, ie the shipping line, looks for high-level
and reliable operational performance at reasonable (and stable) handling
charges. The provision of stevedoring services, as typically happens in ser-
vice industries, is not only the result of the organizational and operational
capabilities of the supplier itself, but to a great degree also of the input of the
customers as well (Stenvert and Penfold, 2004; Midoro et al, 2005).
Where vessels arrive ahead of schedule, containers may not yet be stacked
all in the yard. Also, the container-related information provided by the ship-
ping agency and/or stowage coordinator might be inaccurate. Where ships
arrive considerably later than planned, the equipment and labour may be
allocated for handling other vessels. In these circumstances it might take a
lot more to perform the same service as (contractually) agreed upon. There-
fore, the best service is delivered where the terminal operator and customers
work together to produce a joint optimal output. Optimization is definitely
a keyword in this context (Lun and Cariou, 2009). Schedule integrity and
window reliability, optimal cargo distribution over the ships, predictable
container arrivals at the land-side (road, rail and barge), minimized late
arrivals, timely, accurate and complete (pre-) information on incoming
cargo, all improve the joint performance (Stenvert and Penfold, 2004). Vari-
ous forms of cooperation between stevedores, ocean carriers and intermodal
operators can be stipulated to enhance the service levels, ranging from joint
performance improvement teams to dedicated (equity) ventures between
major clients and terminal operators. Such arguments provide further evi-
dence that the terminal operator has to co-produce handling services acquir-
ing the active contribution of other supply chain actors and, primarily, of the
shipping lines (Drewry, 2002).
Given the multifaceted nature of stevedoring services and the close inter-
action between provider and customer, these services can be produced and
delivered under a range of organizational solutions, in relation to the clients
served and their bargaining power (ie customer portfolio), the character-
istics of demand (eg size, seasonality, type of vessels, transhipment share),
the degree of service customization and the awarding of ad-hoc resources
 Multinationalizing Container Ports 295

(eg  equipment, quay line, yard space, staff etc) to special ship owners.
Then we can identify two diametrically opposite ways of conceiving termi-
nal operations and service provision, ie the ‘dedicated’ and the ‘common-
user’ formulas (Notteboom and Rodrigue, 2012). These models are ideally
located at the two ends of a service continuum, which contemplates a large
spectrum of organizational and marketing solutions as well as different
shareholder structures (Olivier, 2005).
The fully dedicated terminal is a facility which is devoted to one customer
only. Whole infrastructural resources, staff and managerial capabilities are
dedicated to provide handling services to such clients (Heaver et al, 2001;
Cariou, 2003; Drewry, 2008). Suppliers and customers can profit from mutual
benefits in terms of operational efficiency and productivity but, at the same
time, both might lose organizational flexibility and control (Haralambides
et al, 2002). Stevedores use this option for ‘locking in’ the customer, although
the return is lower than running multi-user terminals. On the customer side,
this option allows for better integration of maritime and port operations
and the attainment of high-quality handling services. Basically, ocean carriers
can obtain dedicated terminal services in different ways (Parola and Musso,
2007). First, shipping lines can stipulate a special contractual arrangement
with a stevedoring company for being the unique customer of the facility
(without any equity commitment). Alternatively, ocean carriers might decide
to be more directly involved in terminal management and service provision,
becoming shareholders of the facility. Such equity commitment might lead
either to the holding of minority or even majority stakes. In some cases, the
carrier decides to take full managerial control of the facility (100 per cent
share), and to self-produce handling services for its own vessels (cost-centre
approach) (Frémont, 2007; Olivier et al, 2007).
A common-user (or multi-user) terminal, by contrast, is a facility where
the stevedoring company has to seek cargo in a competitive market and man-
age a customer portfolio for making money (profit-centre approach). Each
client presents diverse needs in terms of number, type and size of vessels to
be served, generates different cargo volumes and, as a consequence, holds a
specific bargaining power with regards to the supplier (Cariou, 2003; Slack
and Frémont, 2005). Notwithstanding, the terminal operator should be able
to ensure good service levels to all customers, preventing in principle any
discrimination in favour of any one of them. This solution is more flexible for
the carrier, which could easily decide to move to other facilities, even in the
short term, avoiding sunk costs. However, service quality might be lower than
in dedicated terminals, especially in case of traffic peaks and deployment of
mega-vessels, which notoriously need a higher amount of (ad-hoc) resources
(Midoro et al, 2005). The stevedore, contrary to what happens in fully dedi-
cated facilities, should be equipped with a smart commercial department able
to secure significant traffic volumes as no customer can be taken for granted.
In business practice, however, a wide array of intermediate solutions exists
between the above two (extreme) options, offering diverse compromises
in terms of customer base balance and shareholding structure (Parola and
296 Port Logistics

Musso, 2007). Until the late 1990s, fully dedicated terminals (or berths) were
relatively common, especially in some geographic areas (eg USA, Japan, Tai-
wan). Afterwards, carriers and stevedores tried to find hybrid and more flex-
ible solutions. For instance, the stevedore may contractually provide berthing
and crane priority for some special customers, allocate a reserved produc-
tive capacity (eg the ‘virtual terminal agreements’ stipulated between PSA and
some clients in Singapore) or even dedicate specific terminal resources, as well
as allow a cargo-volume-based discount on handling charges (Notteboom
and Rodrigue, 2012). In other cases, the carrier might get semi-dedicated ser-
vices as a minority (usually less than 20 per cent) shareholder of the terminal.
A 50/50 joint venture between the carrier and the terminal operator is also
common for dedicating even more resources to the (only/main) customer–
shareholder. Finally, in the case of a partially- (POS) or wholly-owned subsidi-
ary (WOS), the shipping line has the managerial and strategic control of the
facility and autonomously decides handling charges (or simply reporting costs,
in case of internalized transactions) and resource allocation. Usually, the spare
capacity of the facility is used for serving third-party customers (eg members
of the same consortium or strategic alliance and, residually, other carriers), in
order to exploit available resources more extensively and increase turnover.

Main business models

Given the large spectrum of solutions available in terms of organizational
settings and service provision, container port MNEs operate according to
heterogeneous business models, which might partially overlap each other. A
strict categorization of terminal operating companies is indeed difficult to
establish (Notteboom and Rodrigue, 2012). Various authors attempted to
propose a classification of container port MNEs but there is no clear consen-
sus on that (Olivier, 2005; Slack and Frémont, 2005; Bichou and Bell, 2007;
Parola and Musso, 2007; Notteboom and Rodrigue, 2012; Drewry, 2013).
In this chapter we present a taxonomy derived from extant literature, which
tries to capture the ontological essence of business models going beyond the
different terms used to date. The main analytical dimensions we applied for
identifying a firm’s business models are: 1) the core business of origin; 2) the
nature of core competences and resources; 3) the approach to the stevedor-
ing business and the ultimate strategic objective; 4) the drivers of firm’s inter-
nationalization; 5) the entry patterns adopted in pursuing growth strategies.
As a result, four categories of container port MNEs are identified: pure
stevedores, ocean carriers, hybrid operators and financial operators.

Pure stevedores: Looking for risk diversification

and global profits
Stevedores are companies whose primary business is port operations
and who run facilities as profit centres (Peters, 2001; Notteboom and
 Multinationalizing Container Ports 297

Rodrigue, 2012). Preferably, stevedores tend to provide multi-user services,

and to have the managerial and strategic control of the facility (majority
stake). Entry is typically in the form of concession (privatization and green-
field) and through competitive bidding.
These actors decided to outgrow their home port/country by penetrating
attractive foreign locations where investments became possible or lucrative,
thanks to port reform opportunities (Olivier et al, 2007). Their objective is
to achieve greater efficiency by implementing common organizational rou-
tines and technological systems across a terminal network, plus the spread-
ing of commercial risk in various geographic markets (Bichou and Bell,
2007). Stevedores commonly exploit a competitive advantage with respect
to local operators of host countries, as they can easily replicate in the new
ventures the core competences and technical/ICT resources ­developed in
the ‘home fortress’. These actors accumulate a vast international experi-
ence in interacting and bargaining with the most relevant suppliers, such
as port authorities (concession awarding), equipment manufacturers, ICT
companies and labour pools/unions (dockworker hiring). In addition, the
leading ‘pure stevedores’ hold superior financial capabilities deriving from
the monopolistic rentals enjoyed at home and the large cash-flows often
available at the p
­ arent-company level. In pursuing overseas ambitions, pure
stevedores aim to follow their customers into the most attractive geographic
markets, ensuring high-quality services and homogeneous operational
­standards worldwide. By expanding in a horizontal fashion and gaining
market strength, these players want to improve shipping lines’ loyalty and
mitigate the bargaining power of their global counterparts (Parola and
Musso, 2007).
The major stevedoring groups are Hutchison Port Holdings (Hong-Kong,
China SAR), PSA International (Singapore), Dubai Ports World (United Arab
Emirates), Eurogate (Germany), SSA Marine (USA), Group TCB (Spain),
International Container Terminal Services Inc (Philippines), and HHLA
(Germany).

Ocean carriers: Supporting the shipping service network

Shipping lines are firms for which container shipping is the prime focus of
their business. Terminals are often managed as cost centres, as stevedor-
ing operations need to support the wider parent shipping line network by
acquiring some forms of dedicated handling services (Drewry, 2002; Cariou,
2003). Carriers enter new facilities commonly in the form of concession
(privatization and greenfield); meanwhile they might prefer to limit their
financial exposure by holding a minority stake. In the event that the ship-
ping line takes the full equity and managerial control of the terminal, han-
dling charges are often transformed (in-house deal) into internalized costs
(Parola and Musso, 2007).
The internationalization process of these firms is triggered by the integra-
tion of the terminals with the wider parent shipping line service network
298 Port Logistics

(Panayides and Song, 2008). With regard to stevedores, however, shipping

lines invest only in facilities, which are vital for their major trade lanes
(eg trans-Pacific), neglecting other (even relevant) geographic markets. As
mentioned earlier, carriers have an active role as customers in co-producing
stevedoring services. For this reason, shipping lines that undertake a process
of vertical integration in ports can exploit the expertise and technical capa-
bilities developed over time as clients of many terminals worldwide. First,
their integration in port operations ensures shipping lines make more effi-
cient use of vessels which need to find suitable port facilities and minimize
turnaround times (Midoro et al, 2005). In this regard, the notorious rush to
economies of scale and mega-vessels (Cullinane and Khanna, 1999; Parola
and Musso, 2007) impose even greater financial pressures on these mari-
time assets which are required to generate enormous cash-flows for reward-
ing initial investments (ie purchase price) and capital costs. Through vertical
integration in ports, ship-owners try to safeguard their maritime invest-
ments by reducing physical bottlenecks (eg nautical accessibility, undersized
infra- and superstructures etc) and boosting operational performance.
Second, carriers should have a more accurate control of stevedoring costs
(stabilization), which represent a relevant portion of whole running costs. In
some ports and regions the available handling capacity is scarce and steve-
dores might claim much higher handling charges and/or provide low quality
services because of facility congestion. Third, shipping lines can potentially
generate economies of scope, by investing in a business which is highly cor-
related and synergic with the primary industry. Ocean carriers, by control-
ling a longer segment of the logistics chain, might improve the quality of
door-to-door services and match shippers’ expectations more appropriately
(Haralambides et al, 2002). The investments of carriers in some mega-
terminals (eg Los Angeles, Laem Chabang, Maasvlakte II in Rotterdam etc)
go exactly in this direction (Parola and Musso, 2007).
The leading ocean carriers investing in container terminal operations
under a cost-centre approach are: Evergreen (Taiwan), Hanjin (South
Korea), K Line (Japan), OOCL (Hong-Kong, China SAR), MOL (Japan),
Yang Ming (Taiwan), Hyundai (South Korea) and APL/NOL (Singapore).

Hybrid operators: A mixed approach

Hybrids are firms where the main business, or that of the parent company,
is container shipping, but where a separate terminal operating (internal)
division or company has been established. These units support shipping
activities but also provide an additional business stream by handling a sig-
nificant amount of third-party traffic (Notteboom and Rodrigue, 2012).
Hybrids are the result of a progressive transformation undertaken inside
some shipping groups which detected the opportunities of making profits
in this industry and decided to modify the approach to terminal operations
(Stenvert and Penfold, 2004). The facilities representing pivot points in the
shipping network remained cost centres whereas other terminals, with a
 Multinationalizing Container Ports 299

high market potential, were turned into profit centres. Undoubtedly, such
migration towards a hybrid business model sounds attractive and risky at
the same time. Critical concerns are not mainly related to the organizational
and operational transformations needed to provide appealing services for
potential third-party clients, but to the marketing and strategic implications
of the whole challenge. Hybrids in fact must demonstrate to rival shipping
lines that they are able to provide reliable services at a good price (like a
pure stevedore), adopting a fair, transparent and non-discriminatory behav-
iour in service delivery and customer care (Frémont, 2007).
The demonstration of the complexity of such a process is provided by the
case of APM Terminals, the major hybrid operator. This firm, belonging to
the AP Moller-Maersk Group, set up a separate port division in 1999 and
only after a long multi-step process was able to become a trusted stevedor-
ing provider, with a separate brand name and logo as well as an autonomous
position and strategy inside the group. Contrary to most hybrids, indeed,
liner business is a sister company for APM Terminals, not a parent company
(Drewry, 2013). Other successful hybrid operators are: NYK Line (internal
division of the carrier), MSC (Terminal Investment Limited), Cosco Group
(via Cosco Pacific) and Cosco Container Line, CMA-CGM (Terminal Link),
and China Shipping (China Shipping Terminal Development).

Financial operators: Speculators or long-lasting investors?

The relentless growth of international trade made maritime shipping and
port activities an increasingly profitable industry, not fundamentally in
terms of rates of return but mostly in return volumes (Rodrigue et al, 2011).
This trend drew the attention of a fourth category of container terminal
MNEs, ie financial operators. These suitors include a rather vast range
of firms, such as investment-holding companies, pension funds, merchant
banks, insurance companies, private equity funds and hedge funds, seeing
transportation assets, such as port facilities, as an investment class, and part
of a diversified global portfolio across various industries (Baird, 2013).
Basically, financial operators undertake an indirect management approach
as they buy an asset stake and leave the incumbent (commonly a stevedore)
to take care of day-to-day operations. Thus, acquisition is the preferred
entry mode because these players do not have the managerial expertise and
market experience to deal with tendering procedures and facility planning/
building (Farrell, 2012).
Pension funds became interested in terminal assets because of the time
horizon of port investments (concession agreement), which matches well
with their long-term time horizon. Besides, the scale of required investments
also played a positive effect in their drive to penetrate the industry. Finan-
cial operators generally look at opportunities large enough to accommodate
the vast quantities of capital at their disposal and terminals represented an
asset typology that well suited the scale of this allocation (Notteboom and
Rodrigue, 2012).
300 Port Logistics

In addition, large equity firms, such as mutual and retirement funds,

started to acquire shares in port terminal assets due to some interesting
value propositions. First, physical terminal assets hold an intrinsic value
mostly related to real estate, infrastructure and equipment (Haralambides,
2002). These assets can increase their value over time because they are
‘scarce’ and not easily substitutable. The intrinsic value of terminals is also
directly related to the handled traffic and, in such a context, it was expected
that terminal assets would steadily increase in value. Second, port facilities
provide a source of income directly proportional to traffic volumes, insuring
a constant revenue stream to the financial operator (Baird, 2013). Finally,
the investment in transport infrastructures located in a variety of markets
enables private equity firms to diversify their portfolio in different business
segments (ie ports, airports and railways) while undertaking a geographic
diversification. In this perspective, terminal assets located in various regional
contexts help mitigate a number of risks, eg demand fluctuations, pricing
and capacity strategies of competitors, trade lanes, financial and political
risks etc (Notteboom and Rodrigue, 2012).
Among financial operators, hedge funds notoriously adopt a higher spec-
ulative behaviour. These firms are investment vehicles that pool capital from
a number of investors and, generally avoiding direct regulatory oversight,
operate with greater flexibility than other investment funds. In the container
port business, hedge funds mostly invested in the pursuit of ‘hit and run’
behaviours, attracted by demand growth rates and financial margins. Their
speculative approach somehow underestimated the intrinsic risks of the
industry and was not supported by any market-related or technical knowl-
edge. This background was even exacerbated by the explosion of the global
financial crisis, which drove some of these suitors to encounter heavy losses
and exit the market (Pallis and de Langen, 2010).
Some highly reputed financial operators which have invested in the con-
tainer port business are: China Merchant Holdings International (CMHI),
NWS Holdings and Wharf Holdings Ltd, AIG Highstar Capital (which
owns Ports America assets), Deutsche Bank (RREEF), Goldman Sachs, Mac-
quarie, OTTP Fund, Global Infrastructure Partners, Morgan Stanley, Brook-
field, JP Morgan and Citi Infrastructure Investors.

Container port MNEs: Timeframe and

geographic scope of internationalization
Timing and waves of internationalization
The dramatic surge of container port MNEs worldwide has driven a fast
expansion of private commitment in terminal management (Peters, 2001;
de Souza et al, 2003). As a result of this process the share of state-owned
 Multinationalizing Container Ports 301

port facilities has decreased over the last few decades. In the early 1990s the
public sector still controlled almost 45 per cent of container port through-
put, while in 2012 its share dropped to about 23 per cent (Drewry, 2013).
This trend is expected to continue as in many locations there is a larger
number of private port expansion programmes in comparison to those pro-
moted by the state.
Against a world throughput of 622 million TEU (2012), a large group
of about 50 container port MNEs handles approximately 385 million TEU,
which represents over 60 per cent of overall volumes. The industry is rather
concentrated as the top five players hold roughly a 30 per cent share. Pure
stevedores are the most active terminal operators, accounting for more than
30 per cent of the world throughput. In this category, PSA International
(50.9 million TEU in 2012), Hutchison Port Holdings (44.8) and Dubai
Ports World (33.4) are the market leaders. Global hybrids are the second
force as they control over 10 per cent of the whole port volumes. Among
them, APM Terminals (33.7), Cosco (17.0), MSC (14.2) and China Shipping
Terminal Development (8.6) are the dominant ones. Finally, both ocean car-
riers and financial operators attract around 9 per cent of the world through-
put each. Hanjin (7.8) and Evergreen (7.3) are the most aggressive carriers
whereas Merchant Holdings (20.8) and AIG Highstar Capital (9.1) lead the
financial operators’ category.
The internationalization of this business has been triggered by many fac-
tors, which stimulated terminal operators to invest abroad (Bichou and Bell,
2007; Midoro et al, 2007). Basically two drivers are common to all players
undertaking overseas ventures, regardless of the business model adopted.
The first force generating momentum for MNEs’ expansion was the port
reform and liberalization process taking place in many countries. This
opened up a lot of investment opportunities over the last 20 to 30 years
(Cullinane and Song, 2002). A second powerful factor was the massive rise
of container port volumes, which have been experiencing two-digit growth
rates for many years. It is hard to find an industry like the port business
which has achieved a relentlessly fast growth (except for 2009) for such a
long period of time. The increase in demand characterized numerous coun-
tries progressively joining container trade and this stimulated firms to start
their internationalization drive (Peters, 2001).
Besides these two drivers, which have continued to affect all container
port MNEs for many years, numerous other drivers impacted firms in a
more peculiar manner. These drivers, in fact, appear to be more time- and
firm-specific. The materialization of such drivers in the industry followed
specific temporal patterns and stimulated breakthrough changes (eg grow-
ing economies of scale, diffusion of transhipment etc). Also, these drivers
affected the business models/types of operators in different ways, thus mak-
ing the internationalization process an uneven game. Therefore, we can
argue that the timing of internationalization of container port MNEs is
inextricably linked to the emergence of specific circumstances and events
boosting foreign expansion (Olivier and Slack, 2006).
Fi g u r e 1 6 .1  Time scale of internationalization of container
port MNEs
Business
 

1984
1985
1986
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
Shareholders   Home
model
Sea‐Land carrier US
P&O Ports stevedore UK
K Line carrier JP
OOCL carrier HK
APL (pre‐NOL) carrier US
APM Terminals hybrid DK
Mitsui & Co.  stevedore JP
Hyundai carrier KR
Evergreen carrier TW
Cosco Container Lines hybrid CN
China MerchantHoldings Internat. finan op HK
Eurokai stevedore DE
Hanjin carrier KR
NYK hybrid JP
MOL carrier JP
Yang Ming Line (YML)  carrier TW
Hutchison Port Holdings stevedore HK
Wharf Holdings (MTL) finan op HK
Cosco Group (Cosco Pacific) hybrid HK
ICTSI stevedore PH
SSA Marine stevedore US
PSA International stevedore SG
Group TCB stevedore ES
APL Terminals (NOL) carrier SG
NWS Holdings finan op HK
P&O Nedlloyd carrier UK/NL
CSX World Terminals stevedore US
Dubai Ports World stevedore AE
Eurogate stevedore DE
HHLA stevedore DE
BLG stevedore DE
MSC (TerminalInvest.Ltd.) hybrid CH
Dragados stevedore ES
Grimaldi Group carrier IT
Portek stevedore SG
Wan Hai carrier TW
Bolloré Group carrier FR
CMA‐CGM (Terminal Link) hybrid FR
Global Ports Investments stevedore RU
Peel Ports Group stevedore UK
Hapag‐Lloyd carrier DE
National Container Company stevedore RU
CSAV (SAAM Ports) carrier CL
Zim Ports carrier IL
Babcock & Brown finan op AU
Deutsche Bank finan op DE
Macquarie finan op AU
Goldman Sachs finan op US
OTTP fund finan op CA
Global Infrastructure Partners finan op US
Ultramar stevedore CL
Morgan Stanley finan op US
Euroports stevedore LU
China Shipping Term. Develop. hybrid CN
Brookfield finan op CA
JP Morgan (Noatum) finan op US
Shanghai International Port Group stevedore CN
Gulftainer stevedore AE
Yildirim Group stevedore TR
Citi Infrastructure Investors finan op US
AIG Highstar Cap. (Ports America) finan op US
Jurong Port stevedore SG
Legend
 delay in market entry  domestic phase

Source  Author’s elaboration from Drewry annual reports (various years), corporate websites and specialized press
 1972
1973
1974

c phase
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994

internationalization
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007

 market exit
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
304 Port Logistics

Given such premises, it becomes easy to understand that the time scale of
internationalization is a rather complex issue in this industry, as many waves
of entry overlap each other. The first investments abroad started in the early
1960s but only in the 1990s did the process begin to show its real momen-
tum. Players exhibit rather heterogeneous entry timings and a diverse length
of the pre-internationalization phase (Figure 16.1). This means that some
operators decided to accumulate a large stock of domestic experience before
internationalizing while others undertook apparently more risky strategies,
penetrating foreign markets right from their inception. For clarity, we first
outline the different waves of internationalization for each type of operator
(business model) separately.
The internationalization of pure stevedores can be split into three waves. In
the late 1980s some firms decided to expand overseas to look for new oppor-
tunities and to diversify their risk. Their home ports/countries became more
competitive settings and incumbents needed to find additional revenue streams
in other locations. P&O Ports (later taken over by Dubai Ports World), Hutch-
ison Port Holdings (HPH), SSA Marine, International Container Terminal Ser-
vices Inc (ICTSI) and Eurokai were the major firms who paved the way in this
industry (Midoro et al, 2005). Later on, the financial success enjoyed by these
actors stimulated a second wave of operators to emulate the same overseas
ambitions. PSA International, Dubai Ports World (DPW), CSX Corporation
(later taken over by Dubai Ports World), BLG, HHLA, Dragados and Group
TCB are the brand names of the key followers. More recently, even after the
financial crisis, a latest group of stevedores entered the market (Rodrigue et al,
2011). Some of them belong to countries that experienced the benefits of liber-
alization at a later stage such as Russia (Global Ports Investments and National
Container Company), Turkey (Yildirim Group) and Chile (Ultramar).
The internationalization drive of carriers can be divided into three waves
as well (Midoro et al, 2005). Basically, shipping lines have been asked to
satisfy the evolving needs of their core business. The origins of carriers’
investment in port facilities date back to the very beginning of the container
revolution (first wave). The lack of standardized terminals represented the
main driver of these ventures. Sealand (later acquired by Maersk), Matson
and K Line were the protagonists of trans-Pacific trade and established dedi-
cated terminals in key ports. Afterwards, the massive spread of intermodal
transport in North America forced carriers to better integrate sea–land
operations for gaining efficiency and preserving financial margins. A second
wave of vertically integrated carriers materialized: APL, Maersk, Evergreen,
Hanjin, MOL and NYK Line.
Despite such interests in overseas facilities, a substantial breakthrough in
the internationalization trend only happened in the late 1990s. The accelera-
tion in vessel size growth required enormous investments and the availabil-
ity of highly efficient terminal hubs (Cullinane and Khanna, 1999). Thus,
other carriers started to run facilities for safeguarding service standards and
the financial resources invested in maritime assets. MSC, CMA-CGM, Wan
Hai, ZIM, CSAV and China Shipping comprised this latter wave of shipping
 Multinationalizing Container Ports 305

lines, among others. Finally, this category of actors gave rise to some hybrid
operators, as explained earlier in this chapter. Since the early 2000s a hand-
ful of carriers (eg Maersk, CMA-CGM, Cosco, MSC, China Shipping etc)
transformed their organization and strategic orientation towards the port
business and focused on third-party traffic (Drewry, 2013).
The internationalization of financial operators unveils different patterns
with respect to traditional players. Already in the 1990s, early entrants
with a financial background expanded overseas from the Hong-Kong set-
ting: China Merchant Holdings International (CMHI), NWS Holdings and
Wharf Holdings Ltd (Olivier, 2005). These ethnic Chinese conglomerates
are investment-holding companies with interests in infrastructure sectors
and who diversify risk by managing large portfolios of assets. Their geo-
graphic focus is, however, quite narrow as they basically invested abroad
in China mainland and in the Far East. The financial industry has taken a
more active role in global port affairs only in recent years, understanding
that container ports are an attractive domain for asset allocation with a
high potential for cash-flow generation. A second wave of financial play-
ers, in fact, materialized in the second half of the 2000s from the United
States, Germany, Australia and Canada (Rodrigue et al, 2011; Baird, 2013).
These firms aggressively entered the port business and undertook financial
transactions to acquire stakes in single or multiple facilities. AIG Highstar
Capital (Ports America), Deutsche Bank, Babcock & Brown (liquidated),
Macquarie, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, Brookfield and
Citi Infrastructure Investors are the main equity firms of this wave.
The combination of the above waves under one unique analytical frame-
work now provides considerable insight into the in-depth meaning of the
whole process. Figure 16.2 sheds light on the temporal overlaps in market
entry, which affected the industry’s internationalization, by illustrating the
internationalization patterns which characterize each container port MNE’s
business model. Foreign experience is compared with total experience, in
order to appreciate the length of the domestic incubation period before
undertaking overseas ventures. The diagonal line pinpoints firms which
internationalized since their establishment. In total, four groups of play-
ers have been identified. First, ‘international pioneers’ (I) are MNEs which
quickly became international since their inception in the 1970s or early
1980s. This group basically includes ocean carriers, such as K Line, OOCL,
Hyundai, Evergreen and Cosco Container Line. The stevedore P&O Ports
constitutes a notorious exception belonging to this cluster of firms, which
paved the internationalization drive of the whole business. ‘Domestic fol-
lowers’ (II) are firms which entered the port sector some decades ago but
needed a rather long domestic period before internationalizing. These con-
tainer port MNEs have been preceded by carriers in overseas expansion but
have been able to catch up to the early movers by undertaking aggressive
expansion strategies later on. This group mainly consists of stevedores such
as HHLA, Group TCB and SSA Marine as well as the current leaders HPH,
PSA and DPW.
306 Port Logistics

Fi g u r e 1 6 .2   The waves of internationalization in the container

port industry

50

45 Carriers & hybrids

Stevedores I
international
40 Financial operators pioneers

35
Foreign experience (years)

III
30
internatinal
followers II
25

20

15
domestic
born globals followers
10
IV
5

0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
Total experience (years)

Note  Foreign and total experience has been calculated at 2014 or at the last available year (in case
of market exit or acquisition by another player).
Source  Author’s own elaboration from Drewry annual reports (various years), corporate websites,
and specialized press

‘International followers’ (III) are other container port MNEs that basically
act as imitators. This group has a rather heterogeneous composition, includ-
ing stevedores, eg ICTSI, Eurogate and SIPG, as well as carriers, eg Wan Hai,
APL Terminals and Bolloré Group. Finally, the industry experienced the rise
of some ‘born-global’ firms (IV), characterized by a latecomer status cou-
pled with a rapid internationalization drive. These container port MNEs are
business organizations that aim to derive significant competitive advantage
from the use of resources and the provision of services in multiple countries
from the earliest days of their establishment. This group is populated by the
financial operators recently approaching the port business and by latecomer
stevedores (mainly) from emerging economies, eg National Container Com-
pany, Global Ports Investments and Yildirim Group.

Pace of growth and geographic scope of

internationalization
In a globalizing industry like the port sector, leading players are forced
to undertake horizontal growth strategies to keep the pace of demand
 Multinationalizing Container Ports 307

expansion and diversify risk across various regions (Notteboom and Rod-
rigue, 2012). Some distinctions, however, must be taken into account given
the diverse business models adopted by container port MNEs and the spe-
cific drivers affecting them. For instance, integrated carriers which dedicate
their stevedoring efforts to defending the core business do not necessarily
need to grow fast if their shipping network is already well supported. Pure
stevedores, instead, might be tempted to undertake new ventures in search
of additional revenues if opportunities pop up (Drewry, 2013).
In this section we briefly explore temporal and spatial dimensions of (for-
eign) growth and show the unique internationalization pathway of some
MNEs. Addressing the recent rise of MNEs from emerging economies, IB
literature provides empirical evidence that their internationalization process
is at odds with mainstream assumptions. Yeung (1999) states that Asian
MNEs undertake overseas paths of expansion following a logic of their own.
Li (2003) and Warner et al (2004) argue that these MNEs have to ‘leapfrog’
conventional temporal phases of internationalization and perform diverse
patterns of a wider geographic scope. Other emerging streams of literature
focus on the rise of born-global MNEs (Bell et al, 2001), arguing that extant
management theories are not able to explain the non-incremental dynamics
of internationalization of these firms, characterized by a very limited domes-
tic phase of incubation.
In this regard, the container port industry constitutes an ideal site for
debating about spatio-temporal dimensions of internationalization in ser-
vice industries, given the fast international opening of local markets and
the unconventional overseas expansion of some private firms. As argued by
some scholars (Olivier et al, 2007; Notteboom and Rodrigue, 2012; Parola
et al, 2014; Satta et al, 2014b) evidence from this sector questions the appli-
cability of mainstream internationalization theories (Johanson and Vahlne,
1990) to container port MNEs from emerging economies and to born-global
equity firms. Some container port MNEs from emerging countries, often as
latecomers, undertake accelerated non-sequential patterns of internationali-
zation in an attempt to catch up with the early entrants. Besides, the recent
rise of born-global equity firms demonstrates that these financial operators
have an unsurpassed capacity to commit large amounts of resources and
establish new subsidiaries by taking over stakes in multiple locations (Not-
teboom and Rodrigue, 2012).
Figure 16.3 corroborates such arguments by unveiling the speed at which
container port MNEs grow over time and the geographical spread of a
firm’s operations.
Two groups of firms demonstrate superior growth rates. First, some leading
stevedores coming from emerging economies (ie PSA, DPW, HPH and SIPG)
show a high speed of expansion, confirming themselves as a powerful force
spearheading the internationalization drive. Second, we find a handful of finan-
cial operators, which recently penetrated the industry as born-global firms, fol-
lowing irregular pathways: Citi Infrastructure Investors, AIG Highstar Capital,
Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank (RREEF) and OTTP Fund. Nonetheless, the
geographic scope of these fast-expanding container port MNEs appears rather
308 Port Logistics

Fi g u r e 1 6 .3  Pace of growth and geographic diversification of

container port MNEs (2002–2011)
3500
Legend
HIGH

3000
Citi 5 10 20
DPW
Infrastucture
Investors Firm size (million TEU)
2500
PSA
Pace of firm growth

2000 China Merchant

Holdings HPH
Ports America APMT

1500 Cosco
Group P&O
SIPG Deutsche MSC Ports
Bank
1000 China Goldman
Shipping Wharf Holdings Sachs
OTTP
fund CMA-CGM
500 ICTSI
Evergreen
LOW

0
0.25 0.75 0.25 1.75 2.25 2.75 3.25

LOW Degree of geographic diversification HIGH

Note  Pace has been calculated as the average throughput growth (000 TEU) in the 2002–2011 period;
the degree of geographic diversification has been calculated using an entropy measure conceived
by Jacquemin and Berry (1979) and further developed by Vachani (1991). For details regarding the
construction of the index see Satta et al (2014). Data refer to 2011 or to the last available year (in case
of market exit or take-over by another player); bubble size indicates average firm size (throughput)
during the monitored period.
Source  Author’s elaboration from Drewry annual reports (various years), corporate websites, and
specialized press

differentiated. Top stevedores from Asia (except SIPG) have to date managed
broad and diversified portfolios of assets, the result of a fast expansion process
regardless of geographic distance concerns. Equity firms, by contrast, despite
the fast growth, seem to be quite selective in their market entry (Anglo-Saxon
areas) and do not have a geographically spread focus yet. Even though adopt-
ing a different business model, APM Terminals and MSC also belong to this
cluster of firms characterized by an accelerated expansion.
The majority of container port MNEs undertake regular expansion
drives at a slower pace and achieve a narrower geographic scope. Some
of them are promising born-global stevedores (eg Yildirim Group, Global
Ports Investments, National Container Company and Ultramar) which still
have to demonstrate their full potential, while others are in a rather inactive
position or are even dismantling non-core stakes/facilities.
 Multinationalizing Container Ports 309

Strategies for growth

Entry patterns in expansion strategies
The pursuit of sound growth strategies heavily affects the scope, speed and
success of the whole internationalization process. In particular, two dimen-
sions are relevant in implementing expansion strategy: the entry mode, and
the degree of commitment to new ventures.
Basically, entry mode solutions contemplate internal and external growth
options. Both types of growth strategies are often used simultaneously, and
show advantages and drawbacks. Internal growth implies increasing firm
assets, output or turnover through the reinvestment of cash-flows in existing/
new businesses. Organic growth offers more corporate control, encourages
internal entrepreneurship, and protects organizational culture, but typically
generates a slower growth pace compared to M&A since it requires the
internal development of new resources. External growth is undertaken via
M&A and is capable of yielding synergies and market power, against the
risk of destroying value in case of resources or free cash-flow misallocation
in unproductive ventures.
In the container port business, internal growth means being granted a
concession to operate the port facility, either under a privatization process or
a build–own–operate/BOT (greenfield) scheme (Farrell, 2012). Stepping into
a new public–private partnership requires the active participation in the dif-
ferent phases of the awarding procedure, including negotiations with public
parties and other private (joint) bidders if a consortium is involved (Pallis
et al, 2008). This type of entry demands a strong commitment in terms of
financial and managerial resources, and involves the firm in a complex and
potentially long awarding procedure, during which candidates have to deal
with multiple public and private stakeholders (Parola et al, 2013).
External growth translates into the acquisition of stakes or terminal oper-
ating companies through financial transactions, thus stepping into existing
public–private arrangements (concession agreements). This aggressive solu-
tion allows the capture of market opportunities (de Langen and Pallis, 2007;
Olivier et al, 2007), avoiding a ‘direct’ negotiation with local public institu-
tions. External entry strategy enables MNEs to compress the time between
the decision to enter and the actual beginning of operations, to avoid some
of the economic, institutional or normative barriers to market entry and to
moderate the transaction risk (Notteboom and Rodrigue, 2012). Neverthe-
less, acquisition also presents disadvantages. Firms might encounter strong
competition from a number of other interested bidders in taking over stakes,
and the valuations of terminal companies or assets (ie selling price) could
be higher than real market values. Acquisitions may be also restricted by
institutional factors, particularly the policies of national and supranational
competition authorities who closely monitor the risks of having dominant
actors in regional container markets (de Langen and Pallis, 2007). Finally,
310 Port Logistics

large acquisitions could impose on the firm rather accelerated growth paths,
producing ‘time-compression diseconomies’ and negative effects on perfor-
mance because of organizational concerns as well as environmental mis-
adaptation in the (new) host countries.
Figure 16.4 depicts the evolution of entry mode options over the last
decades. Empirical evidence shows that internal solutions were dominant
prior to 2000, with a slight preference for regular concession (under the
privatization umbrella). Ocean carriers opted for regular concessions while
pure stevedores favoured greenfield projects. The latter exploited their large
amount of financial resources committed to the (core) business, as well as
their know-how in terminal design. After 2000 BOT schemes became a
widespread entry mode, given the need to expand port physical bounda-
ries and find offshore/deep-sea terminal solutions. In addition, financial
transactions turned into the most preferable choice not only for private
equity firms but also for pure stevedores. Recent literature (Notteboom and
­Rodrigue, 2012; Parola et al, 2013) demonstrated that external entry strat-
egies increasingly assumed a ‘multiple acquisition’ dimension (eg DP World
on CSX and P&O Ports, PSA on HPH, Goldman Sachs on SSA Marine
etc), as company take-overs often involve two or more terminals in multi-
ple locations. In the 1997–2013 period approximately 40 multiple finan-
cial transactions took place, for an overall amount of resources committed
equal to US$ 40 billion.
Another essential dimension in growth strategy implementation is the
degree of commitment in new ventures. Firms have a variety of options along
a continuum, which is typified by diverse degrees of equity engagement,

Fi g u r e 1 6 .4  Entry mode per container port MNE typology

250
1962–1999 2000–2011

200
Number of entries

150

100

50

0
Concession Acquisition Concession Acquisition
Greenfield Multiple Greenfield Multiple
acquisition acquisition
stevedores carriers hybrids financial operators

Source  Author’s elaboration from Drewry annual reports (various years), corporate websites, and
specialized press
 Multinationalizing Container Ports 311

exposure to market risk, as well as managerial and strategic control (Olivier,

2005; Slack and Frémont, 2005). The spectrum of strategic options includes:
●● wholly-owned subsidiary (WOS), which allows container port MNEs
full control of the terminal;
●● partially-owned subsidiary (POS), where the firm holds a majority
stake;
●● a 50/50 joint venture in which the two partners share the financial
risk whereas operational responsibilities might even be entrusted to
only one of them (or to a third party);
●● minority share, where the firm holds a minority equity interest but
has a strong influence on strategic decisions;
●● shadow entry, which contemplates the holding of a very low share (5
per cent or below), just translating into a financial presence in a
specific market context.
As a contrast, it seems to be appropriate to discriminate between WOS and
EJV solutions, as suggested by mainstream scholars (Brouthers et al, 2008).
In the specific case of the container port industry, this classification allows
the central role of collaborative forms of entry and the diverse attitude of
each business model towards EJV solutions to be appreciated (Vanelslander,
2008). Focusing on EJV advantages, we first have to recognize that equity
joint ventures constitute real options for firms willing to develop new pro-
jects. This strategic solution allows firms to limit investments and retain the
right to increase commitment in the venture at a later stage. EJVs are mainly
utilized to accelerate overseas investments, reduce risk and overtake political
and regulatory barriers (de Langen and Pallis 2007; Rodrigue et al, 2011).
By cooperating, container port MNEs gather additional financial resources,
complementary assets and technical capabilities for developing terminals
(Olivier, 2005). In addition, EJVs moderate project uncertainty in conces-
sion awarding and infrastructural realization (Parola, et al, 2013). EJVs
shelter container port MNEs from market volatility, by pooling partners’
cargo base and encouraging overseas expansion and geographic diversifica-
tion (Heaver et al, 2001). With regard to the WOS option, however, EJVs
entail a lower managerial and strategic control on the facility. Opportunis-
tic and obstructionist behaviours could materialize and harm the interests
of some partners, typically in the case of minority shareholding. Further-
more, alliance implementation is a delicate phase within the overall process.
A diverse cultural background or business model (eg carrier vs stevedore)
might generate communication problems, ideological divergence, manage-
rial contrasts and mismatch on firm objectives.
Figure 16.5 presents the diverse attitude of container port MNEs towards
being engaged in EJVs and the average degree of equity commitment, which
characterizes each player. Stevedores and hybrids have a similar average
firm size (10–11 million TEU throughput), which is more than twice bigger
than carriers and financial operators (around 4 million TEU). At its most
312 Port Logistics

Fi g u r e 1 6 .5  The resort to EJV terminals by container port

MNEs (2011)
Legend
OTTP
find
1
Gulftainer 5 10 20 40
ICTSI
Average equity share per terminal

APL Terminals
0.8 Firm size (million TEU)
Bolloré Group
HHLA Evergreen
APMT
Deutsche SIPG Ports
Bank America
0.6 NYK HPH
CMA- Hanjin
CGM MSC Cosco
Group DPW
0.4 Wharf
Holdings
PSA
China
Eurogate Merchent
CSCL SSA Holdings
0.2
Yildirim Goldman
Group Sachs

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
No. of EJV terminals in the portfolio

Note  Bubble size indicates firm size, ie the annual throughput of the overall terminal portfolio.
Source  Author’s elaboration from Drewry annual reports (various years), corporate websites, and
specialized press

basic, stevedores are more involved in EJV terminals than competitors. PSA,
HPH, DPW are indeed the three players that most resort to the collaborative
option. In terms of average equity participation, stevedores and financial
groups unveil a higher commitment (around 60 per cent share) than car-
riers (54 per cent) and hybrids (52 per cent). In greater detail, substantial
disparities come out among port MNEs, although many are concentrated in
the 40–60 per cent range. Market leaders adopt similar strategies, with the
exception of PSA, which demonstrates a lower commitment (below 40 per
cent). Some stevedores show a high equity engagement (ICTSI, Gultainer,
HHLA etc) in contrast to others (SSA Marine, Yildirim Group, Eurogate).
Among hybrids, MSC, CMA-CGM, Cosco and China Shipping are clus-
tered in a similar position, whereas APM Terminals is close to the top pure
stevedores.

From stand-alone equity joint ventures to ‘cliques’

In recent years, container port MNEs increasingly resorted to EJVs for
undertaking growth strategies abroad. The closure of the ‘privatization
 Multinationalizing Container Ports 313

window’ and the progressive scarcity of available port space for green-
field projects somehow forced international terminal operators to abandon
stand-alone paradigms (Heaver et al, 2001). The need for a large amount
of financial resources for financing mega-terminal projects also played a
decisive role in feeding this trend. In the 2002–2011 period the number
of EJV terminals strongly increased, climbing from 136 to 336 facilities at
approximately a 10 per cent growth rate per annum. To date, over 70 per
cent of port terminals, where at least one container port MNE is involved,
are run under an EJV scheme, demonstrating the massive trend towards
cooperation.
The stevedore–carrier dyad is the most common combination in EJV
solutions (Parola and Musso, 2007). Despite the bargaining fight at trans-
actional level, these players also have complementary objectives and can
share financial and operational risks (Olivier, 2005). EJV terminals jointly
owned by carriers and/or hybrids are increasingly widespread. Conversely,
the cooperative relations among international stevedores are extremely rare,
as they are reluctant to share resources, know-how, confidential informa-
tion and respective customer bases. Domestic stevedores may actively take
a part in building up EJV schemes and often assume a mediating role with
local institutions and business background. In turn, national players can
utilize the EJV (‘foreign’) experience accumulated in the domestic market
(ie inward internationalization) to become international and invest abroad
(outward).
The acceleration in EJV development worldwide provoked a break-
through in mainstream cooperative paradigms, which are no longer
anchored to single ventures but relate to multiple facilities across the globe.
Greater awareness of the regional and multi-regional nature of inter-firm
agreements arose from the emergence of a complex architecture of vol-
untary dyadic ties within the container port industry (Vanelslander 2008;
Soppé et al, 2009). Some scholars (Lam and Yap, 2011) started to address
this phenomenon, using as a basis the assumptions of inter-organizational
network theory. Parola et al (2014), adopting community detection analysis
techniques, demonstrated that inter-firm (equity) networks are not random,
as container port MNEs tend to cooperate in a selective way, building up
‘cliques’ (hidden families) of affiliated members. Such hierarchical network
structure arises from the sum of direct and indirect dyadic relationships,
which, instead, might appear mimetic if taken individually. The notion of
cliques derives from network theory and concerns stable groups of firms
more densely interconnected with each other than with other firms. Notably,
cliques stimulate the birth of new business ties as partners of partners tend
to frequently become partners as well (Watts, 1999).
In line with recent studies (Parola et al, 2014; Satta et al, 2014a),
­Figure  16.6 shows the network architecture of collaborative ties in the
container port industry. Many port MNEs establish dense (equity) rela-
tions with other MNEs as well as domestic firms, resulting in clique
formation.
Fi g u r e 16. 6   Cooperative EJV networks and cliques in the container port industry (2011)
India Deve...
Podyian C... Industrial...
Industry F... Callao P...
QIC Ltd p... AbuDhabi Bangkok Mo...
ESCO
Global Inf...
National C...
Delo Group Oman Gover...
Ilyonevsk... Zhanjiang...
Baosteel... Oslo-local Fomen-Por... Institutio...
Pension fu...
Zhanjiang... Aquba Deve... Seaport Te... APMT
Inteis Group
Kerry Hold...
Geslao de...
John Keels... Chiwan Wha... Mawan - lo... Loxus
Sri Lanka... Container
Jebsen & Co. PT. Transin...
Tumas Group...
National B Aarnus local
Sherizhen D... PYI Corpor... Mitsui & Co...
Peony Inve... Egyptian P... Ras Al Kna...
MTL (Wharf... Entreprise...
CMH Alwa
Dongbu Cor... Marubeni a... Wenzhou Po... Suez Caral... Kanoo Group
Southern W...
Shinyoung... Colon Port... Vietnam Na...
Osaka Port... SIPG
Suzhou Por... Jiangyin P...
Nanjing Po...Yangzhou H... APL Termin... Huijan Qu...
Salgon Por... Zhangjiang Ghana Port...
Qingdao Po... Xiangyu... Famen Xia...
Evergreen Zhangzhou...
Afken Hold... Zhangjiang... Getma inte...
Vertex Fin... Rhenus... ACHHLA
Cosco Group UWS Holdings STO Logist...
PIL China Inte... OOCL Bollore Gr... Hapag-Lioyd
Omani lnve... Horbor Inv... Tianjin Po... jinjang P...... P. Thailan... Morgan Sta...
Steinweg e... Sun Hung K...
HNN Haigang in... Pari Asia I... Conakry Po...
Government... Djen Djen...
Jardina Pa... Yingkou Po... China-Afri...
ACNA-Ma... PSA Dongpergl...
Saigon Inv...ECT Employ... Hibiki Con... Ningbo Por...Port of Da...
Tan Thuan...
Lexton Tha... Guangzhpu... HRH Trust...
Gdynia doc... Quanzhou P...
Sinmardev... Port Autus.. China Reso...
Dalian Por...
Persero Pe... Zhuhai Por... Universal...
HPH Kelang Mul... Zhanjiang... Zim Ports Latin America
Myanmar Po... Qinhuahgda... Nanhai Nun...
Fuqing Por... CSCL Aden PA Denmas-Vie... Container..
MTS holdin... ABG Group Guangzhou... Global Por...
Panama Por... Qasim Local Citi Infra...
Xianten Hal... Fuzhou Por... Lianyungan... Jinzhou Po...
Duisport
Alexantria...Zhou Po... Lin’s Grou... Qihzhou Po... Antwerp Lo... EPAL-Ent...
Djihouti PA
DPW ATI General Sa...
Tuticorin... United Lin... Sokna Port...
Pengauli... Luka rijeka
Cosco CLines... Dongguan PA Constanza... Port Qasim Yantai Por...
Shantou Po... Samsung Co... ICTS
YML Incheon Mi... CFM Mozam... Cauced... Cochin Por... SDIC
K-line CMA-CGM Egis Ports Hyundai Easan Local
Sealogis G... Intramar (... Makassar P...
Hyundai Tacoma-I... Barcelona...
Green Fina...
Abidjan-...
Yildirim G...
Klaipeda p... Gruppo inv...
Sinotrans
KCTC Hanjin POMTOC Lead Compagnia... Compagnia...
Ports Amer... Pelindo III
Pyongtaek... Port of Od...
Souria Hol...
Gdansk Local Malaga -I...MSC Limber Kum... Eurokai
Gyeongi-DO Sinokar Macquame
Wan Hai Eurogate Port Autho...
CP&O
Dole Port of Ho... Sapir
 Qasim Local Citi Infra...
Xianten Hal... Fuzhou Por... Lianyungan... Jinzhou Po...
Duisport
Alexantria...Zhou Po... Lin’s Grou... Qihzhou Po... Antwerp Lo... EPAL-Ent...
Djihouti PA
DPW ATI General Sa...
Tuticorin... United Lin...
Sokna Port...
Pengauli... Luka rijeka
Cosco CLines... Dongguan PA Constanza... Port Qasim Yantai Por...
Shantou Po... Samsung Co... ICTS
YML Incheon Mi... CFM Mozam... Cauced... Cochin Por... SDIC
K-line CMA-CGM Egis Ports Hyundai Easan Local
Sealogis G... Intramar (... Makassar P...
Hyundai Tacoma-I... Barcelona...
Green Fina...
Abidjan-...
Yildirim G...
Klaipeda p... Gruppo inv...
Sinotrans
KCTC Hanjin POMTOC Lead Compagnia... Compagnia...
Ports Amer... Pelindo III
Pyongtaek... Port of Od...
Souria Hol...
Gdansk Local Malaga -I...MSC Limber Kum... Eurokai
Gyeongi-DO Sinokar Macquame
Wan Hai Eurogate Port Autho...
CP&O
Dole Port of Ho... Sapir
Pan United... Container... Noatum UPLas Palmas
Petroships...
Mota-Engil...
Bilbao For... Mariner Sp... Gallozzi G...
Jiangsu Ch...
Saigon New... Kaohsiung... NYK Servicos S...
Gulftainer
ABP Abu Dhabi... Irish Coat ... Ports ...
Matson Nav...
Nagoya Por... Deutsche B...
Goldman Sa... mmingham...
Ngow Hock... Georgia PO... Dublin Pot...
MOL Logisted S...
Forth Ports
Sociedad P...
Sumtomo W... SSA
Sankyu
Seattle o...
Nickel & L... Havana Con...
HeilbronMotta Santa Chuz...
Valencha...Grupo Empr...
Ege Gubre
Source  Author’s elaboration from Drewry annual Port Autho...
reports (various years), corporate websites, and
TCB
specialized press. Figure drawn by Simone Caschili Inversione...SAAM Ports

Empresas N...
Montecon S.A Tucumann (...
Advent Int...
CMB - Inve...AGUNSA Redram (Br...
Soifer (Br...
Ultramar Ransa
BELFI (Con...
316 Port Logistics

The monitored industry network comprises 48 international players and

232 local terminal operators. A few container port MNEs are not in this col-
laborative network because they are just involved in wholly-owned ventures.
Figure 16.6 discloses the main structural features of the 16 cliques identified
through the community network analysis. On average, each cluster consists
of over 17 terminal operators, of which 3 are MNEs and 14.5 are local
firms. Clique size appears rather heterogeneous in the network. Evidence
shows the existence of 4 large cliques (above 20 members), 4 medium-size
cliques, which are made up of 10 to 20 affiliates, and 8 small families, com-
prising fewer than 10 terminal operators.
The analysis of clique composition provides interesting outcomes. All
clusters include international players, confirming their active leadership in
shaping the overall network. In most cases (9), the family is constructed
around very few MNEs (1–3), which hold the highest number of relations
and act as charismatic force(s) in the clique. This typically happens in the
presence of small and medium-size families. Except in one case, large cliques
consist of quite a number of international operators, demonstrating that a
certain critical mass can be achieved only through the joint contribution
of some MNEs bundling all members together. Network analysis reveals
that pure stevedores are present in 14 out of 16 cliques. Moreover, these
stevedores tend to equally distribute themselves across different cliques (one
each), in order to reduce intra-clique competition. Only in a couple of cases,
two or more stevedores cooperate together in the same (large) cluster. The
other types of operators, instead, tend to concentrate their presence in some
selected cliques.
The governance structure and the distribution of leadership power inside
the clique are key issues affecting management ties and clique survival.
Despite the large presence of pure stevedores in most cliques, in just six
cases they unveil the highest number of relations inside their collabora-
tive family. In the other 10 clusters, financial operators (4), carriers (3) and
hybrids (3) occupy a more barycentric position in the relational network. In
this regard, one delicate matter concerns the type of leadership hold by the
most connected player within the clique. Is it a hegemonic or a democratic
leadership? Evidence from the field is inconclusive and varied, especially for
large cliques, which demonstrate a more complex architecture.
The large cluster of HPH and PSA does not include any other MNEs.
This means that they rule their community of local operators as a hegem-
onic duopoly. The other big cliques differ profoundly in the distribution of
leadership power. In one case the stevedore DPW dominates the scene and
coordinates a number of partnering MNEs, such as Yildirim Group, CMA-
CGM, Global Ports Investments, and ZIM. In the biggest clique (64 mem-
bers), on the other hand, the exercise of power seems to be more equally
balanced. Despite the APM Terminal leadership, we also find other members
with an influential market power and a substantial number of relational ties
inside the clique, ie Cosco Group, China Shipping Terminal Development,
NWS Holdings and Bolloré Group. Finally, there is a clique where the power
 Multinationalizing Container Ports 317

and the relational ties are shared fairly and no clear leadership emerges. It is
an example of democratic organization, where Hanjin, Evergreen, and Ports
America (AIG Highstar Capital) constitute the backbone of the cluster, which
is also supported by Macquarie and other carriers. In this clique no stevedore
is involved.

Concluding remarks
The new economic and institutional environment in which ports operate
triggered a number of container port MNEs to outgrow their home country,
paving the way to industry internationalization. The nature and ultimate
strategic objectives of container port MNEs are not univocal. Some hetero-
geneous business models established themselves in the market and mutually
affect each other.
Pure stevedores from emerging economies and equity firms from Anglo-
Saxon countries presented unique spatial and temporal dynamics of inter-
nationalization, which impose a new analytical lens with regard to those
offered by traditional IB theories.
This chapter provided an extensive overview of the container port
business state of the art and evolution, analysing cutting-edge trends and
managerial practices. In particular, the main business models have been
introduced, emphasizing the strategic implications of firm growth. This
study explored the drivers of internationalization, characterizing different
business models and shed light on spatio-temporal dimensions of overseas
expansion. Finally, the chapter expanded knowledge of inter-firm partner-
ships in the industry, revealing that container port MNEs are organized in
cliques in order to share risk across multiple locations.
Despite the fruitful academic debate on this topic, many promising
streams of research are still under-explored and deserve more attention by
scholars. First, future studies have to achieve a more sophisticated under-
standing of the objectives and strategic attitudes of financial operators, being
aware of the profound differences among equity firms. Second, the unique
internationalization drive of some container port MNEs makes this industry
a meaningful empirical context for expanding traditional internationaliza-
tion theories and adopting innovative perspectives. Third, the accelerated
resort to EJVs and the formation of cliques still require a massive analytical
effort in a number of directions. Clique leadership and governance, intra-
clique management ties, geographic scope of cliques, role and functions of
domestic members in clique organizational structure, and clique evolution
and survival are just a few of the cutting-edge themes to address. Finally,
to date academic literature has neglected to include economic and financial
performance into the mainstream analytical frameworks of container port
MNEs. This is a major gap, which must to be bridged despite the lack of
easily accessible data.
318 Port Logistics

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Public–private 17
partnerships
and port logistics
performance
J a S M I N E S I u L E E L aM , f r a N C E S CO pa rO L a
a N D   p h OT I S M pa N ay I D E S

Introduction
Developing and operating ports is a highly capital-intensive business. The
rapid pace of technology advancement has seen tremendous growth in ves-
sel sizes in various shipping sectors including container ships, dry bulk car-
riers, and tankers. For example, nowadays ultra large crude oil carriers are
greater than 320,000 dwt. A mainline vessel operating on the Asia–Europe
trade route would range above 9,000 TEU in size. In fact, the largest con-
tainer ship that operates on this trade holds the record at 18,000 TEU in
size. In order to handle these vessels, ports have to expand their capacity as
well as equip these facilities with a new generation of cargo-handling system
designed to achieve greater productivity and efficiency from the logistical
perspective. Today, ports are seen as important nodes where efficiency in
logistics has become a critical source for competitive advantage and holds
the key for anchoring supply chains and their corresponding cargo traffic
(Zhang et al, 2014). Failure to do so could lead to the inevitable loss of
connectivity and hub status and eventual relegation to spoke port status.
Conversely, success in this could result in significant economic gains in the
form of revenue growth, value-added gains, more taxation and employment
opportunities for the local city as well as the hinterland which the port
serves.
The pursuit of greater handling capacity requires enormous financial
resources and professional expertise that many ports around the world do
not possess. As such, ports have been seeking private-sector participation
322 Port Logistics

through various forms of public–private partnership (PPP) schemes. PPPs

are not narrowly defined to mean the full privatization of public services.
Rather, they include collaboration to pursue common goals, while lever-
aging joint resources and capitalizing on the respective competences and
strengths of the public and private partners (Nijkamp et al, 2002; Pongsiri,
2002). The benefits of PPPs are potentially numerous and include efficiency
improvements, reduction of public expenditure in financing infrastructure
investments, access to private finance as well as clearer objectives, new ideas,
flexibility, better planning, improved incentives for competitive tender-
ing, and greater value for money for public projects (Nijkamp et al, 2002;
Spackman, 2002).
This chapter adds value to the body of port literature in view of the grow-
ing trend in port PPPs. The aim of this study is to perform an exploratory
investigation into the impact of PPP on port logistics performance through a
discussion of examples from the port industry and the respective countries’
situations. In particular, we identify relevant institutional factors to frame
the discussion and draw inferences.

The overall development in port PPP

Port PPP in various regions
The quest for better port management and performance has led to increasing
involvement from the private sector in port operations. Port liberalization
and privatization started in the late 1970s and since the late 1990s–early
2000s has become prevalent in both advanced and developing economies.
The progressive opening up of the port sectors worldwide presented oppor-
tunities for pure stevedoring companies and shipping lines to expand their
market arena in various organizational forms (Parola and Musso, 2007).
Despite the variations in private-sector participation, the majority of insti-
tutional frameworks are founded on cooperation between a public port
authority and a private terminal operator. Thus, such frameworks are
commonly known as port PPPs (Siemonsma et al, 2012). PPPs are attrac-
tive since they provide new opportunities to both parties. But whether the
opportunities offered by PPPs will be fully exploited in practice is indeed an
important question. Van Ham and Koppenjan (2001) asserted that public
authorities should not unilaterally define port projects, since this limits the
scope for the creation of genuine partnerships. This deters utilization of
market experience and the creativity of the private parties. Port PPPs should
be cooperations between public and private actors in which they jointly
develop port services and share risks, costs and resources connected with
these services (van Ham and Koppenjan, 2001). The public and private par-
ties should maintain a mutually supporting relationship in which the parties
can realize a stake in the success of each other (Bagchi and Paik, 2001).
Fi g u r e 17.1    Port PPPs in developing countries 1986–2013: Investment breakdown per project typology
9000

8000

7000

6000

5000

4000

Total investment (US$ million)

3000

2000

1000

0
1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Multi‐purpose terminal Liquid bulk terminal Dry bulk terminal Container terminal

Source  Authors’ elaboration from the World Bank’s Private Participation in Infrastructure (PPI) project database
324 Port Logistics

Over the last 30 years, PPP schemes have been increasingly adopted in ports,
especially in those countries which needed to reform their port operations
for attracting private funding, managerial expertise and innovative capabili-
ties. In particular, developing countries were protagonists for a spectacular
surge in port infrastructure PPP activities as reported by the Private Partici-
pation in Infrastructure (PPI) project database of the World Bank. Within
the 1986–2013 timeframe, over 400 projects have been recorded in low-
and middle-income countries (Figure 17.1), taking into account the port
facilities in which private parties assumed operating risks (and often also
equity shares). Overall, the accumulated amount of investment in the period
was over US$ 70 billion. Container (US$ 38.2 billion, 184 projects) and
multi-purpose (US$ 24.3 billion, 131 projects) facilities attracted the major-
ity of investments, followed by dry and liquid bulk terminals (US$ 9 billion
in total, 94 projects).
The magnitude of the investment bears witness to the significance of
the overall trend over time. After the acceleration that took place in the
late 1980s, however, the investment materializing in the following years
reveal rather dissimilar figures which derive from the fast-changing envi-
ronmental conditions and the volatility of time–window opportunities. This
­heterogeneity becomes even more noteworthy when analysing cross-regional
(Figure 17.2) and cross-country differences. The timing of the port reform
process, the positive (or negative) attitude of governments towards liberal-
izing port activities, the presence (or absence) of entry barriers for overseas
investors and the evolution of the institutional conditions in each host coun-
try are just some of the factors which profoundly influence the development
of PPP schemes over time. Figure 17.2 shows the long-term dramatic rise of
investment in the East Asia and Pacific region which, ­however, witnessed a
remarkable decline in recent years.
The Middle East and North Africa entered the port PPP game at a later
stage (2000s) and showed a quite irregular trend. South Asia had already
initiated PPP activities in the mid-1990s but investment volumes remained
quite modest and irregular until the recent growth. Sub-Saharan Africa was
a region marginalized from containerization and main trade lanes until a
few years ago, whereas it now enjoys remarkable levels of investment in
port infrastructures. Finally, Latin America and the Caribbean region dem-
onstrated high levels of activity, providing numerous PPP opportunities in
ports, and even gaining momentum in the post-crisis period. Notably, lead-
ing countries in port PPPs in terms of the total amount of generated invest-
ment are the People’s Republic of China (almost US$ 14 billion), Brazil
(US$ 11.1 billion), India (US$ 7.6 billion), and Nigeria (US$ 7.1 billion).
Amongst the top 15 countries some latecomers also appear in the ranks such
as Turkey, Chile, and Peru (Figure 17.3). Again, remarkable differences can
be seen with regard to the type of facilities involved in PPP schemes. Beside
those countries which appear mostly ‘specialized’ in container terminals
(eg China, Mexico, Egypt), others demonstrate a more diversified portfolio
of interests (eg Brazil, India, Nigeria, Colombia).
Fi g u r e 17.2   Port PPPs in developing countries 1986–2013: Investment breakdown per geographic region

9000

8000

7000

6000

5000

4000

3000

Total investment (US$ million)

2000

1000

0
1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Sub‐Saharan Africa South Asia Middle East and North Africa Latin America and the Caribbean
Europe and Central Asia East Asia and Pacific

Source  Authors’ elaboration from the World Bank’s Private Participation in Infrastructure (PPI) project database
326 Port Logistics

Fi g u r e 17. 3  Leading developing countries in port PPPs:

Investments per project typology

16000

14000

12000
Total investment (US$ million)

10000

8000

6000

4000

2000

0
China

Brazil

India

Nigeria

Pakistan

Malaysia

Colombia

Turkey

Mexico

Arab Rep.

Chile

Philippines

Indonesia

Peru

Vietnam
Egypt,

Multi‐purpose terminal Liquid bulk terminal Dry bulk terminal

Container terminal

Source Authors’ elaboration from the World Bank’s Private Participation in Infrastructure (PPI)
project database

Advantages and disadvantages of port PPP

When countries enter into port PPPs, the overall expectation from such a
move is the enhancement of port performance as compared to a public port.
Specifically, the supposed benefits of port PPPs include: higher levels of oper-
ational efficiency, enhancement of trade facilitation, generation of revenue
for the government, greater access to capital markets, the removal of restric-
tions on investment, new industrial relations practices, a more commercial
approach to management, and promotion of greater competition between
ports, all of which should in turn enhance financial and economic perfor-
mance (Saundry and Turnbull, 1997; Baird, 2000; van Niekerk, 2005; Vin-
ing and Boardman, 2008). Using a stochastic frontier analysis Tongzon and
Heng (2005) demonstrated that private-sector participation to some extent
can improve port operation efficiency, which will in turn increase port com-
petitiveness. However, the outcome of port privatization may not always be
positive or up to expectations. For example, Saundry and Turnbull (1997)
 PPPs and Port Logistics Performance 327

commented that the sale of public ports in the UK represented a significant

loss to the taxpayer and other stakeholders due to inferior financial perfor-
mance of the private ports. Also, involving private firms in port operations
is not a uniform solution which equally suits all ports. Through the use of
case studies on Colombia, Costa Rica and Nicaragua, Kent and Hochstein
(1998) showed that ports have to monitor and react to the extent of cargo
activity and volume handled. In countries with a limited number of ports
having relatively small cargo volumes, commercialization of public port
services, instead of privatization, would still be useful in pursuing market-
ing strategies and induce inter-port or inter-terminal competition. The cases
reveal the complexity of port reform and privatization issues.
Some ports also expressed concerns about private-sector investment. In a
survey conducted on the world’s top 100 container ports (Baird, 2002), 31
per cent of them stated that the loss of control was a main issue. Political
and commercial ambiguity, difficulties in service operator selection, and the
lengthy process for securing concessions were also found to be disadvan-
tages of port privatization. Possible risks should be completely understood
and controlled in order to avoid an unnecessary waste of economic resources
(Cullinane and Song, 2002). Furthermore, weak institutional or regula-
tory frameworks, long-term sovereign risk management, assets’ economic
depreciation and weak domestic financial markets will result in higher-risk
perceptions which are negative for port PPPs (Juhel, 2001). Seen from the
private investors’ perspective, Wiegmans et al (2002) commented that the
risks involved in port projects would be a deterrent. Their article analysed
the characteristics of investments in container terminals. Risks borne by
private investors in European port projects would be lower than for other
infrastructure projects since substantial public resources have contributed
to port infrastructure development, thus allowing investors to earn healthy
profits by charging reasonable terminal handling charges.

Coordination in public- and private-sector

participation
The nature and division of public- and private-sector participation is also
central to the discussion on port PPPs. The increasingly prevalent port
ownership structure is the landlord model, in which a port authority is the
landlord for various private terminal operators providing cargo-handling
and storage services to port users (Baird, 1995). Everett and Robinson
(1998) asserted that the regulatory regime is a key to port reform. They
commented that the public sector can refrain from day-to-day port opera-
tions but legislation is required to ensure the effectiveness of such strategy.
Trujillo and Nombela (1999) analysed port reform in the process of getting
private investment in developing countries. They suggested that the govern-
ment authority reduce its role so that a favourable legal environment for
port reform would be created. In Trujillo and Nombela’s (1999) opinion,
the primary tasks of the public port authority should be to manage the
328 Port Logistics

public infrastructure, safety and environmental conditions. From pricing’s

perspective, Meersman et al (2010) investigated whether short-run marginal
cost (SMC) pricing is feasible to implement in seaports. SMC would not be
helpful for stimulating private involvement in the port sector because only
a very minor part of the investment would be paid for by port users. More
lucrative pricing mechanisms are needed to attract private investors.
We should also take note of a country’s economic and market conditions,
as well as institutional issues which would further complicate the formulation
of port PPP. The degree of openness of foreign markets largely dictates both
opportunities and modalities of private entry in the port sectors worldwide
(Olivier et al, 2007). The history of a country, its geography and the attitudes
of its people affect port governance decisions in general (Fawcett, 2007). For
instance, the United States has to trade with overseas countries rather than just
with Canada and Mexico due to great economic demand and dissimilar politi-
cal institutions. Thus the federal government has a long-standing interest in
maintaining seaport infrastructure and navigable waterways. This is the back-
ground reason why public agencies seek to retain control over major infra-
structure and essentially own all the nation’s major general cargo seaports,
while the private sector participates in terminal operations (Fawcett, 2007).
Taking another example, Singapore’s government holds a majority stake
in its seaport mainly because it favours a common user system, rather than
dedicated terminals, which would be more suitable for maintaining its tran-
shipment hub status (Lam et al, 2011). The port went through corporati-
zation, not privatization, since the two terminal operators PSA and Jurong
Port ultimately remain under government-owned entities. The private sector’s
involvement accounts for a small portion in terms of joint ventures with three
shipping lines in container berths (Cullinane et al, 2007). As for Singapore’s
neighbouring country Malaysia, Leeds (1989) analysed the privatization of
the Port Klang Container Terminal. Due to Malaysia’s unique ethnic com-
position, the government has to protect the Bumiputra community’s interest.
Hence, having both government-owned corporations serving as the surrogate
investor for Bumiputra and private firms at the same time in operating the
terminal is the appropriate approach. Shashikumar (1998) provided another
example from a developing country – India. In his critique on the Indian port
privatization model, he stated that using market forces to achieve port pri-
vatization would be more effective than having a tariff regulatory body, based
on the fact that India is one of the fastest growing economies in the world.

Frameworks for developing port PPP in specific

country settings
The above examples show that decisions on port PPPs should be aligned
with the country’s circumstances. Scholars have derived various frameworks
to assist practitioners in developing port PPPs. Due to the uncertainty and
dynamism of a country’s market and institutional environment, Baltazar and
 PPPs and Port Logistics Performance 329

Brooks (2007) suggested applying contingency theory to the management

and governance of ports. There exists no ‘best way’ to partially or fully pri-
vatize a port, but for any given situation a suitable model can be found. They
noted that not all ports have profit-motivated objectives so going for a high
level of privatization with the aim to maximize profit would not always be
the most suitable approach. Bagchi and Paik (2001) proposed a three-phrase
process model which consists of setting pre-conditions, PPP development and
implementation, and performance assessment. The key point is to have stra-
tegic vision and proactive commitment within government departments in
the process. In another study focusing on the awardof port PPP contracts,
­Siemonsma et al (2012) illustrated that, particularly for complex port projects,
early dialogue with candidates in the private sector would lead to enhanced
project value by reducing expected transaction costs and increasing expected
contract value. They suggested a competitive dialogue procedure to allow
early private-sector involvement in the design and awarding of the port PPPs.
In addition, given the growing technological complexity and financial burden
currently imposed by greenfield projects, bidders are often used to build up
large consortia for sharing resources and capabilities among members.
Based on the above literature review, we observe that port PPP has gener-
ated a lot of interest from researchers. Prior studies focus on the intrinsic
characteristics and institutional aspects of port PPPs. Most of these studies
are qualitative or descriptive in nature. Basically, the most common research
approach adopted is (port) single or multiple case study. More rigorous
empirical analysis would deepen our understanding on the topic. In addition,
in both port research and industry practice, ports are increasingly seen as
logistics platforms integrated in globally outstretched supply chains (Panay-
ides, 2006). Nonetheless, the literature has only barely touched on port PPP
in connection with a wider logistics perspective. Juhel (2001) recognized
that private-sector involvement is conducive for commercial operations of
logistics facilities since ports are vital nodes inserted in market-driven sup-
ply chains. Furthermore, mainstream contributions also neglected to inves-
tigate to what extent the institutional background of a country is capable
of (positively or negatively) affecting port PPP development. The literature
has yet to provide any systematic investigation in this direction. This chapter
attempts to narrow this literature gap, identifying some relevant institu-
tional factors and debating their influential role in shaping port PPPs.

Institutional factors and PPPs: Which

impact on port logistics performance?
World Governance and Doing Business Indicators
Based on the institutional framework established by Daude and Stein (2007)
and focused on the World Governance (Kaufmann et al, 2009) and Doing
330 Port Logistics

Business Indicators1 (World Bank, 2012b), we conceptualize some major

institutional factors that would have an impact on port logistics perfor-
mance in the context of PPPs which are:

●● voice and accountability;

●● government effectiveness;
●● regulatory quality;
●● market openness;
●● ease to start a business;
●● contract enforcement;
●● protecting investors.

The ability of a country’s citizens to participate in selecting their govern-

ment, together with their freedom of expression, freedom of association and
a free media, constitutes a country’s ‘voice and accountability’ (Kaufmann
et al, 2009). It also indicates if the government can be answerable to its citi-
zens. Countries with high voice and accountability ratings are usually able
to provide investors with more freedom while giving them confidence in the
countries’ accountability. It is therefore an important factor in determining
the willingness of the private sector to participate in PPP projects.
For port PPP, its success can be affected by the extent of freedom afforded
to its investors as well as the presence of a reliable government. Private
investors (such as private terminal operators) value liberty in making deci-
sions such as the employment of their workforce; having the freedom to
employ their own workforce allows them to be more efficient as workers
are hired to their specific requirements. Workers’ performance can be traced
and training can be streamlined if terminal operators can hire their own
employees. They will in turn benefit from cost savings and be more efficient.
With increased involvement of the private sector in the port’s privatization,
it would improve the port logistics performance as a whole. This can be
credited to having a more efficient and well-trained workforce.
This can be substantiated using the example of the Port of Rotterdam,
which was corporatized in 2004. Its efforts to involve the private sector are
evident from the number of private terminal operators in the port. Some
notable examples are APM and Euromax terminals. Netherlands boasts a
high percentile of 98 in the World Governance Indicators (WGI) for voice
and accountability. It constantly adjusts its labour system for ports to ensure
that investors have autonomy in employing their workforce. For example,
the Port of Rotterdam used to have a labour pool system through which
operators had to employ dock workers. In view of its failure to match up
with uncertainty in demand, the government privatized the labour pool sys-
tem in 1995 to make it more efficient. To date, the Port of Rotterdam’s labour
pool systems are characterized by a collective agreement system where ter-
minal operators can have their own permanent workers and employ extra
from the labour pools when needed (Notteboom, 2012). With a high level
 PPPs and Port Logistics Performance 331

of voice and accountability, Netherlands is successful in implementing port

PPP which further improves its port logistics performance. This can be seen
from the World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index, in which Netherlands
is ranked 4th overall for logistics performance.
‘Government effectiveness’ refers to a measure for the quality of public
services, policy formulation and implementation (Thomas, 2009). It reflects
the competence of the civil service and the degree of its independence from
political pressures, and the credibility of the government’s commitment to
its policies. These qualities reflect the ability of a government to formulate
and implement good policies over the long term. As such, government effec-
tiveness would be fundamental to port development in general as a coun-
try’s overall well-being is influenced by government effectiveness.
In the context of port PPP, we recognize that one of the major drivers of
port privatization and reform is represented by the scarce capacity of public
bodies (governments, local public bodies, and port authorities) to efficiently
handle port operations and management. For example, public bodies may be
less responsive to market changes than private entities. Hence, port authorities
located in countries where the effectiveness of government bodies is low are
more inclined to seek private investors and operators in order to enhance port
logistics performance. On the other hand, if a government is very effective in
developing and implementing policies with respect to port operations and
management, it would not be highly necessary to involve private investors.
The Port of Singapore can be taken as an example. There are two termi-
nal operators in Singapore, namely PSA Corporation and Jurong Port. In
1997, the PSA Corporation was formed by the corporatization of the former
Port of Singapore Authority. While PSA operates on a commercial basis, it
is a government-owned entity (Cullinane et al, 2007). There is rather lim-
ited involvement of the private sector with PSA, and that is restricted to
joint ventures with shipping lines Cosco, Mediterranean Shipping Company
(MSC), and Pacific International Lines (PIL) in several container berths, and
with NYK and K Line in a dedicated car terminal. Similarly, another termi-
nal operator, Jurong Port, is also a government-owned entity. It is a multi-
purpose port and was corporatized in 2001.
The two terminal operators do not have to rely on private investors in
port operations partly due to the high government effectiveness of Singapore.
Referring to World Bank’s WGI (2013), Singapore’s government effective-
ness is ranked in the 100th percentile (ie the highest) from 2006 to 2012. In
the World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index (World Bank, 2012c) which
reveals port logistics performance, Singapore is also ranked first for effi-
ciency in terms of customs clearance and timeliness of shipments delivered.
The government of Singapore is proactive in taking actions to enhance port
logistics performance. For instance, the government’s Workforce Develop-
ment Agency (WDA) worked closely with the port industry by conducting
competency-based training for port employees and professionals. The Port
Services Workforce Skills Qualifications competency framework has been
developed for enhancing labour skills and efficiency (WDA, 2012).
332 Port Logistics

A government’s ability to devise and carry out sound policies and regu-
lations that encourage and make room for private-sector development is
measured by its ‘regulatory quality’ (Kaufmann et al, 2010). To be success-
ful in promoting the private sector and attaining economic growth, having
an effective legal and regulatory framework is vital (Hafeez, 2003). A weak
institutional structure, on the other hand, decreases the potential of growth
due to poor design and implementation of policies (Jalilian et al, 2007). For
private investors to participate in PPP initiatives, they will be seeking growth
in their business as well as the country’s economy. Hence, this implies that
PPP initiatives are affected by regulatory quality.
The United Kingdom attained 95 per cent for Regulatory Quality in
2012’s World Governance Indicator. Its efforts in port PPP include having a
National Policy Statement under the Planning Act 2008. Under the National
Policy Statement, frameworks are developed to select suitable proposals for
port developments. This allows investors’ proposals to be regulated and
simplifies the process for selection. It is also more cost-effective for inves-
tors to work towards a standard requirement. Having such regulations
can therefore attract more private investors to take part in port PPP and
contribute to its success. This in turn enhances port logistics performance.
The UK is ranked 10th overall for its logistics performance. For example,
the 3.5 million-TEU London Gateway, as the newest port investment from
private terminal operator DP World, will be the UK’s largest and deepest
container facility (IHS Fairplay, 2011). London Gateway aims to substan-
tially enhance the port’s logistics performance by reducing delivery times
and investing in distribution centres.
The ‘market openness’ of a country is also considered a vital institutional
factor in affecting port PPP. It can be characterized by the amount of govern-
ment intervention which is not limited to just tariffs and subsidies (Stensnes,
2006). An open market can thus allow economic actors to trade without any
external constraints. Such a market encourages the entry of investors into
the market as barriers to entry are reduced. As such, this can greatly influ-
ence port PPP since the private sector’s participation is crucial.
There are many cases of opening the market to increased competition
so as to improve performance. In the context of ports, besides opening the
market for private terminal operators, many port services are also liberal-
ized to increase access to the market. This is justified by the EU’s constant
attempt to liberalize port services to make them more efficient, providing
more opportunities for the private sector’s involvement, thereby contribut-
ing to the enhancement of a port’s logistics performance.
One example is pilotage services in Denmark. Denmark, ranked first in
the ICC’s Open Market Index, adopted a Pilotage Act in 2006 to introduce
competition to its state-owned pilotage service in an attempt to enhance
the efficiency of pilotage services. Danish Pilotage Service, the first private
pilotage company in Denmark, competed with the state-owned DanPilot.
However, based on the experience of some countries, giving market access
for pilotage services may be detrimental to safety as well as efficiency since
 PPPs and Port Logistics Performance 333

it compromises professional standards (Danish Maritime Pilots Association,

2013). In addition, after introducing more competition, the dues for pilot-
age services by the state-owned DanPilot in fact increased by 20 per cent as
indicated by Loodswezen (2013).
Comparing the Danish and German ports enables an evaluation of both.
Denmark, with a higher open market index than Germany, has a mixture of
public and private pilotage service providers. On the other hand, Germany’s
pilotage services are handled by the public sector through local pilotage organ-
izations (PwC, 2012). Yet, pilotage services in Germany are efficient and highly
regarded in the port industry. Though having an open market contributes to
port PPP initiatives, it does not necessarily increase port logistics performance.
‘Ease to start a business’ is another institutional indicator which meas-
ures the number of procedures to start and operate a company, taking into
account the cost and time needed to complete them. It also constitutes the
paid-in minimum capital that companies have to deposit (World Bank,
2013a). Hence, fewer procedures, shorter time, lower cost and lower paid-
in minimum capital allow greater ease of starting businesses and open up
foreign markets, thus attracting the participation of private investors in the
port sector (Olivier et al, 2007).
Hong Kong, having a free enterprise policy system and a free port status,
is ranked 5th out of the 189 economies for the ease to start a business – a
testament to the Hong Kong government’s consistent efforts. In 2010, the
government eased registration formalities and reduced the number of proce-
dures by merging them together. Online electronic services to register busi-
nesses and companies were also introduced in 2012.
The ease of starting a business in Hong Kong is one of the reasons
for active port PPPs and this is evident with the port having a number of
private ­terminal operators such as Modern Terminals Ltd, Hong Kong
International Terminals Ltd, Dubai Port International Terminals Ltd and
Asia Container Terminals Ltd. The Port of Hong Kong is ranked 4th in the
world for the cargo volume handled in 2013. Despite being a busy port,
Hong Kong is ranked 2nd overall for its logistics performance in 2012
while also being 4th for the timeliness of shipments in reaching their des-
tination. This can be credited to the success of port PPP in Hong Kong as
the increased involvement of the private sector enables the port to be more
efficient (Pagano et al, 2013; Baird, 2012). As such, it can be deduced that
since the success of port PPP can be attained by having an easy environment
for business start-up, port logistics performance will therefore be improved.
Turning to another aspect, the measure of ‘contract enforcement’ includes
the number of procedures required to enforce a contract through the courts,
and the time as well as the cost required to complete the procedures. These
indicators ultimately illustrate the efficiency of the judicial system on resolv-
ing a commercial dispute (World Bank, 2013b). The importance of contract
enforcement is highlighted by a survey conducted by Stone et al (1992) in
Brazil. The results showed that ineffective contract enforcement obstructs
the growth of businesses. Thus, we can infer that the effectiveness of a
334 Port Logistics

country in enforcing contracts can affect the willingness of private investors

to participate in PPP initiatives.
Port PPP normally involves huge amounts of capital and thus it is crucial
to have an effective contract enforcement environment to bolster confidence
in private investors. While it is also a common venue for commercial dis-
putes to occur, contract enforcement in port PPP cannot be ignored. Ports
that participate in PPP often have a good reputation for its contract enforce-
ment. The Port of Busan in Korea can be used to illustrate this point.
Ranked 2nd in the World Bank’s Enforcing Contracts indicator, Korea
boasts an effective environment for contract enforcement. In 2012, Korea
introduced an electronic case-filing system, which allows cases to be regis-
tered electronically and subsequently assigned to a judge to review. Together
with the e-court system, private investors benefit from the transparency of
judicial decisions as well as fighting corruption. Such benefits ultimately
foster better growth (World Bank, 2013c). The Port of Busan was ranked
5th for container throughput volume. With Korea’s effectiveness in contract
enforcement, there are numerous PPPs in the Port of Busan. Some exam-
ples include private operators such as Hanjin Logistics and Hutchinson
Korea Terminals. With the success of port PPP enhanced by having effective
enforcement of contract, there are increasing port PPP initiatives with the
construction of Busan new port. A total of 16 berths are allocated to private
terminal operators and the increase in PPP may increase the port’s efficiency
(Pagano et al, 2013).
‘Protecting investors’ reflects the protection of minority shareholders
against directors’ misuse of corporate assets. This is also an important insti-
tutional factor as it gives confidence and assurance for investors to invest
in companies as minority shareholders. Companies can therefore benefit
through the funding attained from such investments. According to the
World Bank (2013d), the measure of protecting investors consists of the fol-
lowing dimensions: transparency of related-party transactions, liability for
self-dealing and minority shareholders’ access to evidence before and during
trial. The stronger the protection of investors, the greater the willingness for
investors to participate. Translating it in the context of PPP, having more
protection for private investors can positively influence PPP initiatives. This
is ascertained by Love et al ’s (2002) point that weaker investor protection
leads to higher internal ownership.
The United States is ranked 6th for its ability to protect investors based
on the data from the World Bank. Its high ranking is justified through the US
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which was formed to protect
investors, ensure the efficiency of market and assist in capital formation. To
give private investors access to basic information about an investment, SEC
mandates public companies to provide such information to the public. As
such, sound decisions can then be made. The SEC is also in charge of the
legal enforcement for violation of securities law which includes fraud and
providing false information.
 PPPs and Port Logistics Performance 335

As mentioned earlier, having strong protection for investors can encour-

age the uptake of port PPPs. The United States has a total of 34 landlord
ports with notable ports such as those of Los Angeles and Long Beach (Faw-
cett, 2006). They are the two busiest and among the most efficient ports in
the United States with various terminals operated by private operators.

Some evidence from leading port PPP countries

After discussing the institutional factors with illustrations from real-world
examples, Table 17.1 reports some World Governance and Doing Business
indicators in regard to the leading developing countries in port PPPs. Before
analysing the data a cautionary note is necessary. All the disclosed figures
relate to developing countries only whereas the source database (except for
market openness) also includes advanced economies. Therefore, the selected
countries might appear to occupy a low or mid-position in the range (in
absolute terms) simply because they are developing economies and basically
rank lower vis a vis many advanced nations.
First, the variable voice and accountability reports that half of the leading
countries ranked above the 50th percentile, an outcome rather in line with
main theoretical arguments. Nevertheless, some countries which indeed are
quite successful in attracting port PPPs do not appear to rank highly. China
has a very low value, which derives from the minimal opportunities its coun-
try’s citizens have to participate in selecting their government, as well as to
express their opinions through the media. Contrary to expectations, most
countries show rather high values for the variable government effectiveness,
except for Nigeria, Pakistan and Egypt. This means that the effectiveness of
governmental institutions at the national level should act as a positive stim-
ulus for developing port PPPs. Further investigation is therefore required
due to the specific nature of this business which, indeed, takes place within
port boundaries and is often subject to ad hoc legislation. Future studies
should also concentrate on the relations among diverse governmental tiers
(from central to local ones) and how institutions are able or unable to coor-
dinate their efforts for growing port PPP schemes.
Regarding the variable regulatory quality, most countries disclose rather
high values, confirming the main theoretical assumptions. This means that,
also for location-bounded businesses like ports, the quality of the regula-
tory environment at the national level is an important factor for ensuring
private long-term commitment and promoting port PPPs. Moving to Doing
Business indicators, the variable market openness brings evidence which
corroborates arguments from literature. Except for Colombia and Peru, all
the leading countries have a relatively long-standing experience in port pri-
vatization schemes and this factor seems to have a positive effect on PPP
development. The variable ease to start a business exhibits mixed outcomes.
The top five countries are low ranked, partially contradicting the theory.
Conversely, many other nations, such as Malaysia, Colombia, Turkey, Chile
Ta B L E 17. 1     World Governance and Doing Business indicators in the leading developing countries in port PPPs
Doing business
Total World governance indicators1 indicators2
investments ease to
rank (uS$ Voice and government regulatory Market start a Contract Protecting
Country million) accountability effectiveness quality openness business enforcement investors
1 China 13,956.7 4.7 56.0 43.5 22 153 19 95
2 Brazil 11,098.7 60.7 50.2 54.5 20 121 121 80
3 India 7,641.8 58.3 47.4 34.0 16 177 186 32
4 Nigeria 7,146.1 27.5 15.8 25.4 11 114 138 67
5 Pakistan 2,514.8 23.7 23.4 24.9 20 99 159 32
6 Malaysia 2,506.6 37.9 80.4 69.9 27 19 29 4
7 Colombia 2,337.0 45.5 56.9 63.6 4 74 157 6
8 Turkey 2,224.7 40.8 65.1 65.6 12 73 38 67
9 Mexico 2,138.9 55.0 63.2 67.0 20 41 73 67
Egypt,
10 1,917.1 26.5 25.4 33.0 15 44 155 147
Arab Rep.
11 Chile 1,869.2 80.1 86.6 93.3 14 30 32 64
12 Philippines 1,541.7 47.9 57.9 51.7 31 166 112 127
 13 Indonesia 1,519.1 51.2 44.0 43.1 19 171 146 51
14 Peru 1,201.3 53.6 48.8 67.9 8 60 108 16
15 Vietnam 1,087.0 9.5 44.5 27.3 16 107 46 169

NOTES
1. World Governance Indicators: percentile rank among all countries (2012), ranging from 0 (lowest) to 100 (highest) rank (derived from World Bank).
2. Doing Business Indicators: ‘market openness’ reflects the numbers of years (at 2014) from the start of the port privatization process in each country (authors’ own elaboration from
Drewry Shipping Consultants, corporate websites, Port Authorities annual reports, and specialized press); ‘ease to start a business’, ‘contract enforcement’, and ‘protecting investors’
reflect the country rank (where 1 is the highest position and 189 the lowest), as defined by World Bank (2013).
338 Port Logistics

etc, have a high standing and thus seem to demonstrate that the existence of
a limited number of effective procedures for setting new business stimulates
PPPs in ports. Similar evidence emerges for the variable contract enforce-
ment. Except for China, which ensures short timing and low costs in resolv-
ing commercial lawsuits, other leading PPP nations are ranked low. Finally,
the variable protecting investors provides evidence which is rather consist-
ent with theory. The protection of minority shareholders against directors’
misuse of corporate assets appears to be a relevant institutional dimension
capable of affecting port PPP development.

Conclusion
Public–private partnerships (PPPs) have increasingly became a common tool
in the development, modernization and privatization of port operations
worldwide. In particular, since the late 1990s port PPP schemes have been
largely adopted both in many advanced and developing countries, charac-
terized by a spectacular surge of private investments (World Bank, 2012b).
This chapter conducted an exploratory investigation into the impact of
PPP frameworks on port logistics performance, also raising the importance
of environmental country-related factors in conditioning the development
of public–private cooperative arrangements. In this perspective, the study
feeds the academic debate on the advantages and disadvantages of PPPs
and questions the need to include some institutional dimensions for a more
complete understanding of port PPP trends.
In this regard, this chapter has provided an extensive analysis of major
institutional factors that would affect the impact of PPPs on port logistics
performance, based on the institutional framework of Daude and Stein
(2007) and the empirical data provided by the World Bank (2012b). Over-
all, three World Governance indicators and four Doing Business indicators
have been identified and discussed bringing some anecdotal evidence for
corroborating theoretical arguments. Based on the examples from various
ports, PPPs could improve port logistics performance primarily attributed
to the private sector’s operational and managerial expertise. However, there
are also examples showing the capability of the public sector in achieving
a high level of port logistics performance. Hence, having PPPs would not
be the only or major way to advance port logistics performance. Further,
an in-depth investigation into the top 15 developing countries pioneer-
ing port PPPs disclosed some mixed results in relation to the explanatory
power of institutional factors in affecting PPP’s growth. Some institutional
factors, indeed, seem to be influential only in specific countries, and thus
generate apparent contradictions in the understanding of the overall pic-
ture. Actually, such outcomes might be biased by the unique legislative
environment in which ports operate: governments often establish ad hoc
territorial legislative regimes in ports, provoking institutional asymmetries
 PPPs and Port Logistics Performance 339

with respect to the investments carried out in the rest of the country, for
instance in other types of infrastructures. In other words, ports could rep-
resent a unique setting where the assumptions of previous scholars (Daude
and Stein, 2007; Kaufmann et al, 2009) trying to capture the influence
of institutional factors in business practice need to be contextualized and
partially rethought.
This chapter has contributed to increasing awareness of the complexity
of this theme, and has raised the urgency of performing extensive empiri-
cal research for a clearer understanding of these arguments. In particular, it
could be valuable to investigate other analytical dimensions besides those
approached in this study, and to carry out cross-industry comparisons
among various types of PPP transport infrastructures (eg airports, railroads,
motorways, pipelines) which might be affected in different ways by institu-
tional factors.

Note
1 In this chapter we utilize some Doing Business indicators provided by the World
Bank. In addition we also elaborated the variable market openness, defined as
the numbers of years (at 2014) from the start of the port privatization process in
each country (authors’ own elaboration from Drewry Shipping Consultants,
corporate websites, port authorities’ annual reports, and specialized press).

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Port and logistics 18
chains: Changes
in organizational
effectiveness
C I M E N K a r aTa S C E T I N

Introduction
Seaports are uniquely structured social and technical organizations (or
systems) and the most vulnerable nodes in logistics chains directly affected
by the oscillations in the logistics and transport markets. The develop-
ments in the supply chain, logistics and transport industry such as the
horizontal and vertical integration between actors, product and process
innovations, shortening product life cycles, minimization of time to mar-
kets, advances in information and communication technologies, new prac-
tices in manufacturing and logistics, restructuring of logistics networks
and repositioning of regional and local distribution centres, developments
in intermodal transport and, as a result of these, changes in the expecta-
tions of the players in the supply chains, have all changed the roles of
ports from being places providing loading and discharging operations to
intermodal terminals in the supply chain system that add value to port
users and final customers. Ports have become the most important logistic
link in the production, distribution and consumption chains of econo-
mies worldwide (Sanchez, 2006) and parts of intermodal networks, with
competition increasingly taking place between complete logistics chains
instead of between ports (de Langen and Chouly, 2004). The competi-
tiveness of ports within logistics chains is thus a much higher priority
than it was before. Due to restructuring in the markets surrounding ports
and accelerating competition in the logistics, transport and port indus-
try, organizational effectiveness (OE), which is a rather new concept for
port studies aiming to assess the success of seaports, is becoming more
344 Port Logistics

Fi g u r e 18 .1  Conceptual framework

Changes in...

Environment Roles Goals OE Measures

Ports Ports * Adaptability

* Port-logistics chain integration
Logistics * Information and
and communication management
Supply * Service quality
Chains
* Customer satisfaction
* Innovation
Port Port
Authorities Authorities * Resource acquisition

important in today’s port business. OE has both an internal and external

focus, which means it provides an overall evaluation of the port organiza-
tion and does not solely focus on the operational measures such as effi-
ciency and productivity.
This study is organized in accordance with the conceptual framework
illustrated in Figure 18.1. The aforementioned changes in the logistics and
supply chains and especially the severe competition among the actors in
these chains, impel ports to provide more specialized, integrated, value-
added logistics services, to integrate themselves within logistics chains by
cooperating with supply chain actors, utilizing information and communica-
tion systems and knowledge sharing, increasing accessibility to the hinter-
land and developing intermodal transport opportunities. The changes in the
traditional roles of ports put responsibility on port authorities as the admin-
istrative bodies of port organizations. Their landlord, regulator and operator
roles are shifted towards a coordinator, facilitator and integrator role in port
clusters, international transport, logistics and supply chains. As the roles and
functions change, so too the goals. The scope of port authority goals extends
towards the hinterland and logistics chains. Where the effective organization
is both efficient and able to modify its goals as circumstances change (Car-
nall, 2003), as a member of restructuring supply and logistics chains, port
authorities re-define their goals and priorities in accordance with the needs
of the changing market. The changing goals also change the OE criteria.
It appears that in today’s port business, commonly used port performance
measures such as efficiency, profitability and growth are not enough to assess
a port organization’s success at all points. With respect to the developments
in logistics chains, in this study it is proposed that port logistics chain inte-
gration, adaptability to the changes in the environment, customer orienta-
tion and satisfaction, information and communication management, service
quality and provision of value-added and intermodal services, innovation
and resource acquisition gain more importance than before.
 Port and Logistics Chains 345

Ports and logistics chains

Developments in logistics chains and their effects
on ports
Port organizations accommodate the dynamism and turbulence in their
environments that are brought about by driving forces like globalization,
technological advances and the changes in the expectations of the players
in the supply chains. The liner shipping industry is now more concerned
with being a key provider in the market for door-to-door and value-added
logistics; this is an aspect that has largely been made possible by the vertical
integration of traditional liner shipping companies, ports and logistics com-
panies (Cullinane, 2005). The structural changes in the shipping companies,
as the main customer of ports, force ports to adapt to their needs and expec-
tations. Furthermore, the developments in supply chains and the logistics
industry have put pressure on ports to position themselves in re-organizing
supply and logistics chains and to re-define their strategies and goals to
maintain their competitive positions in the market. These developments are
listed below (UNESCAP and KMI, 2005; Johnson and Kaplan, 1987; Neely,
1999; Henri, 2004; Storey et al, 2006; Haugstetter and Cahoon, 2010):
●● the globalization of manufacturing and outsourcing;
●● global trends of logistics network restructuring and repositioning of
regional and local distribution centres;
●● one-stop-shopping concept and intermodal transport linking
strategically between ocean, railway, road and inland waterway;
●● rapid progress in product and process technology;
●● the power of information technology;
●● shortening product life cycles;
●● the changing nature of work and organizational roles;
●● changing external demands;
●● new manufacturing practices such as total quality management,
just-in-time, computer-integrated manufacturing systems and
customization;
●● more responsiveness to customer demand with shorter lead times;
●● better dispersion of information and knowledge among stakeholders
and customers.
Where ports are the most vulnerable area in the logistics and transport
chains, exposed to the coming and going of the demanding parties in a
highly-movable, changing, dynamic and closely inter-related port environ-
ment (Sanchez, 2006), these developments had more serious effects on ports
than on the other actors in logistics chains. The developments in the logistics
and port environment have created the need for ports to be part of wider
346 Port Logistics

logistics networks and to provide value-added services (Verhoeven, 2010).

In an era of economic globalization ports are evolving rapidly from being
traditional land – sea interfaces to being providers of complete logistics
networks (UNESCAP and KMI, 2005) and value-added logistics services
(Bichou and Gray, 2004) and their pre-eminent role in international distri-
bution is unlikely to be challenged in the foreseeable future (Notteboom and
Winkelmans, 2001a).

Changing roles of ports in logistics chains

There are various definitions of seaports in terms of their changing roles
within global logistics and supply chains. Seaports can evolve from a pure
import/export and transhipment centre to a complex of trade and indus-
trial functions within a logistics system (UNESCAP and KMI, 2005; IAPH,
1996). They are the value-adding transfer points (Notteboom, 1998) and
central links in complex supply and logistics (Banister et al, 1995) and trans-
portation chains, providing seamless transport facilities (Branch, 1986) with
a strong interface with other modes of transport services (Branch, 2007).
According to Paixão and Marlow (2003, p 358) seaports function as ‘bi-
directional logistics systems’ and this logistics system requires a high level
of coordination and inter-connectivity capabilities within the port system
(Panayides and Song, 2006). A more comprehensive definition of a seaport
highlighting its role in logistics chains is as follows (Notteboom, 1998, p 9):
A sea port is a logistic and industrial node in the global transport system with
a strong maritime character and in which a functional and spatial clustering of
activities takes place, activities that are directly or indirectly linked to seamless
transportation and transformation processes within logistic chains.

According to de Langen’s (2004) port cluster perspective, apart from their

traditional roles, seaports should be regarded as logistics centres, industrial
zones and centres of trade. Branch (2007) and Notteboom and Rodrigue
(2005) state that the free trade zone, the inland clearance depot, the freight
village, container freight stations, distriparks are the components of the ports
as trading and industrial centres with an increasing role in global supply chain
management and logistics network structures (UNESCAP and KMI, 2005).
Table 18.1 lists the changing roles of ports in terms of the developments
in the external environment, functional and spatial organization, and port
organization and strategy. In light of UNCTAD’s (1992) port generation
concept and the WORKPORT model (Beresford et  al, 2004), Pettit and
Beresford (2009) demonstrate the role of ports in supply chains and how
this has changed during the last four decades, with the increasing emphasis
on value-added activities, lean and agile logistics concepts categorized as
port production characteristics (in Table 18.1) and the vertical integration
of ports into supply chains. Notteboom (1998) illustrates the functional and
spatial development of seaports and describes ports as integrated transport,
logistics and information complex and networks.
Ta B L E 18.1    Characteristics of logistics-oriented
(fourth-generation) ports
external environment
Period of development After 2000s
Decisive factors Global information technology/know-how
and port networks
Exogenous developments Global economy
Information systems
Environment
Informatization
Functional organization
Type of cargo Specialisation in cargo types: Bulk cargo,
containerised cargo, special cargo
Port functions Cargo loading, discharging, storage and
navigational services
Cargo transformation; ship-related industrial
and commercial services
Cargo and information distribution, total
logistical activities
Logistics and distribution centre services
Logistic control
Production characteristics Cargo/information flow
Cargo/information distribution
High value logistic facilities (network oriented)
Integrated logistics services
Dedicated terminals
Agility and leanness
Chain management
Emphasis on quality of service and trained
work force
Spatial organization
Spatial expansion of port Port–city separation (loosening relations)
Regionalization (cooperation with inland, dry
ports and seaports in proximity)
Terminalization (global port network:
networks of terminals under corporate logic)
Network-related functional expansion
Locational factors Availability of transhipment facilities
Access to sales market
Space
Flexibility and costs of labour
Available know-how
Quality of life

(Continued )
348 Port Logistics

Ta B L E 18.1   Characteristics of logistics-oriented

(fourth-generation) ports (Continued )
Societal organization
Ecosystems Environmental interactions with the outside
Greater environmental control
Green port (sustainability)
Human factor Sustainable co-habitation with local
communities
Port organization and strategy
Organization characteristics Port network community
Close relation between port network and
public authorities
Close relations between shipping lines,
shippers and ports
Enlarged port organization (joint ventures
between port authorities)
Physically separated ports linked through
common operators/administration
Port authority’s task Nautical services
Development of port area and infrastructure
Port marketing
Network management
Attitude and strategy Global commercial oriented
Logistics and distribution platform for global
trade
Integrated transport, logistic and information
complex and network

SOuRCE UNCTAD (1992); World Bank (1992); van Klink and van den Berg (1994); van Klink (1995);
Notteboom (1998); UNCTAD (1999); UNESCAP (2002); Beresford et al (2004); Alderton (2008); Paixão
and Marlow (2003); Yan (2009); European Parliament (2009); Verhoeven (2010); Teurelincx (2011)

The changing roles of ports in logistics chains are commonly studied from
the perspectives of port logistic chain integration, port – hinterland relations
and value added in logistics chains. There have been a number of papers on
the orientation and integration of ports and terminals into the supply and
logistics chains (Carbone and De Martino, 2003; Song and Panayides, 2008;
Notteboom, 2009; Pettit and Beresford, 2009; De Martino and Morvillo,
2008; Panayides and Song, 2008, 2009; Woo and Pettit, 2009). The Council
of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) declares that supply
and logistics chain ‘includes coordination and collaboration with channel
 Port and Logistics Chains 349

partners, which can be suppliers, intermediaries, third-party service provid-

ers, customers’ and as the key constituents of many supply and logistics
chains ‘seaports’ (Notteboom and Winkelmans, 2001a; Sanchez, 2006,
Pettit and Beresford, 2009).
Panayides and Song (2009) indicate that ports and terminals should stra-
tegically position themselves to facilitate the provision of high-quality ser-
vices for their users through integration with their supply chain. Woo and
Pettit (2009, p 3) define port supply chain integration as ‘a strategy under-
taken by a seaport terminal to integrate various functions and organizations
in a supply chain to become an integral part of the supply chain’ and they
determine its components as: information sharing, information and com-
munication systems, long-term relationships, value-added and intermodal
services, and supply chain integration practices. Bichou and Gray (2004,
2005) propose a channel approach and conceptualize the role of ports from
three perspectives: ‘logistics channel’ perspective, where the port serves as
an intermodal transport intersection and operates as a logistics centre; ‘trade
channel’ perspective, where the port acts as a key location where channel
control and ownership can be identified and trading takes place; ‘supply
channel’ perspective, where the port not only links outside flows and pro-
cesses but also creates patterns and processes of its own.
Logistics drives port development primarily involving intermodal trans-
port services (Branch, 2007) and allows seaports to connect to the inland
and dry ports. The European Parliament (2009) explains the evolving role
of seaports in the fast-changing logistics environment in terms of three spa-
tial development phases: ‘port community’, ‘port regionalization’ and ‘port
terminalization’. At present, a terminalization phase – characterized by
increased connectivity of the port with its hinterland through intermodal
networks and inland terminals – is going on. Verhoeven (2010) analyses
characteristics of multi-purpose gateway ports in terms of operational, spa-
tial and societal dimensions. He highlights the developments in port ter-
minalization and regionalization, and indicates that logistics-oriented ports
of today form networks beyond the port area by cooperating with inland
ports, dry ports and with other seaports in proximity (port regionalization
or port networking) (Notteboom and Winkelmans, 2001a); and albeit they
are physically separated, they are linked through common multinational
operators (port terminalization) (UNCTAD, 1999). Notteboom and Rodri-
gue (2005) stress the importance of inland terminals, corridors and freight
distribution centres in port regionalization and indicate that inland acces-
sibility should be regarded as a cornerstone in port competitiveness.
Ports’ ability to integrate their operations vertically both upstream and
downstream in the logistics chain gives them the ability to control the move-
ment of cargo and create value within logistics chains (Paixão and Marlow,
2003). Robinson (2002) introduces the concept of value chains in the port
environment and discusses that competition takes place along value (viz logis-
tics) chains not between individual ports. The author advocates that ports
contribute to the supply chains through the creation of competitive advantage
350 Port Logistics

and value-added delivery. Achievement of the highest possible value added,

together with minimization of the cargo transport service, is currently the
most important criterion of the economic activity of every seaport (Mistzal,
2007). The gateway position of major seaports offers opportunities for the
development of value-added logistics services. Mangan et  al (2008, p 36)
define port-centric logistics as ‘the provision of distribution and other value-
adding logistics services at a port’ and advocate that higher profit margins can
be made by the provision of non-core port activities. Carbone and De Mar-
tino (2003, p.306) define a value-added service as ‘an activity along the chain
that adds value to the product or service and for which the final customer is
willing to pay’ and these services vary from simple processes such as packag-
ing, labelling and bar-coding to more complicated processes such as inven-
tory management and quality control (UNESCAP, 2002). Ports are becoming
part of complex logistics and value chains (Haugstetter and Cahoon, 2010),
and the value is ‘created as much outside a company as within’ (Gratton,
2006, p 2). By offering value-added logistics services, ports aim to attract a
large portion of the value-added creation within product and logistics chains
(Notteboom and Winkelmans, 2001a, Paixão and Marlow, 2003).

Port authorities in logistics chains

The developments in logistics chains did not only change the role of ports
and terminals, but also changed the roles, strategies and functions of port
authorities as the administrative body of the port organization. It is impor-
tant to look at the changes in their traditional roles, as they are the strategic
decision-makers and goal-setters in a port organization and responsible for
the overall effectiveness of the port.

Traditional roles of port authorities

A ‘port authority (PA)’, which is defined by Commission of the European
Communities (2001, p 28) as ‘a body which, has as its objective under
national law or regulation the administration and management of the port
infrastructures, and the coordination and control of the activities of the
different operators present in the port or port system concerned’ is gaining
new roles together with the changing functions of ports within the supply
and logistics chains.
There have been a number of studies on the traditional roles of port
authorities (UNCTAD, 1985; Baird, 1995, 2000; Haralambides et al, 1997;
Baltazar and Brooks, 2001; Brooks and Cullinane, 2007; World Bank,
2007). Principally, port authorities are the major owners of the port land
(Bichou and Gray, 2004) and thus the primary asset of a port authority is
the land inside the borders of the port area (van der Lugt and de Langen,
2007). In this respect, the major two revenue drivers of port authorities are
 Port and Logistics Chains 351

Ta B L E 18.2   Traditional roles of port authorities

regulator Landlord Operator
- licensing port works - management, - physical transfer of
- port policy maintenance and goods and
- VTS services development of port estate passengers between
- laws and - civil engineering works sea and land
regulations - provision of infrastructure - provision of technical
- port labour and facilities – nautical services
regulations - implementation of policies - waste disposal
- environmental and development strategies - equipment
policy - protection and maintenance
- customs maintenance of port
- protection of public infrastructure
interest for port - marketing of port location
community - port safety

SOuRCE UNCTAD (1998); Baird (2000); World Bank (2007); Verhoeven (2010)

land value and port throughput (de Langen, 2009; Estache and Trujillo,
2009). By stressing the efficient management and development of the port
estate as an entrepreneur, and also when seen from the value chain perspec-
tive, Verhoeven (2010) states that the principal function of contemporary
port authorities is the landlord function.
Baird (1995, 2000), Baltazar and Brooks (2001), Brooks and Culli-
nane (2007) and Verhoeven (2010) categorize the traditional roles of port
authorities into three headings: ‘regulator’, ‘landlord’ and ‘operator’ (see
Table 18.2). Estache and Trujillo (2009) use the term ‘strategic’ instead
of landlord function and state that strategic activities of a port authority
include port planning and development, preparation of the business plan
and management of the economic interactions regarding port infra- and
superstructure. UNCTAD (1998) advocate that beside the landlord and
regulator functions, a modern port authority has to concentrate its efforts
on the provision of policy-making, port planning, promotion and training.
De Langen (2009) classifies the traditional landlord roles of port authori-
ties into four categories as traffic, area, customer and stakeholder manage-
ment. Stakeholder management issues are of great importance considering
the need for the involvement of port authorities into the hinterland chains.

Changing roles of port authorities in logistics chains

The ever-changing port environment has had serious effects on the tradi-
tional roles of port authorities. After the 1970s, running alongside the impact
of containerization, the globalization and liberalization processes increased
352 Port Logistics

the power of private players and reduced the role of the port authority (Ver-
hoeven, 2010). In particular, after the 1990s, the power of port authorities
with regards to port administration were gradually decreased (Meersman
and van de Voorde, 2002).
Estache and Trujillo (2009) organize the need for changes in port author-
ities around two themes: ‘operational’ and ‘strategic’. Operational includes
the poor monitoring of economic and financial performance and the effects
of bureaucratic environment; at the strategic level, political interference is
the main reason for change in port authorities’ roles. Van der Lugt and de
Langen (2007) summarize the reasons for these changes in the roles of port
authorities as follows:

●● restructuring of division of responsibilities and changes in

institutional position of port authorities as a result of the ongoing
port reforms;
●● the need to prove the value of port’s contribution to society in social
and economic terms;
●● because of the extension of port competition towards the hinterland,
allocation of port resources to the improvement of the inland
chains.

The division of roles and responsibilities of port authorities is a controver-

sial issue. There are different and sometimes opposite views on whether the
duties of a port authority should be solely covered by port administration
and regulation-related issues or whether, as a market player, a port authority
should get involved in operational and commercial issues (Delwaide, 2007
vs De Monie, 2004). Estache and Trujillo (2009) and the European Parlia-
ment (2009) claim that port authorities’ ‘regulatory’ functions are becoming
less important. Coltof (2000) advocates that in the port environment there is
a trend to turn port authorities into more autonomous organizational units
as a ‘coordinating body’ between the central government, the local/regional
authorities and the private sector. While Delwaide (2007) claims that as an
entrepreneur, port authorities should be involved in port operations by tak-
ing strategic shareholder positions in global terminal operators, De Monie
(2004) indicates that this approach can jeopardize the impartiality of port
authorities. Considering the ‘landlord’ port authorities, their ‘operator’ role
has declined with the effects of the accelerating trend on port privatization
and the shift of port operations to the private sector. The operator role now
consists of the ‘granting and surveillance of concessions’ (Verhoeven, 2010).
The traditional roles of port authorities have been shifted towards a
‘coordinator, facilitator and integrator role in port clusters, international
transport, logistics and supply chains’ (see Table 18.3). There have been
many studies supporting the view that ‘beyond their traditional landlord
functions, port authorities should acquire a facilitator role in logistics chains
for the development of efficient and effective port – hinterland relations by
acting as a mediator and coordinator of port stakeholders’ (Notteboom and
Ta B L E 18 . 3     Port authorities’ changing roles in logistics chains
Study Port authorities’ roles Port authorities’ functions
Notteboom and ‘Facilitator in Transport Chains–Coordinator *provision of value-added logistics services
Winkelmans (2001a) in Port Networks’ *development of information systems
*planning and implementation of intermodal services
*port networking
Chlomoudis, et al ‘Smart Port Authority’ – ‘Brain of the Port *following the market developments
(2003) Society’ *advancing the networking of market players
*setting the targets in co-operation with several partners (public authorities, municipal
authorities, scientific societies etc)
*developing a port ‘culture of trust’
De Langen (2004) ‘Port Cluster Manager’ *together with private port operators and other stakeholders, co-investing in hinterland
nodes
De Langen and ‘Collaborator in Port Hinterland Access *having a clear hinterland strategy
Chouly (2004) Regime’ *creating a network of inland representatives
*developing market intelligence to identify opportunities
Notteboom and ‘Facilitator in Transport Chains’ *working together with various stakeholders to identify issues affecting logistics
Rodrigue (2005) performance
*promoting an efficient intermodal system
*development of strategic relationships with other transport nodes
*active engagement in the development of inland freight distribution, information
systems and intermodality
Panayides (2006) ‘Planner of the Transportation Networks *planning for the smooth/cost-effective flow of cargoes by considering the
beyond Port Boundaries’ transportation flow beyond the port’s boundaries.
Sanchez (2006) ‘Catalyst of Logistic Integration and *reaching the fine equilibrium between the public policies and the political power, with
Networking’ the private sector and the social players
‘Transport and Logistics Facilitator’ *promoting the competition
*cooperating with the hinterland and other regional and non- regional ports/port authorities
*imposing measures for environmental protection
*information sharing and coordination in port community
*developing efficient communication between port and city

(Continued )
Ta B L E 18 .3     Port authorities’ changing roles in logistics chains (Continued )
Study Port authorities’ roles Port authorities’ functions
van der Lugt and de ‘Port Authority beyond Landlord Function’ *activities beyond the landlord function (port hinterland activities)
Langen (2007) ‘Coordinator in Port Clusters’ -own/non-own port-related activities
-operational and supporting activities
-activities within port boundaries and extending hinterland
*creating platforms that facilitate collective action in port clusters
*training, consulting, innovation, ICT services, port promotion, investing in hinterland
facilities
Cahoon and ‘Integrator in Supply Chains’ *integrating the port into the business relations network shaping supply chains
Notteboom (2008)
De Martino and ‘Identifier of the Critical Assets’ *improving port infrastructures and their connections within existing transport systems
Morvillo (2008) *keeping in mind the criteria of environmental, social and economic sustainability
*allowing free competition between port operators through concessions of terminals
and spaces for the supply of value added services
*enhancing the collaboration and co-ordination of port activities through IT systems
*promoting the development of its own hinterland by creating economical, relational
and social connections between the port and the market place
de Langen (2009) ‘Coordinator in Port Clusters and *investing in rail and barge terminals in port and hinterland
International Transport Chains’ *setting infrastructure access rules for rail and road
*investing in port community system
*setting the conditions in concession contracts
*enabling competition and reducing entry barriers
Estache and Trujillo ‘Facilitator of Intermodal Coordination and *having focused policy and strategic responsibilities
(2009) of Logistics Integration’ *integrating into regional, national or supranational ports
*having a mandate to support multiple ports within a region or across a port range
European Parliament ‘Facilitator in Logistics Chains’ *optimizing port processes and infrastructure
(2009) *playing a central role in developing platforms in conjunction with all stakeholders in
order to address issues affecting logistics performance
*promoting and sustaining an efficient intermodal transport system
*developing strategic relations with the hinterland
Notteboom (2009) ‘Facilitator in Port Hinterland Networks’ *setting up task forces together with various stakeholders to address issues affecting
logistics performance
*establishing links with inland and dry ports
*improving the port–hinterland interface
*structuring hinterland networks
*promoting an efficient intermodal system in order to secure cargo under conditions of
high competition
Woo and Pettit ‘Port Supply Chain Integrator’ *providing facilities for value-added logistics and intermodal transport
(2009)
Haugstetter and ‘Collaborator in Supply Chains and *networking and cooperating beyond port boundaries
Cahoon (2010) Logistics Networks’–’Port Cluster *gaining knowledge and integrating information by the use of strategic collaborations
Manager’ in supply chain networks
Verhoeven (2010) ‘Port Community/Port Cluster Manager’ *Landlord and regulator functions.
‘Entrepreneur’: Investing in the port *Operator functions: dynamic use of concession policy in combination with real estate
hinterland development role.
‘Facilitator’: Strategic partnerships with *Economic functions:
inland and dry ports–cooperation with – solve hinterland bottlenecks and facilitate the coordination between port
neighbouring ports stakeholders
– provide training and education
– provide ICT services
– promotion
– lobbying
*Societal functions:
– accommodate conflicting interests
– lobbying
– promote positive externalities
356 Port Logistics

Winkelmans, 2001a; Chlomoudis et al, 2003; de Langen and Chouly, 2004;

Notteboom and Rodrigue, 2005; Sanchez, 2006; van der Lugt and de Lan-
gen, 2007; Cahoon and Notteboom, 2008; de Langen, 2009; Estache and
Trujillo, 2009; Haugstetter and Cahoon, 2010 and Verhoeven, 2010).
‘The greater integration of international logistics and the increased pres-
sure on the port/inland interface is resulting in more attention to relation-
ships in port communities’ (Heaver, 2006, p 29) and force port authorities
to take new roles to manage and control the whole port community and
port clusters. In this respect, Verhoeven (2010) defines port authorities as
‘port community and cluster managers’ and approaches their changing roles
from social and economic dimensions. Concurring with the author, de Lan-
gen (2009) stresses the importance of the new role of a port authority, which
is ‘coordinator in port clusters and international transport chains’. Together
with Verhoeven (2010), according to a number of scholars (de Langen and
Chouly, 2004; van der Horst and de Langen, 2007; van der Lugt and de
Langen, 2007; de Langen, 2009), the changing roles of port authorities can
be grouped as follows:

●● Economic dimension:
– solving hinterland bottlenecks;
– coordinating port stakeholders;
– providing training and education;
– providing information and communication technology (ICT)
services;
– port promotion;
– lobbying.
●● Social dimension:
– promoting positive externalities;
– accommodating conflicting interest;
– lobbying.
In this context, it can be deduced that involvement within the hinterland and
logistics chains, cooperating with the stakeholders both inside and outside
the port by solving conflicting interests and using the latest ICT for coordi-
nation in port community are the main concerns of today’s port authorities.
According to some other studies (European Parliament, 2009; Notte-
boom and Winkelmans, 2001a; Notteboom and Rodrigue, 2005), the main
role of port authorities is to act as ‘facilitators within logistics chains’ and
their changing functions are as follows:
●● optimizing port and logistics processes and infrastructure;
●● focusing on value-added logistics;
●● playing a central role in developing platforms in order to address
issues affecting logistics performance;
 Port and Logistics Chains 357

●● developing the information and port community systems;

●● promoting and sustaining an efficient intermodal transport system
and participating in the planning and/or implementation of new
(intermodal) transport services;
●● developing strategic relations with the hinterland and inland
connectivity;
●● port networking with overseas ports, neighbouring ports, and/or
inland ports.
Notteboom and Winkelmans (2001a) stress the importance of ‘port net-
working’ with overseas ports for knowledge and idea sharing, among neigh-
bouring ports for preventing port authorities from wasting scarce resources
on inter-port competition and finally with inland ports for decreasing port
congestion. Van der Lugt and de Langen (2007) note that port authorities
develop their activities beyond the landlord functions, towards the port hin-
terland. The authors develop a framework based on Porter’s (1985) ‘value
chain approach’ regarding the port authorities’ activities beyond the land-
lord. In their approach, they structure port activities along three dimen-
sions: home-port related vs non-home-port related; primary vs secondary
activities; within port boundaries vs extending to the port’s hinterland. The
examples of the operational activities of port authorities extending to the
hinterland are mainly investing in the inland distribution network, inland
terminals and logistical sites.
UNESCAP (2002, p 23) accentuates the role of port authorities in logis-
tics chains by indicating that ‘the logistics chain consists of activities that
facilitate the movement of goods from supply to demand. As many such
activities require the use of ports, port authorities have taken a particular
interest in the various port activities involved in logistics’. Notteboom and
Rodrigue (2005) and Notteboom and Winkelmans (2001a) state that major
European port authorities are involved in hinterland operations by intro-
ducing shuttle train services to the hinterland together with the rail opera-
tors, national railway companies, terminal operators, shipping companies
and large shippers. For instance, by acting as an intermediary between the
various port actors and an initiator of hinterland transport projects, Rotter-
dam Port Authority is actively involved in improving the hinterland access
(de Langen and Chouly, 2004), invests in inland terminals, and cooperates
with rail transport companies for the hinterland accessibility of the port.
Port authorities located in intermodal hubs have many opportunities for
collaborating and linking strategically across boundaries (Haugstetter and
Cahoon, 2010). The European Parliament (2009, p 74) indicates that ‘port
authorities’ future role can be described as developing good interconnec-
tions between the port area and the hinterland through various intermodal
transport systems’. De Langen (2009) advocates that port authorities should
contribute actively to better hinterland access by improving coordination in
port clusters and supply chains. By sharing the same point of view, Verho-
even (2010) states that port authorities develop an ‘entrepreneurial’ role by
358 Port Logistics

investing in the port hinterland and should be ‘facilitators in logistics chains’

through ensuring strategic partnerships with inland and dry ports and by
cooperating with neighbouring ports.
Port authorities’ focus will be on embedding the port in strong networks
with other ports and inland terminals (European Parliament, 2009; Not-
teboom, 2009) and developing strategic relationships with other transport
centres within the same logistics chain. Traffic management, hinterland con-
nections and services, environmental protection, marketing, and research
and development are the main fields of cooperation between ports (Notte-
boom and Winkelmans, 2001a). Estache and Trujillo (2009) advocate that
as ‘facilitators of intermodal coordination and of logistics integration’, port
authorities will have a mandate to support multiple ports within a region
or across a port range and thus they ensure financial autonomy and control
over a larger market.
Port authorities could stimulate the logistics activities in and near the
port area by providing flexible labour conditions, smooth customs for-
malities and powerful information systems (Notteboom and Winkelmans,
2001a) and improve hinterland access by setting infrastructure access rules,
investing in a port community system, setting conditions in terminal conces-
sions and assuring sufficient competition between firms in the supply chain
(de Langen, 2009).
Port authorities invest and get involved in hinterland activities because
they have an interest in the ports’ hinterland. Since port competition is much
more related to the performance of the whole network than to the ports’
internal performance, the smooth functioning of the logistics chains and
efficient flow of inland transport system contribute to the performance of
the port. Inadequate connections may provide port management with an
incentive to reduce port dues or offer financial compensations in an effort to
maintain or increase its market share (Suykens and van de Voorde, 1998).
The coordination and cooperation among ports in logistics chains provides
more traffic and more port activity, as this will increase total revenue of
port authorities (Notteboom and Winkelmans, 2001a) and the involvement
of port authorities in the activities outside the port area contributes signifi-
cantly to the utilization of the infrastructure inside the port area (de Langen,
2009).

Changes in effectiveness of port

organizations
Because of the ongoing developments in logistics chains and the accelerating
competition between ports, in today’s port business circumstances, com-
monly used port performance measures such as efficiency, profitability and
growth are not enough to assess a port organization’s success at all points.
 Port and Logistics Chains 359

Multivariate approaches are needed. Organizational effectiveness, which is

not a widely studied concept in port literature, allows the assessment of
overall success of ports by the use of many different variables that could be
determined in accordance with the stated goals.

Organizational effectiveness and ports

From the earlier stages of organizational theory on effectiveness to the pre-
sent, there is still an ambiguity about the definition and measurement crite-
ria of effectiveness. In order to examine the effectiveness of the modern port
environment, the wide research area of OE has to be analysed and some
basic definitions regarding this notion should be given. There are many
approaches to organizational effectiveness supported by pioneer theorists
in management, and the main OE theories/approaches and their proponents
are listed below:
●● the goal attainment approach (Etzioni, 1960);
●● the systems approach (Yuchtman and Seashore, 1967);
●● the internal process approach (Bennis, 1966; Steers, 1977; Pfeffer,
1977; Nadler and Tushman, 1980);
●● the human relations approach (Argyris, 1964; Ahmed, 1999);
●● the strategic constituencies approach (Pfeffer and Salancik, 1978;
Connolly et al, 1980; Jobson and Schneck, 1982, Keeley, 1984; Tsui,
1987; Zammuto, 1984; Ehreth, 1988);
●● the competing values approach (Quinn and Rohrbaugh, 1983;
Shilbury and Moore, 2006);
●● the ineffectiveness approach (Henri, 2004).
Assuming that seaports are open systems (Berrien, 1976) with permeable
boundaries between itself and broader supra-systems which are trans-
port, logistics and supply chain systems, it has been decided that ‘systems
approach to organizational effectiveness’ best fits with the nature of ports.
A more comprehensive and detailed explanation on the ‘ports-as-open-­
systems’ approach was given in Karatas Cetin and Cerit (2010a, b, c). Sys-
tems approach takes into consideration the environment and the whole
system that an organization works within, not just the organization itself.
Therefore, in this study, the systems concept associates the port organiza-
tion’s effectiveness with the supply and logistics chains. From the systems’
point of view, organizational effectiveness is defined as) ‘the extent to which
an organization as a social system, given certain resources and means, ful-
fils its objectives without incapacitating its resources’ (Georgopoulos and
Tannenbaum, 1957, p 535). In line with this definition, Argyris (1964)
advocates that three core activities of an effective organization are: achiev-
ing objectives, maintaining the internal system and adapting to the exter-
nal ­environment. A useful framework for assessing OE suggests four main
360 Port Logistics

categories: achieving goals, increasing resourcefulness, satisfying clients, and

improving internal processes (Cameron, 1980; Bramley, 1986; Redshaw,
2000). It can be inferred that, along with the goal attainment as the pri-
mary concern of effectiveness, the other important measures are continuous
‘acquisition of port resources’ such as land, infrastructure, superstructure,
labour, etc, ‘adaptability’ to the changing environmental conditions and
‘customer satisfaction’ while improving ‘efficiency’.
According to Kast and Rosenzweig (1972), the questions of OE must be
concerned with at least three levels of analysis: the level of the environment,
the level of the social organization as a system, and the level of the sub-
systems within the organization. In this study, effectiveness of port organi-
zations is assessed considering the changes and developments in the port
environment, mainly within logistics chains as well as the changing role of
ports at the organization level. In accordance with Katz and Kahn’s (1966)
view that effectiveness is linked explicitly to an external referent, and effi-
ciency to internal activities especially economic and technical aspects more
easily controlled by the organization, it is believed that evaluating internal
systems or processes of ports is the concern of ‘efficiency’ rather than ‘effec-
tiveness’. Here, it will be useful to specify that in the management disci-
pline many researchers (Mahoney, 1967; Gibson et al, 1973; Webb, 1974;
Sayareh and Lewarn, 2006) used efficiency as a criterion for the assessment
of organizational effectiveness. However, Baltazar and Brooks (2007) claim
that some minimum level of both efficiency and effectiveness is critical to
organizational survival.
Organizations are constructed to be the most effective and efficient social
units. The actual effectiveness of a specific organization is determined by the
degree to which it realizes its goals. It is evident that although many ports
are in possession of the right infrastructure and necessary equipment, what
they lack is effective management or modern management know-how. In
many instances, basic management principles including the clear description
of objectives appear to be amiss (Haralambides et al, 1997). Notteboom and
Winkelmans (2001b) state that a successful (viz effective) port organiza-
tion requires the adoption of a market-oriented management system based
on clear goals. Therefore, for a port organization to achieve effectiveness,
before all else, the goals of the port should be clearly defined. Since effective-
ness associates with the whole port organization, goal setting is the respon-
sibility of the port authorities. Based on analysis of about 60 annual reports
of port authorities, van der Lugt and de Langen (2007) derive two main
goals that are common to most port authorities and distinguish these goals
as one port level and one port authority level. They define (p 5) the port
level goal as ‘to facilitate a sustainable economic development of the port as
a whole’ and the port authority (firm) level goal as ‘to become an efficient
and effective organization that generates income to cover costs, to make
investments and in some cases to return to shareholders’ investment’. How-
ever, Brooks and Cullinane (2007) found that not all ports focus on achiev-
ing similar strategic goals: it depends on the governance structure of ports.
 Port and Logistics Chains 361

They classified the strategic goals of ports as economically oriented, mainly

concerned with the maximization of throughput, and those where the wider
macroeconomic benefits are the main concern.
Meersman and van de Voorde (2002) believe that the goals of a port
authority are closely connected with what is considered to be the ‘economic
function’ and ‘the product’ of a seaport. They state that, in the past the
goals of a port authority were restricted mainly to increase throughput,
maximize profits, generate value-added and create employment. Suykens
and van de Voorde (1998) state that the goals of a port authority are often
extremely diverse and they may change considerably over a longer period
of time. As the relative strength of the various players in the logistics chains
changed (due to the vertical and horizontal integrations in shipping, trans-
port and logistics industries), so too did the port’s products and functions.
Since the roles of ports has changed within logistics chains, port economic
functions are not restricted to the transhipment of goods but also cover
value-added logistics and intermodal transport services and in some cases
industrial activities. Thence, the scope of port authority goals has extended
to the hinterland and through logistics chains. Where the effective organiza-
tion is both efficient and able to modify its goals as circumstances change
(Carnall, 2003), as a member of restructuring supply and logistics chains,
port authorities should re-define their goals and priorities in accordance
with the needs of the changing market and its members.
Brooks and Pallis (2008) propose that effectiveness relates to how well
the firm uses its strategies, structures, and task environment to meet its
stated goals. When the degree of uncertainty and complexity of the port
environment is high, the strategies focus on the delivery of highly differ-
entiated and specialized services and the organizational structures and
decision-making are becoming more decentralized, effectiveness-oriented
performance measurements rather than efficiency-oriented measurements
are needed to achieve the port’s goals (Baltazar and Brooks, 2007). This
perspective ties in neatly with our claim that ‘ports-as-open-systems’ func-
tion in a frequently changing environment with a high degree of complex-
ity, where global production and trade chains, supply and logistics chains
and transport chains force ports to restructure their organizational setting.
Furthermore, the rapid increase in port competition within the logistics
chains has put pressure on ports to improve the quality of their traditional
port services, implementing differentiation strategies by providing more
specialized, value-added services and delivering door-to-door transport
solutions.

Changes in port effectiveness measures

Whether efficiency and performance are widely studied concepts in port
business and economics literature, there are a limited number of papers
attempting to explain the effectiveness of port organizations (Sayareh and
Lewarn, 2006; Baltazar and Brooks, 2007; Sayareh, 2007; Brooks and
362 Port Logistics

Pallis, 2008, Karatas Cetin and Cerit, 2010a, b, c). As Brooks (2007) states,
it is not enough to use only broad organizational performance measures
such as volume throughput, sales volume and profitability, especially at the
time of change in port environment. Since the goals of the ports and port
authorities change over time, so should the effectiveness measures needed
to achieve them. Table 18.4 lists 13 port effectiveness measures which can
explain the effectiveness of port organizations at all points in this new
competitive landscape. It is necessary to clarify that this study does not
deal with all of the 13 measures determined. It would be unreasonable to
deny the importance of commonly used port performance measures such as
productivity, efficiency, profitability and growth. However, this study aims
to expound new criteria which are becoming crucial for ports to achieve
effectiveness and sustain competitiveness within the logistics chains. The
measures are derived from the results of the Delphi study applied in Kara-
tas Cetin and Cerit (2010a) and a comprehensive review of 38 theoretical
and empirical publication on organizational effectiveness (Karatas Cetin
and Cerit, 2010b), which resulted in 108 different effectiveness measures.
The result of the review shows that the most frequently used effectiveness
measure is ‘adaptability/flexibility’ (appeared in 17 of 38 studies). Other
main effectiveness criteria include the tangible measures (Sahni, 2000) such
as productivity, profitability, growth and efficiency, which are more con-
veniently measured than eg adaptability, integration, and information and
communication management.
In accordance with the conceptual framework, due to the developments
in logistics chains and their impacts on ports’ roles, goals and functions,
it is proposed that some other criteria including integration, adaptability,
customer satisfaction, information and communication management, ser-
vice quality, innovation and resource acquisition are gaining importance
over the others. The review of port studies concerning the effectiveness,
success and competitiveness of ports (see Table 18.5) indicates that ports
and port authorities should focus on the following factors to sustain their
competitive positions in view of the developments in supply and logistics
chains:
●● supply chain integration practices: organizing activities beyond port
area in its hinterland;
●● facilitation of inter-connectivity with other modes of transport;
●● agility/adaptability: adapting to the new logistics trends;
●● the development of information and communication technologies,
and availability of powerful information channels;
●● provision of high-quality value-added and intermodal services;
●● customer orientation and satisfaction, familiarity with customer
needs;
●● innovation and knowledge sharing.
 Port and Logistics Chains 363

Ta B L E 18.4    Port effectiveness measures and their definitions

effectiveness measures Definition
Productivity. . .. . .. . .. . .. . . .. Achieving maximum level of outputs by using
minimum level of inputs in port services.
Efficiency. . .. . .. . .. . .. . ... . . The production of the desired results with
minimum waste of time, effort and skill.
Service Quality. . .. . . .. . . .. . . . The reliability and competence of the
traditional and value-added port services.
Profitability. . .. . .. . .... . .. . . Ability of the port to generate earnings as
compared to its expenses and other relevant
costs incurred.
Growth. . .. . .. . .. . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. Increase in port’s business volume, incomes,
manpower, assets, capacity and market
share.
Adaptability. . .. . .. . .. . .. . . Successful adjustment of the port’s internal
system to internal organizational changes and
successful adaptation of the port to externally
induced change.
Information and Communication Completeness in the collection and analysis
Management. . .. . . .. . . .. . .. . . of information and successful functioning of
all the channels of communication within
and between ports and other related
parties.
Innovation. . .. . .. . .. . .... . .. The level of usage of science and technology
in port and successful implementation of
creative ideas to generate value added
services.
Organization’s Worth. . . The extent to which port organization is of
value to its employees, and the extent to
which the port and its employees are of value
to society.
Employee Satisfaction. . . The degree to which a port satisfies its
employees’ needs and expectations.
Customer Satisfaction. . . The degree to which a port satisfies its
customers’ needs and expectations.
Resource Acquisition. . ... Ability of the port to acquire all the required
resources (eg financial, technological and
infrastructural).
Integration. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . . Integration of the port to the supply chain and
logistics networks, by the use of utilizing its
multimodal transport connections.

NOTE The measures listed are extracted through a survey study conducted by the author in August
2010.
Ta B L E 18. 5     Port success/effectiveness measures
Haralambides, et al (1997) Effective Management Factors: clear description of objectives and area of authority and responsibility,
accountability and control, adequate rules and regulations, good statistical and information systems,
analytical accounting and cost control, quality control, human resource development.
Suykens and van de Voorde Port hinterland transport connections.
(1998)
Coltof (2000) Market share, geographical location, availability of port facilities, hinterland, frequency of lines, port
service quality, reliability, financial position.
Notteboom and Adoption of a market-oriented management system based on clear goals, managerial skills and
Winkelmans (2001a) accountability, commercial attitude, mentality, entrepreneurial culture, providing value-added logistics
services, investing in information systems, providing intermodal connections and port networking.
Notteboom and Flexibility to adapt quickly to changing opportunities, integral approach to logistics issues in transport
Winkelmans (2001b) chains.
UNESCAP (2002) Providing a diverse range of highly integrated port services.
Chlomoudis, et al (2003) Increased quality of services, high levels of flexibility/adaptability, closer integration with other
transport modes, higher levels of product and process innovation, better management and marketing
strategies, more efficient labour mobilization and participation.
Marlow and Paixao (2003) Agility, leanness.
Paixao and Marlow (2003) Adapting to 21st century logistics trends, delivering higher value and intermodal services, internal and
external integration within logistics chains.
Bichou and Gray (2004) Ability of ports to interact with channel members, integrate into logistics, trade and supply channels.
De Langen (2004) Value generated by the port cluster.
De Langen and Chouly Ability of a port to serve markets in the hinterland efficiently by improving the quality of hinterland
(2004) transport services.
Park and De (2004) Productivity, profitability, marketability, overall efficiency.
Song and Yeo (2004) Customer orientation
Notteboom and Rodrigue Inland accessibility, capability to fit into the networks that shape supply chains, the availability of
(2005) powerful information channels and the capability of having knowledge transfer among the parties.
Panayides (2006) Provision of value-added services, facilitation of inter-connectivity/inter-operability with other modes
of transport, hinterland accessibility, leanness, agility, time compression, the performance of other
parties in the supply chain.
Sayareh and Lewarn (2006) Adaptability, productivity, profitability, efficiency, growth, planning, communication/information
management, stability, output quality, customer satisfaction, leadership, human resource
management, professionalism.
Baltazar and Brooks (2007) Fit between strategy, structure and environment.
De Langen and Van der Fit between local environment, port governance model, strategy and port resource/capabilities.
Lugt (2007)
Notteboom (2007) Reliability and flexibility in services, transparency in port governance, external coordination and
control, planning and concession policy approach, customer orientation, information management
and communication, logistics orientation, community support and strong environmental record.
Brooks and Pallis (2008) Effective use of strategies, structures, and task environment to meet the mission and stated goals.
(Continued )
Ta B L E 18. 5     Port success/effectiveness measures (Continued )
Cahoon and Notteboom Ability to integrate the port effectively into the networks of business relationships that shape supply
(2008) chains, familiarity with customer needs, being solution based in encouraging trade facilitation
throughout the logistics chains and networks, developing pricing and communications strategies that
clearly articulate the port service offering and value proposition for customers.
Song and Panayides (2008) Price, quality, reliability, customisation, responsiveness.
Notteboom (2009) Ability to fit into the networks that shape supply chains, close coordination with logistics actors
outside the port perimeter, integrated approach to port infrastructure planning, ability of port
community to exploit synergies with other transport nodes and players in logistics network.
Panayides and Song (2009) Establishing information and communication systems that facilitate the integration of supply chain
partners, providing value-added services, efficient operation of multimodal systems, engaging in
supply chain integration practices.
Pettit and Beresford (2009) Ability to provide tailor-made services.
Haugstetter and Cahoon Innovation, growth, sustainability, knowledge sharing and management, information systems,
(2010) collaboration in logistics networks, open communication, learning and strategic thinking.
 Port and Logistics Chains 367

Adaptability to the changes in logistics chains

The integration of the supply chain actors and the introduction of seamless
transport systems using state-of-the-art technology force ports to be more
flexible to respond the parties in the supply chain and adapt to the changing
conditions in the uncertain port business environment. Wang and Cullinane
(2006) state that in order to survive and prosper in a competitive and chal-
lenging environment, the port industry needs to look both externally and
internally. According to Carbone and De Martino (2003), port competitive-
ness is becoming increasingly dependent on external coordination and con-
trol of the whole supply chain, rather than on its internal strengths (efficient
cargo handling and hinterland connections). From an external perspective,
the port industry needs flexibility to adapt quickly to changing opportuni-
ties and should have an integral approach to logistics issues in transport
chains (Notteboom and Winkelmans, 2001a).
In their study analysing fourth generation ports, Paixão and Marlow
(2003) indicate that the port environment is surrounded by a high degree
of complexity and uncertainty and therefore ports need to adapt to 21st-
century logistics trends. Again, Marlow and Paixão (2003) and Paixão and
Marlow (2003) indicate that the two main success measures of logistics-
oriented ports are leanness and agility, which means optimizing operations
and streamlining processes in order to reduce waste and increase flexibility
to respond to the changes in the port environment. Concurring with the
authors, Panayides (2006) notes that leanness, agility, time compression
as well as the performance of other parties could be regarded as the most
important success measures of ports functioning in the supply chain era.

Port logistics chain integration

Barnard (1938) reasons that organizations are ‘cooperative systems’. His
definition of OE is the accomplishment of the recognized objectives of the
cooperative action. Managers in logistics networks tend to focus on integra-
tion and analysis for decision-making, with collaboration a key element in
effectiveness and efficiency gains (Haugstetter and Cahoon, 2010; Barratt,
2004). Notteboom (2009) indicate that a port’s success is directly related
to the close coordination with logistics actors outside the port perimeter
and an integrated approach to port infrastructure planning. De Langen and
Chouly (2004, p 361) claim that ‘effective hinterland access is at least par-
tially an inter-organizational challenge’ and depends on the behaviour of
actors in the logistics chain. Therefore, the coordination and integration
of the port community with the other supply chain actors (which is a pri-
mary role of port authorities) is a critical point in ensuring effectiveness
throughout logistics chains. Notteboom and Winkelmans (2001a) believe in
the importance of coordination between different port authorities for solv-
ing some specific problems in supply chain. The authors claim that initiative,
cooperation and consultation constitute the key components of an effective
368 Port Logistics

port management and this can be achieved by creating a platform in which

port authorities are working together with various stakeholders to identify
and address issues affecting logistics performance.
The higher the level of integration among the actors of a supply and logis-
tics chain, the higher the effectiveness for the entire chain (Bowersox et al,
2000; Carbone and De Martino, 2003) and for the port. Many authors (Not-
teboom and Rodrigue, 2005; Cahoon and Notteboom, 2008; Notteboom,
2009) agree on the fact that the success of a port depends on the ability to
integrate the port effectively into the networks of business relationships that
shape supply chains. There have been a number of studies (Carbone and De
Martino, 2003; Bichou and Gray, 2004; Marlow and Paixão, 2003; Wang
and Cullinane, 2006; Song and Panayides, 2008; Panayides and Song, 2009;
Woo and Pettit, 2009) investigating the performance of ports within the
context of global supply and logistics chains.
Wang and Cullinane (2006) analyse the efficiency of European container
terminals by linking supply chain management to port and terminal objec-
tives and outputs. In their study, the main objective of a port is assumed
to be the minimization of the use of port resources such as infrastructure,
equipment and labour. Carbone and De Martino (2003) investigate the port
operator’s involvement in a specific (automative) supply chain in a case
analysis of the Port of Le Havre. They apply the Lambert tri-dimensional
model based on supply chain structure, business processes, and manage-
ment components. The most suitable variables chosen were: relationships
between the port operator and the focal firm, supplied services, information
and communication technologies used and performance indicators that are
shared by supply chain actors. Bichou and Gray (2005, p 89) state that port
performance should be analysed, valued and assessed in terms of a port’s
contribution to the overall combined channel added value; and thus port
competition will shift from the institutional, functional or spatial levels to
the channel management level.
Woo and Pettit (2009) develop a conceptual model assuming that port
supply chain orientation has a positive impact on port supply chain inte-
gration, and port supply chain integration has a positive impact on port
performance. The authors believe that integration strategy is primarily con-
cerned with both improving port effectiveness and operational efficiency
which are the two main port performance indicators determined in their
study. Panayides and Song (2009) stress the importance of port/terminal
supply chain integration (TESCI) and indicate that port performance is
directly related to the effectiveness of the whole supply chain. Their empiri-
cal study reveals that port supply chain integration could be achieved by
four measures: the development of information and communication tech-
nologies, providing value-added services, offering multimodal infrastructure
and systems to facilitate intermodality, and organizing activities beyond the
port area in its hinterland (supply chain integration practices). The authors
indicate that ‘there are implications with respect to the relationship between
port/terminal integration and port/terminal effectiveness’ (p 142). In this
 Port and Logistics Chains 369

respect, it can be inferred that TESCI measures can also be regarded as the
measures of port/terminal effectiveness.
Regarding the increasing importance of logistics chains, Suykens and
van de Voorde (1998) state that the success of a port is not exclusively
dependent upon its own performance, but also upon other factors such as its
connections with the hinterland. The strategy of developing port networks
with hinterland nodes and dry ports in the hinterland has become widely
accepted as a viable strategic option (de Langen and Chouly, 2004). Panay-
ides (2006) indicates that port authorities can contribute to port effective-
ness in logistics chains by proper planning for the smooth and cost-effective
flow of cargoes by considering the transportation flow beyond the port’s
boundaries.

Information and communication management

Notteboom and Rodrigue (2005, p 306) stress the importance of information
and communication management and state that ‘the success of a port depends
on its capability to fit into the networks shaping supply chains and indicate
that the availability of powerful information channels and the capability of
having knowledge transfer among the parties are the main determinants of
success of  port networks’. According to Bichou and Gray’s (2004) channel
perspective, ports act as key nodes in integrating trade, logistics and supply
channels and the ability of ports to interact and collaborate with the channel
members and adequate information access and sharing improve the level of
integration and thus performance of ports. Panayides and Song (2009) advo-
cate that efficient use of information and communications systems is one of the
main determinants of port supply chain integration. In logistics-oriented ports,
advances in communications and information technology (UNCTAD, 1999)
and the more sophisticated use of automation and the standardization of infor-
mation and procedures (Alderton, 2008) allow terminal operators to increase
their productivity through better planning and reducing the time in the port.

Service quality and value-added intermodal services

UNESCAP (2002) claim that an ideal port should provide a diverse range
of services that are highly integrated. As such, there is a need to seriously
consider the increasing importance of ports in logistics management. The
rapid increase in port competition, mainly because of the developments in
logistics, has put pressure on ports to improve the quality of traditional port
services, implementing differentiation strategies by providing more special-
ized, value-added services and delivering door-to-door transport solutions.
The ability of port companies to provide tailor-made, specialized services
has become fundamental to the overall effectiveness of the port within the
supply chain (Beresford et al, 2004; Pettit and Beresford, 2009). The per-
formance of a port depends on its ability to serve markets in the hinterland
370 Port Logistics

efficiently by improving the quality of hinterland transport services (de

Langen and Chouly, 2004). According to the research results of Song and
Panayides (2008), value-added services are positively related to port service
price and customization, and there is a strong positive association between
technology adoption and service quality. Paixão and Marlow (2003) claim
that ports should deliver additional value-added and intermodal services
and internally and externally integrate to become the key logistics ele-
ments of the transport chain by proper design, planning, organization and
management.

Customer satisfaction
Both the horizontal and vertical integration in the transport industry result
in a concentration of power amongst port customers and an increase in
the bargaining power of customers over port management. This empha-
sizes the importance of ‘customer satisfaction’ in the port industry. As real
competition is not ‘port against port’ but rather supply chain against supply
chain’ (De Martino and Morvillo, 2008), the ports need to respond rapidly
to markets that are driven by sudden changes in customer demand to sustain
their competitive positions in the market (Yusuf, et al, 1999). The chang-
ing role of ports is heavily dependent upon the supply chain strategies of
those who use these ports (Mangan et al, 2008). Therefore, ports need to
re-think the measurement of their performance and systematically monitor
whether they serve their users effectively and with a full understanding of
users’ needs (Vitsounis and Pallis, 2010). To be effective, ‘ports must become
more familiar with the needs of port customers and in encouraging trade
facilitation be solution-focused, not only within the port but throughout the
logistics chains and networks’ (Cahoon and Notteboom, 2008, p 2). Song
and Panayides (2008) found that the relationship between ports and ship-
ping lines has beneficial effects on reliability and responsiveness of ports.
Effectiveness-oriented port authorities recognize that they must first meet
the needs of customers whose product and service expectations are more
sophisticated and varied than before (Baltazar and Brooks, 2007; Brooks
and Pallis, 2008). Woo et al (2008) also emphasize the importance of effec-
tiveness, by stating that in the global supply chain era, port performance
should reflect effectiveness aspects of ports from customers’ perspectives.

Innovation
Prastacos et al (2002) argue that to successfully manage change, organiza-
tions need to be innovative and flexible. Chlomoudis et al (2003) state that
in a changing and restructuring port environment, the main issues that a
modern port must address are: increased quality of services, high levels of
flexibility and adaptability, closer integration with other transport modes,
higher levels of product and process innovation. Ports should create and
promote innovation to integrate themselves within supply and logistics
 Port and Logistics Chains 371

networks. De Martino and Morvillo (2008) indicate that port activities in

relation to its hinterland are fundamental factors of development and inno-
vation. Concurring with the author, Vanelslander (2011) argues that inno-
vation in port – hinterland activities enables sustainability in transport. As
Awad and Ghaziri (2004, p 17) state, ‘beyond efficiency and productivity,
the real benefit of collaboration is innovation’. By collaborating with sup-
ply chain members for innovation, the possibility of a supply chain retain-
ing competitive advantage in the long term can be realized (Kim, 2005;
Miles et  al, 2005; Sahay, 2003 cited in Haugstetter and Cahoon, 2010,
p 31). ‘Innovation provides the potential for a new competitive advantage
to develop’ (Haugstetter and Cahoon, 2010, p 31).

Resource acquisition
As ports are open systems, having inputs, processes and outputs and interact-
ing with their internal resources to the changing environment (Karatas Cetin
and Cerit, 2010b), continuous acquisition and efficient use of port resources
are critical for the survival of port organizations. As a proponent of the
systems approach to OE, Yuchtman and Seashore (1967) indicate that uni-
versally required resources are: personnel, physical facility, technology, and
money as a liquid resource. The main resources of ports are: port infra- and
superstructure, equipment and information and communication technology,
financial resources and human capital (Karatas Cetin and Cerit, 2010b, c).
‘Within ports, resources are those necessary to perform both port and value-
added logistics activities’ (De Martino and Morvillo, 2008, p 584). These
key resources, defined in literature as ‘critical assets’ (Cox et al, 2002), have a
central position for the acquisition of value in the supply and logistics chains.

Conclusion
The developments, restructurings and shifts in the power of the actors in
logistics and supply chains combined with accelerating competition lead
port organizations to extend their activities towards hinterland and logistics
chains, and thence re-assess their goals and means of performance measure-
ment. Within a framework, the interrelations between the changes in the
supply and logistics chains, the roles and goals of ports and port authorities,
and, where effectiveness is directly related with the goals, the changes in the
measures of port effectiveness, have been explained in this study.
Principally, this study deals with the changes in ports’ and port authori-
ties’ roles as a result of the new trends in logistics chains and the impor-
tance of port authority strategies and activities for repositioning the ports
in these chains. In their study, van der Lugt and de Langen, (2007, p10) ask
the rhetorical question, ‘Why should port authorities get involved in the
hinterland?’ The answer is ‘to ensure port competitiveness’. Answers can
372 Port Logistics

be extended by stating that ports are central nodes in supply and logis-
tics chains (Bichou and Gray, 2004; Notteboom, 2007, 2009); port, fore-
land and hinterland are closely bound together in a symbiotic relationship
(Notteboom, 1998); ports are not competing as sole entities but as parts of
complete transport and supply chains (Suykens and van de Voorde, 1998;
Verhoeven, 2010; Notteboom and Winkelmans, 2001a); and coordination
and control of the whole supply chain by the port is a more important factor
than its internal strength in port competition (Carbone and Martino, 2003).
However, another question is, ‘What should port authorities do to achieve
port effectiveness within logistics chains, what are the factors (measures)
that should be considered?’ In order to develop effective ports within logis-
tics chains, port authorities should function as a coordinator, integrator and
facilitator in logistics chains, follow the market developments, promote and
sustain efficient intermodal transport systems, develop strategic relations
with the hinterland and supply chain partners, invest in the port community
system and cooperate closely with inland terminals and neighbouring ports.
In accordance with the new roles of port authorities, this study attempts
to identify the effectiveness criteria of port organizations that are gain-
ing importance through developments in logistics chains, which are port
logistics chain integration, adaptability to the changes in the environment,
customer orientation and satisfaction, information and communication
management, service quality and provision of value-added and intermodal
services, innovation and resource acquisition.
It is believed that, although commonly used performance measures are
still viable, they are not sufficient for the overall performance evaluation
of port organizations functioning in an environment with a high degree of
complexity and uncertainty. However, as a suggestion for further studies, it
should be admitted that one limitation of the effectiveness measures is that
they are mostly intangible and their assessment would depend on percep-
tive judgements rather than concrete facts: thus they cannot be measured as
conveniently as tangible measures like growth, profitability or efficiency. In
consequence, in order to maintain their competitiveness in logistics chains,
ports should focus on the factors identified in the study and seek ways to
improve their performance in each factor. Being efficient is no longer enough
for success in the new competitive landscape.

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Logistics 19
performance of
supply chain-
oriented ports
S u h a N w O O, S T E p h E N p E T T I T
a N D a N T h O N y B E r E S fO r D

Introduction
This chapter primarily aims to investigate the effect of supply chain inte-
gration of seaports on port performance by examining the causal relation-
ships among the integration strategies of seaport terminals along the supply
chain, and the antecedents and consequences of the integration strategies.
The integration strategy is termed ‘port supply chain integration’ (PSCI)
and the antecedents of PSCI are identified as ‘port supply chain orientation’
(PSCO). Logistics performance of ports (LPP) is considered as consequences
of PSCI because it is suggested that traditional performance measures such
as cargo throughput is not sufficient for a proxy of port performance in the
global supply chain era (Panayides and Song 2008; Bichou and Gray, 2004).
Structural equation modelling (SEM) is used to validate the constructs and
rigorously test the relationships among the constructs.
This chapter is organized as follows. Prior to the examination of the causal
relationships, an extensive literature review is carried out to identify the
literature pertaining to the logistics performance of supply chain-oriented
ports and to figure out how ports have been researched in relation to supply
chain management and integration. Subsequently, we examine how seaports
should be understood and considered in a supply chain by clarifying ter-
minology relevant to supply chain management and port operation. The
following sections develop a research model consisting of constructs and
measures through a literature review and interview programme, and exam-
ine the hypothesized relationships using SEM analysis.
382 Port Logistics

Review of relevant port literature

The overall port literature published in academic journal for three decades
from 1981 to 2009 was categorized through a review process using eight
categories as detailed in Table 19.1. Of these, the key categories relevant
to this chapter are ‘competition and performance’; ‘ports in supply chains’
and ‘terminal operations’. Woo (2010) categorized journal papers accord-
ing to research themes over three decades in five-year periods and the result
of this categorization is provided in Table 19.1. Over three decades, the
themes researched the most extensively are ‘management and strategy (19.6
per cent)’, ‘competition and performance (19.3 per cent)’ and ‘planning and
development (14.9 per cent)’. The category with the fewest publications is
‘ports in supply chains’ (5.2 per cent).

Port competition and performance

This category accounted for almost as large a proportion of studies as the
‘port management and strategies’ category (20 per cent). Port competition
studies begin with conceptualizing and characterizing seaport competition
(Verhoeff, 1981) and can be advanced with new concepts of seaport com-
petition such as co-opetition and intra-port competition (Song, 2003; de
Langen and Pallis, 2006). However the number of these studies is limited
(see Table 19.2). A substantial number of papers are devoted to analys-
ing the current situation and development of port competition of a region
or country in the 2000s (Comtois and Dong, 2007; Yap and Lam 2006).
Advanced methods, analytical tools and new measures helped researchers
analyse and assess the complex nature of competition dynamics and rela-
tionships among competing ports (Lam and Yap, 2008; Notteboom, 2009;
Woo and Pettit, 2010).
A topic relatively well researched throughout the 1980s and 1990s
was port performance. Studies on this topic primarily aim to discuss what
and how to measure port performance (Talley, 1994a), to evaluate exist-
ing measures and to propose new measures and approaches (Marlow and
Paixão-Casaca, 2003; Bichou and Gray, 2004). This topic evolved in the
2000s in two distinctive ways. One was to conduct relative comparison
studies in terms of technical efficiency using a particular group of analytical
methods called the frontier approach, such as data envelopment analysis
(DEA) (Wang and Cullinane, 2006; Barros, 2003) and stochastic frontier
analysis (SFA) (Cullinane and Song, 2003).

Ports in supply chains

The papers in this category were separately classified even though the pro-
portion in all the papers was the lowest (=5.2 per cent) among the eight cate-
gories. The reason for this is that they take a different view on seaports from
Ta B L E 19 . 1.     The number of papers in research theme categories
research themes 1980–84 1985–89 1990–94 1995–99 2000–04 2005–09 Total (%)
Port Policy 1 9 5 18 20 22 75 (8.9)
Governance and Reform 2 1 17 26 19 17 82 (9.8)
Management and Strategy 12 10 20 20 47 56 165 (19.6)
Competition and Performance 6 11 10 13 50 72 162 (19.3)
Port in Supply Chains - - 1 1 10 32 44 (5.2)
Planning and Development 20 17 8 19 29 32 125 (14.9)
Terminal Operation 2 3 8 11 33 35 92 (11.0)
Spatial Analysis 6 14 12 24 8 31 95 (11.3)
Total 49 65 81 132 216 297 840
384 Port Logistics

Ta B L E 19.2   Research topics in ‘port competition and

performance’ studies
1980– 1985– 1990– 1995– 2000– 2005–
research topic 84 89 94 99 04 09 Total
Port competition 3 3 - 2 8 9 25
Port selection - 3 3 - 7 12 25
Port performance 2 3 4 4 5 18
Port efficiency - 1 1 3 18 28 51
Port competitiveness 1 1 2 4 12 23 43
Total 6 11 10 13 50 72 162

Ta B L E 19.3   Research topics in ‘ports in supply chains’ studies

1980– 1985– 1990– 1995– 2000– 2005–
research topic 84 89 94 99 04 09 Total
Redefining port in - - - 1 3 11 15
supply chain context
Integration along - - - - 2 11 13
supply chain
Land-side logistics - - 1 - 5 10 16
Total 0 0 1 1 10 32 44

those of traditional studies which see seaports as a node between sea and
land transport. They argue that seaports should be viewed as parts of supply
chains (Robinson, 2002; Bichou and Gray, 2005) and as an extended system
which can interact with other members in the supply chain. In this context,
a number of papers investigate the integration strategies and practices of
seaports along supply chains (Carbone and De Martino, 2003; Tongzon
et al, 2009) and their impact on performance (Song and Panayides, 2008)
(see Table 19.3).

Terminal operations
This approach seeks optimal solutions in terminal operations and appears
to be a separate field from port management and policy studies. It is indis-
pensable in coping with increasing container transportation and achieving
higher efficiency in seaports. Its importance is also shown by the 11 per cent
 Logistics Performance of Supply Chain-Oriented Ports 385

Ta B L E 19.4    Research topics in ‘terminal operation’ studies

1980– 1985– 1990– 1995– 2000– 2005–
research topic 84 89 94 99 04 09 Total
Review and - - 2 - 3 3 8
methodology
Terminal as a whole 1 1 2 2 8 3 17
Sea-side operation - 2 2 2 12 17 35
Yard operation 1 - 2 7 10 9 29
Landside operation - - - - - 3 3
Total 2 3 8 11 33 35 92

proportion of total papers for this category, even though a number of opti-
mization studies were classified in other categories such as demand and
supply analysis and port selection. With the increasing interest in optimized
terminal operations, a variety of review studies and methodological discus-
sions have been provided in recent times (Monaco et al, 2009; Stahlbock and
Vos, 2008; Steenken et al, 2004). Research topics were identified according
to the processes of terminal operation, thus they are not as detailed as the
review studies are (see Table 19.4). The sea-side operation subset is con-
cerned with ship planning processes and loading/unloading processes such
as berth allocation, stowage planning, quay crane scheduling and queueing
problems.
The yard operation subset includes storage space design, yard cranes and
carrier transport. Land-side operations deal with rail and truck operations
and modal-split optimization. A group of studies adopted an integrative
approach which views port operations as terminal operations as a whole,
based on the awareness that improved terminal performance cannot neces-
sarily be obtained by solving isolated problems but by an integration of vari-
ous operations connected to each other. In this category, sea-side operations
and yard operation studies have shown arising trend in the 2000s.

Evolution of port research

It is clear from the literature review that port research has multidisciplinary
characteristics and the intensity has become stronger over time, as shown in
Figure 19.1. In the 1980s, three primary disciplines (economics, geography
and operations research) were involved. In that decade, seaports were studied
as a part of transport economics and transport geography, and this recognition
386 Port Logistics

Fi g u r e 19 .1   Disciplinary evolution of port research

1980s 2000s
Economics Geography

Economics Geography
Transport Transport
Economics Geography
Transport Transport
Economics Geography
Marketing Regional Environmental
Strategic Industrial Planning Studies
Management Relations
Public
Management Administratior
Operations Logistics/ Politics
Research SCM

Operations
Research

is still generally accepted. Therefore, theories and analytical tools used in

transport economics and transport geography were applied to seaports by
transport economists and transport geographers. This implies that economic
and geographical theories were applied to seaports through sub-disciplines
such as transport economics and transport geography rather than directly.
In the 1990s, industrial relations and environmental studies began to be
involved in port research due to port reform undertaken throughout the
world and the increase in environmental concerns. In the 2000s, substan-
tially more disciplines have been involved in port research. Management
discipline areas such as strategic management, and information/communica-
tion appeared in the overall port research picture. The involvement of these
new disciplines had an important influence on theory transfer and applica-
tion. Researchers, in this decade, tended to ‘borrow’ theories and knowledge
directly from other disciplines, and apply them to seaports independently of
traditional primary disciplines such as transport economics and transport
geography. This may have resulted in a blurring of territorial boundaries of
the traditional disciplines, and led to interaction between them and with the
newly involved disciplines.
Figure 19.2 shows how this chapter fits into port research in terms
of research themes and topics. This chapter is basically concerned with
terminal operating companies’ (TOCs) strategies to achieve performance
improvement and competitive advantage through integration along supply
chains. Therefore, three areas of port authority/companies-based research
are important: TOC strategy, integration along supply chains, and port
performance. Strategies of TOCs are pursued, in a broad sense, in two
directions: expansion of global coverage through horizontal integration,
and integration along logistics and supply chains through vertical integra-
tion (de Langen and Chouly, 2009). The latter strategy is a main focus of
 Logistics Performance of Supply Chain-Oriented Ports 387

Fi g u r e 19.2   Research themes and topics relevant to

this chapter

Port research Planning and

development
Spatial
analysis
Terminal
operation

Government Port Authority/

base Companies base

Port Governance Competition Port in

Management
policy and reform and supply
and strategy
performance chains

Integration
TOC Port
along supply
strategy performance
chains

this chapter. In addition, port performance is relevant because this chapter

assesses the impact of this strategy on performance of TOCs. For perfor-
mance measurement, an index approach is used rather than the frontier
approach which is generally used in the studies categorized under ‘port
efficiency’.
Although there are three topics at the heart of logistics performance in
ports, the ‘ports in supply chains’ category is central. While the previous sec-
tion briefly discussed how the studies in this category have been conducted,
the discussion was not exhaustive and was limited to research topics. This
section, therefore, discusses in more detail the involvement of supply chain
management (SCM) concepts in port research and the varying approaches
of port research to SCM practices.
In port research, the term ‘supply chain’ or ‘SCM’ did not often appear
until the early 2000s. Although the evolving role of seaport terminals from
a gateway into a logistics hub has been recently discussed relatively well, it
is not easy to associate SCM issues with port operation and management.
However, Kuipers (2005) also highlights the possibilities for maritime
transport to be flexible in terms of sea operation, transhipment opera-
tions and inland transport operations to deal with the requirements of
SCM. In addition, researchers indicate that the increasing demand for
integrated logistics and transport services makes maritime transport and
388 Port Logistics

port operation inseparable from logistics and supply chain management

(Panayides, 2006; Robinson, 2002). Thus, maritime researchers increas-
ingly have addressed port-related issues from the SCM context or asso-
ciated SCM issues with port studies in several ways. Three approaches
to address the SCM philosophy and practices could be identified from these
studies on: the influences of SCM on shipping and port industries; the
applications of SCM concepts and models to port research; the integrating
activities along supply chains.

Influences of SCM on the port industry

The first approach investigates the influence of SCM strategies adopted
by manufacturing companies on the port industry. This approach tends to
regard SCM as a phenomenon which takes place outside of port operation,
and analyses the dynamics among market players when the impact is made
from outside. Table 19.5 shows the influences of new logistics strategies on
shipping and port industries and the response adopted in the literature. Such
new strategies require transportation companies both to cover a wider geo-
graphical area and to provide a wider range of services to meet increasingly

Ta B L E 19.5   Studies on the influences of SCM on port industry

Literature influences responses/Strategies
Notteboom Structural change in transport Service differentiation
and industries (esp. shipping Value-added logistics
Winkelmans industry) Information system
(2001) Intensified port competition Port networking
Liners’ greater bargaining
power
Notteboom Structural change in container International terminal
(2004) shipping market network development
Integration along supply
chain
Wang and Structural change in container Operational efficiency
Cullinane shipping market improvement
(2006) Intensified port competition
Robinson Intervention in value chains
(2002)
Heaver et al Horizontal expansion
(2001) Internationalization
 Logistics Performance of Supply Chain-Oriented Ports 389

diversified demand patterns with lower price and higher quality than before
(Heaver, 2001; Slack et al, 1996). To deal with these requirements, ship-
ping companies have integrated horizontally through mergers, acquisitions
and strategic alliances, and vertically through operating dedicated terminals
and by providing integrated logistics and intermodal services (Notteboom,
2004). Additionally, shipping companies have rearranged service networks
with the dual aim of global coverage and diversification. The reactions of
shipping companies ultimately affect every facet of the maritime industry,
especially port operations (Slack et al, 2001).
The principal challenges ports face from this structural change are that
their main customers, ie shipping lines, are becoming more powerful with
stronger bargaining power, and that competition between ports is more
intense both at inter-port and intra-port levels. Many studies suggest that
ports have had to evolve across the range of their activities to cope with the
challenges (Notteboom and Winkelmans, 2001; Robinson, 2002). However,
two strategies are primarily suggested: the development of global networks
which can be achieved by horizontal integration, and integration along sup-
ply chains which relates to vertical co-ordination.

Applications of SCM concepts to port research

The second approach regards SCM concepts and models as analytical tools
to address and expand the issues of port operation and management as
shown in Table 19.6. This approach is also based on the standpoint that the
port industry has been substantially affected by SCM practices and accepts
the SCM approach as the dominant logistics perspective. The basic reason
that the researchers adopt an SCM approach is that they view the port sys-
tem as the extended system which connects and actively interacts with other
actors in supply chains beyond the traditional system which simply services
ships and cargoes, and stays in a passive position in the supply chain.
Marlow and Paixão-Casaca (2003) develop a ‘lean port performance
measurement framework’ through applying the ‘leanness’ concept to port
performance. Using this concept they introduce the lean port network in
which a number of lean ports collaborate under the supervision of a lean
port enterprise, and define a process from one inland terminal (start point)
to another inland terminal (finish point) in each lean port network as a
‘multimodal process’. This new framework measures the performance of the
multimodal process and its three sub-processes.
Bichou and Gray (2004) also apply the SCM approach to port perfor-
mance. The SCM approach, in their study, extends a traditional ports sys-
tem to an integrated channel management system where the port stands as
a key location linking the trade, supply and logistics channels. Under their
integrated port system, ‘the actors and operators within the port community
such as stevedores, multimodal transport operators and logistics providers
are sub-members of the port management system, not part of the external
Ta B L E 19.6   Studies on the applications of SCM concepts to port
research
Literature research area applied Findings
concept
Marlow and Port Leanness Development of
Paixão-Casaca performance Lean operation lean port
(2003) performance
measurement
framework
Lee et al (2003) Port operation Supply chain Development of
Simulation modelling simulation system
for port supply
chain
Carbone and De Port operation Lambert Roles of ports in
Martino (2003) and integration tri-dimensional each business
model process of specific
supply chain
Bichou and Gray Port SCM approach Development of
(2004) performance KPI on SCM
approach
Bichou (2004) Port security SCM approach Development of
port security
assessment
framework
Bichou and Gray Port Channel New
(2005) classification approach conceptualization
Port terminology of port on channel
approach
De Martino and Port SCM network Identification of key
Morvillo (2008) competitiveness model factors in port
(Dubois’ competition
model)
Pettit and Port Global supply Suggestion of
Beresford (2009) development chain different roles of
strategies ports in different
supply chain
strategies
 Logistics Performance of Supply Chain-Oriented Ports 391

world’. In addition, their port management system encompasses internal

and external integration of the port, and the port performance management
system considers both values for customer and operational productivity.

Integrating activities along supply chains

This approach also views ports as an extended system which interacts with
other members in supply chains. Furthermore, this approach recognizes SCM
and supply chain integration as phenomena which can take place through-
out ports along supply chains, and regards ports as an integral party which
proactively participates in the phenomena. Initially, researchers attempted
to explore how ports become integrated in supply chains, and conceptual-
ized integration in the port context as shown in Table 19.7. Carbone and
De Martino (2003) identified four SCM components – mutual relationships,
supplied services, information and communication technologies and perfor-
mance measurement – and investigated how port operators in the Port of Le
Havre became involved with Renault’s components supply chain.
Rodrigue and Notteboom (2009) show that ports become increasingly
embedded by supply chain practices because logistics service providers
actively use ports as ‘extended distribution centres’. Pettit and Beresford
(2009) demonstrate that, depending on the strategies of supply chains ports
belong to, the distribution facilities of the ports can be variably developed
and different types of logistics activities can take place. Panayides and Song
(2008) conceptualize the integration of seaport terminals along supply
chains, and develop instruments to measure the degree of the integration.
They derive four variables from relevant literature – information and com-
munication systems, value-added service, multimodal system and operation,
supply chain integration practices – and empirically validate them using con-
firmatory factor analysis. De Martino and Morvillo (2008) presented a new
framework of port competitiveness relating to supply chain integration. They
suggest that inter-organizational relationships are another crucial source of
port competitiveness, which the integration of activities and resources along
the supply chain has developed into a source of competitive advantage.

Supply chains and seaports

This section clarifies terminology in relation to supply chains and ports.
Although the term ‘supply chain’ is frequently used in the port literature,
it is rarely defined or specified. In addition, several similar terms, such as
logistics supply chain, service supply chain and port supply chain, appear
in literature without clarification. Stevens (1989) defines supply chain as
‘a connected series of activities which are concerned with planning, coor-
dinating and controlling materials, parts, and finished goods from supplier
to customer’. A more common definition of a supply chain is a system of
Ta B L E 19 . 7     Studies on the integrating activities of ports along supply chains
Literature Objective Findings
Carbone and De To analyse how port operators deal with the Port operators are involved in several processes, but higher
Martino (2003) challenge of integration integration is required for stronger competitiveness
Notteboom and To extend port development model with port The existing model is extended to port regionalization
Rodrigue (2005) integration phase
Panayides and Song To develop measures for integration of Four measures are validated (ICS, VAS, MSO, SCIP)
(2008) seaport terminals
Song and Panayides To test the impact of terminal integration on Positive relationship between terminal integration and port
(2008) port competitiveness competitiveness is statistically proved
Rodrigue and To discuss how logistics service providers Logistics service providers actively use terminals as DC, so
Notteboom (2009) use terminals in their supply chains terminals are additionally integrated in supply chains (ie
terminalization of supply chains)
De Martino and To identify key factors of port Activities, resources and Inter-organizational relationships
Morvillo (2008) competitiveness among actors in supply chain networks are critical source of
port competitiveness
Pettit and Beresford To identify port logistics activities in recent Logistics activities of ports vary depending on types of
(2009) port development stage supply chain strategies and distribution facilities

NOTE ICS: information and communication systems; VAS: value-added service; MSO: multimodal system and operation; SCIP: supply chain integration practices;
DC: distribution centres.
 Logistics Performance of Supply Chain-Oriented Ports 393

suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, retailers and customers where mate-

rials flow downstream from suppliers to customers and information flows in
both directions (eg Jones and Riley, 1985; Lamming, 1996).
These definitions do not explicitly show whether transportation or trans-
port companies such as port operators are included. Mentzer et al (2001)
define supply chains as ‘a set of three or more entities (organizations or indi-
viduals) directly involved in the upstream and downstream flows of prod-
ucts, services, finances, and/or information from a source to a customer’.
They also identified three degrees of supply chain complexity: a ‘direct
supply chain’ which consists of a company, an immediate supplier, and an
immediate customer; an ‘extended supply chain’ which includes suppliers of
the immediate supplier and customers of the immediate customer; and an
‘ultimate supply chain’ which includes all the organizations involved in all
the upstream and downstream flows from the ultimate supplier to the ulti-
mate customer. Only the third, an ultimate supply chain, includes third-party
logistics (3PL) providers with whom transport companies can get involved.
Some definitions explicitly include carriers and logistics service providers
as members of supply chains (eg Gentry, 1996; Lalonde and Masters, 1994).
From the holistic view, all functions and organizations involved in the flow
of materials and information are included as members of a supply chain. It
follows that ports also play certain roles somewhere between companies or
organizations if the supply chains involve maritime transport. However, the
term, ‘supply chain’ is defined variably according to the scope and interests
of studies, as done by Mentzer et al (2001). They used the ‘ultimate supply
chain’ concept to consider the final customer and supplier in their study.
If a study does not consider ports much in defining or specifying a supply
chain, this may mean issues related to port operation and management are
not addressed in the study. More specific terms have been proposed concern-
ing supply chains in which seaports or shipping companies are involved.
Van Niekerk and Fourie (2002) define a ‘maritime supply chain’ as manage-
ment by shipping companies of the supply-side of supply chains to exercise
control over the entire chain in pursuance of the lowest cost and efficiency
gains. Lee et al (2003) decompose supply chains with the concept of ‘port
supply chains’ which focus on port operations of the supply chain of prod-
ucts, materials and services. Lopez and Poole (1998) used the term ‘maritime
port logistics chain’ which describes integrated and sequential physical and
other transport activities confined to ports and the maritime–land transport
interface. Robinson (2006) specifies ‘port-oriented land-side supply chain’
to investigate integration of functions and activities of land-side logistics.
All the above are cases where a whole supply chain of materials or prod-
ucts passing through ports is decomposed, focusing on, or confined to, mari-
time transportation and port operation. Then, in contrast, it is also possible
to think about the supply chain of services ports provide. In this case, TOCs
are the focal companies, and suppliers and customers for the services can be
identified according to the service range ports provide. Figure 19.3 shows
a simple case where a terminal provides a stevedoring service combining
394 Port Logistics

Fi g u r e 19 .3   Supply chain of port services

Suppliers Customers

Auxiliary service
providers Terminal Sea
access
Resource Shipping
Casual labour companies
suppliers – Physical facilities

– Transport
Equipment equipment
leaser Land
– Labour Inland
access
– Computer systems transport
Materials
providers
providers
– Operational policy
(Oil, crane part
etc)

auxiliary services such as lashing and inspection. In this case, customers

and suppliers would be relatively limited. Shipping companies for sea access
and inland transport providers for land access would be considered as
‘customers’. If the terminal provides additional services, for example, ser-
vices combining stevedoring (with auxiliary services), inland trucking and
warehousing, then forwarders, third-party logistics service providers and
shippers would be considered as customers of the port services, and more
suppliers would be involved in this supply chain.
A distinction, in this case, can be made in that here the opinions of the sup-
pliers are being taken into account. In research elsewhere the opinions of port
customers are generally sought as the primary focus of research in the field of
port-related supply chains. Example cases are found in Lai et al (2008) and
Lai (2009). These studied channel relationships and buyer–supplier relation-
ships in the context of a supply chain where a TOC is the focal company, and
data were collected from the TOC’s suppliers. However, in this chapter, ‘sup-
ply chain’ means ‘supply chain of goods and materials’ passing through ports
rather than ‘supply chain of services ports provide’, and ‘port’ is considered
as one of the members of the wider (ultimate) supply chains. Figure 19.4
illustrates the supply chain of goods where maritime transport is involved.
Between the end-supplier who exports and the end-customer, there may
exist a number of members and functions. Seaport terminals play a tradi-
tional role in linking sea shipping and land transport. In Figure 19.4, suppli-
ers of port services are encircled because they are not considered separately
from seaport terminals. The arrows stand for the possible extension of the
role and function of ports in the supply chain. In conclusion, this chapter
uses the term ‘supply chain’ as supply chain of goods; and considers ports
as a member of the supply chain and as an actor who is able to proactively
integrate functions along the supply chain.
 Logistics Performance of Supply Chain-Oriented Ports 395

Fi g u r e 19.4   Ports in a supply chain

Exporters Retailers/
Customers

Wholesalers
Warehouse

Truck/
Rail
Suppliers Manufacturers
Suppliers
Terminal

Warehouse

Shipping Terminal
Truck/Rail

Integration of ports in supply chains

This section explores how supply chain integration of ports has been
researched and attempts to conceptulize this phenomenon through a lit-
erature review and interview study. This leads to a scientific examination
of the extent of integration of seaports and its impact on the logistics per-
formance of ports. This literature review includes SCM and logistics lit-
erature since supply chain integration is rather a new concept which was
borrowed from such disciplines. In an interview study in December 2008
and January 2009, components and measurement scales used to operation-
alize the concept in existing literature were screened with 21 practitioners
and academics.

Supply chain management, supply chain integration

and performance
The reason that SCM has become popular and is recognized as a crucial
firm strategy is that companies have become more dependent on supply
chains and find it necessary to manage supply chains more effectively in
order to meet complicated customer requirements in a global economy. Lai
et al (2002) state that the emergence of the global economy and intensi-
fied competition have led firms to recognize the importance of managing
396 Port Logistics

their supply chain for fast introduction of product and service innovations
into the markets. Thus, firms have embraced SCM to increase organiza-
tional effectiveness and to achieve organizational goals such as improved
customer value, better utilization of resources, and increased profitability.
Mentzer et al (2001) also state that specific drivers to supply chain manage-
ment may be traced to the trends in global sourcing, an emphasis on time
and quality-based competition and their respective contributions to greater
environmental uncertainty. Cooper and Ellram (1993) define SCM as ‘an
integrative philosophy to manage the total flow of a distribution channel
from the supplier to their ultimate user’. SCM is also defined as the integra-
tion of key business processes to end-users through original suppliers that
provide products, services and information that add value for customers
and other stakeholders (Lambert et al, 1998).
Despite the various dimensions of understanding about SCM, the main
concept of SCM is ‘integration’. Bowersox and Closs (1996) argue that to
be fully effective in today’s competitive environment, firms must expand
their integrated behaviour to incorporate customers and suppliers. They
refer to this extension of integrated behaviours, through external integra-
tion, as SCM. According to Cooper and Ellram (1993), SCM is viewed as
lying between fully vertically integrated systems and those where each chan-
nel member operates completely independently. Chow et al (1995) state that
the concept of integration is central to logistics. According to them, integra-
tion is the degree to which logistics tasks and activities within the firms and
across the supply chains are managed in a coordinated fashion.
The relationship between supply chain management (SCM) and firm per-
formance have been examined by a number of researchers (eg Li et al, 2006;
Shin et al, 2000) as shown in Table 19.8. Mentzer et al (2001) demonstrate
that the improvement of competitive advantage within the supply chain is
the motive for, and the consequence of, SCM. They propose that competi-
tive advantage can be achieved through enhancing customer value and sat-
isfaction by implementing SCM. Li et al (2006) present empirical evidence
that SCM practices have a direct impact on the financial and marketing
performance of an organization. Researchers also identified the relationship
between supply chain integration and firm performance, as integration is
the main concept underpinning SCM, and strategic integration is expected
to impact firm performance. The results of most research indicate that the
higher the level at which integration occurs, the better firm performance is
(Johnson, 1999; Lin et al, 2005).
Johnson (1999) identified five antecedents of strategic integration (depend-
ence, age, continuity expectation, flexibility and relationship quality) and
showed that dependence, continuity expectation and flexibility positively affect
strategic integration, and, in turn, strategic integration enhances performance.
Mentzer et al (2001) differentiate supply chain orientation (SCO) from SCM,
defining SCO as ‘the recognition by an organization of the systemic, strategic
implications of the tactical activities involved in managing the various flows in
a supply chain’ and calling ‘the actual implementation of SCO across various
Ta B L E 19 . 8     Causal relationships in SCM literature
Literature Causal relationships
Shin et al (2000) SMO → Supplier/Buyer Performance
Li et al (2006) SCM Practices → Organisational Performance/Competitive
Advantage
Chow et al (1995) Strategy / Structure → Integration → Performance
Stank and Traichal (1998) Organisation Design → Integration → Performance
Johnson (1999) Dependence, Age, etc → Integration → Performance
Mentzer et al (2001) SCO → SCM → Competitive Advantage
Vickery et al (2003) Integrative IT → Integration → Customer service → Performance
Min et al (2007) MO → SCO → SCM → Firm Performance

NOTE SMO: supply management orientation, SCM: supply chain management, SCO: supply chain orientation, MO: market orientation, IT: information technology.
398 Port Logistics

companies in the supply chain’ SCM. Their conceptual model, accordingly,

identifies SCO as an antecedent of SCM, and SCM as an enhancer of firm
performance. Min et al (2007) associated their SCM concepts with market
orientation (MO). In their model, SCO and SCM act as mediators of the rela-
tionship between market orientation and performance, in other words, MO
and SCO were the antecedents of SCM.

Port supply chain integration (PSCI)

The phenomenon ‘integration of ports in supply chains’ has been recently
studied by maritime researchers (eg Carbone and De Martino, 2003;
Notteboom and Rodrigue, 2005; Panayides and Song, 2008) as discussed
in the previous section. Panayides and Song (2008) termed the integration
of seaport/terminals in supply chains as ‘seaport terminal supply chain inte-
gration (TESCI)’, and defined the term as ‘the extent to which the termi-
nal establishes systems and processes and undertakes functions relevant to
becoming an integral part of the supply chain as opposed to being an iso-
lated node that provides basic ship–shore operation’. This chapter uses the
term ‘port supply chain integration’ (PSCI) for the phenomenon. PSCI can
be expressed, adapting Panayides and Song’s (2008) definition, as ‘a strategy
undertaken by a seaport terminal to integrate various functions and organi-
zations in a supply chain to become an integral part of the supply chain’.
Thus, the entity to implement the strategy is a company operating seaport
terminals which are called terminal operating companies (TOCs).
Most of the studies on PSCI demonstrate that PSCI is implemented
through providing integrated logistics services and organizational integra-
tion (eg Beresford et al, 2004; Carbone and De Martino, 2003; De Souza
et al, 2003; Notteboom and Winkelmans, 2001; Paixão and Marlow, 2003;
Robinson, 2002). De Martino and Morvillo (2008) suggested that ‘the
­concept of integration in the port context has essentially concerned intermo-
dality and organizational integration undertaken by global carriers aimed
at responding to the changing requirements of industrial and commercial
enterprises and at the same time improving their own internal efficiency’.
Beresford et al (2004) pointed out that modern ports diversified into the
emerging field of logistics and began to offer integrated logistics services as
they became increasingly integrated into transport and supply chains.

Components of PSCI
Considering the intensive efforts to conceptualize SCM and supply chain
integration concepts, it is fair to say the components of PSCI have rarely been
identified. Fortunately, a few recent works (Carbone and De Martino, 2003;
Panayides and Song, 2008; Song and Panayides, 2008; Tongzon et al, 2009)
have presented the components or validated the constructs which can be used
to conceptualize PSCI (see Table 19.9). Carbone and De Martino (2003) iden-
tified four SCM components by interviews with French terminal-operating
companies (TOCs): mutual relationships, supplied services, information and
 Logistics Performance of Supply Chain-Oriented Ports 399

Ta B L E 19.9   Components and constructs of PSCI

Literature Components/constructs
Carbone and De Relationships between port operators and firm
Martino (2003) Supplied services that add value
Information and communication technologies
Performance measurement indicators common to
supply chain partners
Panayides and Song Information and communication systems (ICS)
(2008) Value-added service (VAS)
Multimodal systems and operations (MSO)
Supply chain integration practices (SCIP)
Song and Panayides Use of information and communication technology
(2008) Relationship with shipping line
Value-added service
Integration of transport modes
Relationship with inland transport operators
Channel integration practices and performance

communication technologies and performance measurement. Based on their

discussions, Panayides and Song (2008) conceptualized TESCI with four
components: information and communication systems; value-added service;
multimodal systems and operations; supply chain integration practices. They
validated the measurement scales for the components using confirmatory fac-
tor analysis (CFA), and showed they were the constructs representing TESCI
with a second-order measurement model. Song and Panayides (2008) use
seven constructs to examine the relationships between PSCI and port perfor-
mance with multiple regression analysis, but the seven constructs have not
been tested with the second-order model. In addition, Tongzon et al (2009)
validated the components and measurement items which were adopted from
Carbone and De Martino (2003) and Panayides and Song (2008): relation-
ship with users, value-added service, intermodal infrastructure and channel
integration practices. They subsequently evaluated the degree of supply chain
integration of terminals of Inchoen port in Korea using the measurement
instruments. Based on the discussion above in this chapter, five constructs
are used to constitute PSCI: information and communication system (ICS),
value-added logistics (VAL) services, intermodal transport (IMT) services,
long-term relationships (LTR), and supply chain integration practices (SCIP).
Pananyides and Song (2008) defined ICS as ‘the establishment and use of
seamless communication systems that facilitate efficient servicing of supply
chain operations and achievement of supply chain goals’. The role of the
establishment of ICS has been emphasized in facilitating integration among
supply chain members by most SCM researchers, and has been undoubtedly
400 Port Logistics

considered as core components for SCM and supply chain integration

(Mentzer et al, 2001; Tyndall et al, 1998; Ellram and Cooper, 1990). In addi-
tion, the port literature highlights the importance of ICS for higher degrees
of PSCI (Bichou and Gray, 2004; Kia et al, 2000; Paixão and Marlow, 2003;
Panayides and Song, 2008). Heaver (2001) also suggests that the quality of
an IT system to a supply chain is critical to its performance since IT enables
supply chains to reduce order cycle times, cut inventories and make the sys-
tems more flexible. An effective ICS uses EDI (electronic data interchange)
and establishes integrated information systems in order to communicate with
supply chain members and this can be measured with such items (Vickery
et al, 2003; Marlow and Paixão-Casaca, 2003). Interviewees suggested the
inclusion of a few items related to what information is shared through the
ICS such as cargo tracing and inventory management etc (see Appendix 19.1).
‘Value-added logistics services’ (VAL) was defined by Panayides and Song
(2008) as ‘the ability of the port to add value to the services that it provides
in the context of facilitating further the objectives of the supply chain system’
and ‘intermodal transport services and systems’ (IMT) as ‘the existence of sys-
tems to facilitate efficient and effective multimodal operations’. Beresford et
al (2004) suggest that since the 1980s ports have diversified into the emerging
field of logistics and have offered value-added services as they became increas-
ingly integrated into the transport chain to varying degrees depending on
cargo and customer requirements. Notteboom and Winkelmans (2001) also
emphasize that since the maritime container battle will be won on land, the
role of port authorities in the 21st century includes the promotion of an effi-
cient intermodal system. VAL and IMT are undoubtedly core components of
PSCI since the PSCI concept itself means the activities undertaken by terminals
to expand their service range from fragmented physical transport to integrated
logistics which includes multimodal transport and adding value activities.
Researchers suggest that the development of ‘long-term relationships’
(LTR) is an important feature of supply chain integration and a well-­developed
long-term relationship can have a positive effect on the competitiveness of
supply chains (eg Mentzer et al, 2001; Shin et al, 2000). The development of
LTRs between customers and logistics service providers has been viewed as
a strategic choice rather than the transactional type of collaboration (Doney
and Cannon, 1997). This was also supported by the researchers (eg ­Bowersox
et al, 2000; Panayides, 2002) as well as the interviewees, demonstrating that
the evolution of the relationship with supply chain members from the con-
tractual to the long-term and strategic cooperative relationship is the essence
of PSCI. A TOC seeking long-term relationships with supply chain members
may view port users as strategic partners and try to develop cooperative rela-
tionships rather than contractual relationships, which may result in reduc-
tion of channel complexity and more customized service with higher quality
(Min and Mentzer, 2004; Shin et al, 2000; Tongzon et al, 2009).
Researchers suggest that business practices of TOCs in the global sup-
ply chain era should evolve from ‘being reactive, fragmented and intra-­
organizational’ to ‘being proactive, integrated and inter-organizational’
 Logistics Performance of Supply Chain-Oriented Ports 401

(Bichou and Gray, 2004) Particular features of ‘supply chain integration

practices’ (SCIP) may be planning and organizing processes and procedure
beyond its boundaries; comparing and benchmarking performance of ser-
vices; scrutinizing more efficient route and process; and producing new
­service packages and marketing them to customers (Bichou and Gray, 2004;
Notteboom and Rodrigue, 2005).

PSCI and port performance (PP)

In port research, empirical work on the interrelationships between the inte-
gration of ports into supply chains and port performance has been very lim-
ited. Song and Panayides (2008) identified seven parameters for evaluating
the extent of the integration and selected variables for port performance.
They analysed the interrelationships between the parameters and the vari-
ables using multiple regression analysis. Their results showed that: informa-
tion and communication technology positively influences the service quality
of ports; the relationship of ports with shipping companies has beneficial
effects on the reliability and responsiveness of ports; and value-added ser-
vice is positively related to both port service customization and port ser-
vice price. However, they tested the relationships between the parameters
for evaluating the degree of integration and the variables for performance
rather than the higher level concepts, ie the integration of ports in sup-
ply chains and port performance. Tongzon et al (2009), while they could
not find a clear-cut positive relationship between supply chain integration
and performance, observed significant percentage increases in terminal
efficiency-related measures such as container throughput and ship calls in
the terminals with a higher level of supply chain integration.
Carbone and De Martino (2003), from their fieldwork interviewing the
French car company Renault, logistics providers and port operators, found
that Renault outsources some significant parts of the outbound logistics to
logistics providers and port operators so as to benefit from the higher reli-
ability and minimized total logistics costs, while the inbound logistics is
vertically integrated into Renault. This implies that those services integrat-
ing some logistics functions, eg inventory management, with physical trans-
portation, including inland transport and port cargo handling, may produce
a higher level of certain aspects of port performance. Many conceptual and
descriptive works also associate the integration of ports with competitive-
ness or performance issues. De Martino and Morvillo (2008) assert that the
integration of a port is concerned with intermodality and organizational
integration and aims at responding to the changing requirements of indus-
trial and commercial enterprises and, at the same time, improving its own
internal efficiency. Paixão and Marlow (2003) also demonstrate that the
internal and external integration of a port based on the agility concept can
increase competitive advantage of the port, enabling the port to provide
additional value-added and intermodal services, to decrease the transit and
lead-times of cargoes and to reduce the total cost derived from port services.
402 Port Logistics

Antecedents to PSCI
TOCs may have different attitudes to SCM practices and characteristics which
facilitate or impede the implementation of the integration strategy. It would
be very useful to terminal operators to investigate which organizational char-
acteristics and attributes contribute to facilitating the implementation of inte-
gration strategies. TOCs’ organizational characteristics and attitudes towards
PSCI are adopted as antecedents to PSCI in this research, and are termed as
port supply chain orientation (PSCO). This term was adapted from supply
chain orientation (SCO) which is used as an antecedent to SCM. Studies on
the factors or organizational characteristics facilitating the integration strate-
gies of ports are more limited. The features this research attempts to iden-
tify can be interpreted as the ‘resources’ or ‘capabilities’ of a firm from the
resource-based view. This view considers the tangible and intangible aspects
of a firm’s resources enabling it to implement strategies that improve its effi-
ciency and effectiveness (Barney, 1991). Such resources can encompass physi-
cal capital resources, human resources such as knowledge, and organizational
resources such as inter-organizational relationships.
Effective PSCI requires a TOC to have ‘orientation to inter-­organizational
relationships’ through sharing similar goals and philosophies with supply
chain members and building up and maintaining trust and cooperative norms
(McAfee et al, 2002; Mentzer et al, 2001; Min and Mentzer, 2004; Panayides
and So, 2005a; 2005b). According to McAfee et al (2002), relationship orien-
tation is required for the establishment of long-term r­ elationships with supply
chain members and is characterized by mutual trust, interdependence, shared
attitudes and beliefs. De Martino and ­Morvillo (2008) demonstrated that
the willingness to establish relationships with supply chain members having
collaborative spirit and mutual trust entails a higher level of involvement
of ports in supply chains. Bichou and Gray (2004) also indicated that the
ability of TOCs to interact with supply chain members improves the level of
integration along the supply chain. Wu et al (2004) showed that higher levels
of behavioural determinants such as trust and commitment result in higher
levels of supply chain integration.
In addition, a TOC is required to appropriately manage ‘human and finan-
cial resources’ to implement PSCI strategy (De Martino and Morvillo, 2008;
McAfee et al, 2002; Paixão and Marlow, 2003). Gowen and Tallon (2003)
suggested that HRM practices such as employee training and support enhance
supply chain integration by providing better trained and enthusiastic employ-
ees, which is consistent with other SCM studies (eg Dooly and Fryxell, 1999;
Dow et al, 1999). Scarbrough (2000) demonstrated that for tighter supply
chain integration more effective HRM is required by securing necessary skills
and capabilities of employees. Human resources need to have knowledge and
experience to develop the concept, to set up appropriate strategies depending
on their capabilities, and to create new services tailored for particular ship-
pers’ sophisticated demands (Notteboom and Winkelmans, 2001). It is espe-
cially important to provide training and support to make human resources
see beyond the traditional practices implemented in the fragmented physical
 Logistics Performance of Supply Chain-Oriented Ports 403

transport era to integrated logistics in the global supply chain era (Bichou and
Gray, 2004). Relationship-oriented firms, in contrast to transaction-oriented
firms, make a long-term investment in their employees such as training and
compensation and the employees invest in the establishment of long-term
relationships with supply chain members (McAfee et al, 2002). As human
resource management and the establishment of relevant systems to implement
PSCI strategy such as information and communication (ICS), intermodal
transport and value-added logistics require a considerable investment, finan-
cial resources are necessary to manage the desired strategy (ie PSCI) (McAfee
et al, 2002; Marlow and Paixão-Casaca, 2003). The importance of financial
resources is also supported by the interviewees: in terms of how willing a
TOC is to invest for supply chain practices and how high a priority the TOC
has in investment for supply chain practices. The ‘top management team’ of
the TOC should also have leadership and commitment to change their strate-
gic direction and support the implementation of the strategies (Mentzer et al,
2001; Min and Mentzer, 2004). The team has a critical role in transforming
an organization towards the new approach in that it shapes an organization’s
values, orientation and direction (Lambert et al, 1998; Loforte, 1991).

Logistics performance of ports (LPP)

Measures for port performance should also be developed appropriately for
the objectives and contexts of this chapter. Port performance has tradition-
ally focused on the internal aspects of port operations primarily as shown in
Table 19.10 because the role of ports has been recognized as merely being
nodes between land transport and sea transport and the virtue of ports was
understood to be a cost- and time-efficient operation.
Brooks (2007) indicates that the port literature has focused on measur-
ing efficiency while other transport modes such as air, road and rail put a
greater emphasis on external perspectives such as customer orientation, reli-
ability and service. Bichou (2007) also demonstrates that port performance
measurement systems are hardly ever used to capture both efficiency and
external effectiveness, and a single focus on either efficiency or effective-
ness does not seem to be the only way to increase performance. In addition,
Panayides (2006) suggests that ports in the supply chain era may have other
measures of performance, apart from cargo throughput, such as leanness,
agility, time compression as well as the performance of other parties in the
supply chain. Another criticism of traditional port performance measures is
that the traditional measures are fragmented and biased towards sea access.
Most port performance literature focuses solely on sea access, overlooks
other processes of the port operating system and ignores the interests of
other members of the port’s supply chain network. In this regard, some
researchers propose new port performance measurement concepts and
frameworks based on different recognition about the environments ports
are embedded in and the functions of ports in the supply chain (eg Marlow
and ­Paixão-Casaca, 2003; Bichou and Gray, 2004).
404 Port Logistics

Ta B L E 19.10   Traditional port performance measures/indicators

Literature Category indicators
Metrics and indicator approach
UNCTAD (1982), Output Berth output, ship output, gang output
De Monie (1987) Service Ship waiting time, ship’s time
Utilization Berth occupancy, berth working time
Productivity Cost per tonnes of cargo handled
Tongzon and Operational Capital and labour productivity, asset
Ganesalingam efficiency utilization rates
(1994) Customer- Direct charges, ship’s waiting time,
oriented inland transport, reliability
measures
Talley (1994) Shadow price Cargo handling rate, average delay to
ships waiting berths, average delay to
ships while alongside berths, truck
time and queuing
Frontier approach
Roll and Hayuth Output Cargo throughput, level of service,
(1993) users’ satisfaction, ship calls
Input Manpower, capital, cargo uniformity
Cullinane et al Output Turnover from container terminal service
(2002) Input Terminal quay length, terminal area,
number of equipment
Cullinane et al Output Cargo throughput
(2006)
Input Terminal length, terminal area, number
of quayside gantry, yard gantry and
straddle carrier
Wang and Output Cargo throughput
Cullinane
Input Capital (terminal length), labour
(2006)
(equipment cost), land (terminal area)

Mentzer and Konrad (1991) defined logistics performance as effectiveness

and efficiency. The following studies suggested logistics performance is
multi-dimensional by validating logistics performance measures comprising
efficiency and effectiveness (Fugate et al, 2010; Lai et al, 2002). In logistics,
effectiveness is considered as the extent to which the logistics function’s
goals are accomplished and efficiency is considered as the ability to pro-
vide the logistics function to manage resources wisely (Menzter and Konrad,
 Logistics Performance of Supply Chain-Oriented Ports 405

Fi g u r e 19.5   Complete research model

PSCO PSCI LPP

Organizational Information and Effectiveness (EFC)

relationships (OR) Communication System Service quality
(ICS)
Financial resources (FR) Service price
Long-Term Relationship Customer orientation
Human resources (HR) (LTR)
Top Management Value-added logistics (VAL) Efficiency (EFF)
Support (TMS)
Intermodal Transport (IMT) Sea and land
operation
Supply Chain Integration
Practices (SCIP) Cargo operation

1991; Fugate et al, 2010). Adopting the definition and constructs devel-
oped by these studies, Woo et al (2008) and Beresford et al (2011) devel-
oped measures to evaluate port performance in aspects of both efficiency
and effectiveness using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). This study used
port performance measures consisting of effectiveness concerning external
aspects of port operation such as service quality (reliability, timeliness, infor-
mation provision), customer orientation (responsiveness, flexibility etc) and
service price (level of cargo-handling charge, etc), and efficiency concerning
internal operational aspects such as sea and land operation and cargo opera-
tion (ship waiting time, ship turnaround time, cargo-handling time, time
from entry to exit of port, etc) (see Appendix 19.1 for details).

Research model and data collection

The reseach model developed through a literature review and interview
study in this chapter is shown in Figure 19.5 and an empirical study was
conducted with the research model. In this research model, components
(first-order factor) for each constructs (higher-order factor) are hypothesized
to represent corresponding constructs in measurement models and causal
relationships between PSCO, PSCI and LPP are also hypothesized in struc-
tural models. PSCO, PSCI and LPP are higher-order factors, while their com-
ponents are called first-order factors. The first-order factors are measured
by their observed variables which are measurement items in Appendix 19.1.
A preliminary step for this task was to collect data used in the empirical
analysis and this was collected through a questionnaire survey conducted
in two ports (ports A and B) and across a range of TOCs and port users
(PUs). Measurement items were designed through a literature review and
406 Port Logistics

Ta B L E 19.11   Questionnaire response details

Opened responded
Not but not response
Port group Sent opened responded Frequency % rate (%)
Port A POC 41 5 7 29 44
SC 20 1 2 17 26
FWD 100 33 47 20 30
Subtotal 161 39 56 66 100 40.9
Port B POC 30 3 4 23 38
SC 20 1 1 18 30
FWD 100 33 47 20 32
Subtotal 150 37 52 61 100 40.6
Total 311 76 108 127 40.8

NOTE * Percentage in ‘responded’ column stands for proportion of response of each group in subtotal
responses.

interviews with practitioners and academics. A large pool of items for PSCO,
PSCI and port performance was generated from the relevant literature. Dur-
ing the interviews with 21 industry and academic experts, the theoretical
framework of this study and the generated measurement items were dis-
cussed, completing the first draft of the questionnaire with a 5-point Likert
scale. Subsequently two practitioners and an academic reviewed and com-
mented on the draft version of the questionnaire, which was re-structured
and re-worded. Appendix 19.1 provides the full list of measurement items
and their sources. The questionnaire package was distributed to 191 target
respondents. The survey questionnaire asked TOCs to evaluate their ter-
minals, responding to the items in the questionnaire. In contrast, SCs and
FDWs were asked to evaluate the terminals they frequently use in both the
selected ports. Accordingly, the maximum possible number of responses that
this study could obtain was 311 (71 from TOCs and 240 from SCs and
FDWs). 127 responses were received (52 from TOCs and 75 from SCs and
FDWs), with a response rate of 40.8 per cent (see Table 19.11).

Empirical analysis and results

Structural equation modelling (SEM), using AMOS 6.0, was the main statis-
tical analysis tool combining the measurement model (CFA) and the struc-
tural model (regression or path analysis) into a statistical test (Garver and
Mentzer, 1999). In the measurement model phase, the three measurement
 Logistics Performance of Supply Chain-Oriented Ports 407

models (PSCO, PSCI and LPP) are validated. PSCO and PSCI were proposed
as second-order constructs which contain two layers of latent constructs,
and LPP as a third-order construct with effectiveness and efficiency, which
are second-order constructs. Model validation in a measurement model
examines overall model fit and construct validity comprising unidimension-
ality, reliability (scale and composite), convergent validity and discriminant
validity. For structural models, overall model fit is assessed to make sure
how well the structural model fits into the collected data. Structural coef-
ficients are then examined in terms of statistical significance, which decides
whether proposed hypotheses are rejected or not. Nomological validity,
defined as the extent to which measures of different but related constructs
correlate to each other in theoretically predicted ways (Min and Mentzer,
2004), is also assessed.

Measurement models
Prior to the analysis, the collected data were screened and no missing data
were found. Some extent of multivariate non-normality was shown and
bootstrapping was successfully applied as a remedy to non-normality as
suggested by Byrne (2001). The CFA results for PSCO, PSCI and LPP pre-
sented in Table 19.12 show that the overall model fit for the three measure-
ment models is reasonably acceptable. The Comparative Fit Index (CFI)
and Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI) are marginally higher than 0.90 except for
TLI value for PSCI which is 0.89. Standardized root mean square residual
(SRMR) values are all lower than 0.08. The normed fit chi-square statistics
for PSCI equals 2.0 while those for PSCO and PP are greater than 2.0. The
acceptable model fit indices also confirm unidimensionality. The values of
Chronbach’s alpha (>0.7), composite reliabilities (>0.7), and the average
variance extracted for each of the constructs indicates (>0.5) that construct
reliability was confirmed for the measurement models. All items’ loadings
on their corresponding constructs were high (ranging from 0.66 to 0.95)
and significant at the 0.001 significance level (t > 3.29) except for an item
in the EFF 1 construct, of which loading is 0.52, but significant at the 0.001
significance level, and does not appear to harm the overall model fit. This
demonstrates adequate convergent validity.
Discriminant validity was evaluated with the method suggested by Kline
(2005) and Fornell and Larker (1981): 1) the correlation between latent vari-
ables is lower than 0.85; 2) the AVE of each construct is higher than 0.5; and
3) the AVE of each latent variable is higher than the squared inter-construct
correlations. The comparisons for PSCO and PP met the criteria presented
in the previous section. Two inter-construct correlations in the PSCI model
were higher than 0.85 (VAL-SCIP 0.87; OR-TMS 0.89) and their squared
values (0.75; 0.79 respectively) were also higher than the relevant AVEs (VAL
0.67 SCIP 0.71; OR 0.69 TMS 0.73). The details of this test are provided in
Appendix 19.2. Considering that this method applies very conservative crite-
ria and the higher-order measurement model requires high correlation among
Ta B L E 19 . 1 2     CFA results for the first order constructs of PSCO, PSCI and PP
No. of Standardized range of
Constructs items loadings range t-values Crs aVes α-values
Port Supply Chain Orientation (PSCO)
OR 7 0.72–0.89 9.40–12.91 0.94 0.69 0.94
HR 3 0.77–0.89 10.13–12.14 0.87 0.69 0.87
FR 3 0.67–0.90 8.37–10.79 0.86 0.68 0.87
TMS 5 0.74–0.91 9.91–14.66 0.93 0.73 0.93
χ2=306.65 (df=124); χ2/df=2.4. CFI=0.92; TLI=0.91; SRMR=0.056
Port Supply Chain integration (PSCi)
ICS 8 0.67–0.86 8.31–11.19 0.88 0.56 0.89
LTR 4 0.66–0.90 10.83–15.73 0.90 0.67 0.89
VAL 5 0.65–0.93 7.41–13.33 0.91 0.67 0.92
IMT 6 0.72–0.88 8.40–12.14 0.90 0.61 0.92
SCIP 6 0.71–0.90 9.79–14.99 0.94 0.71 0.93
χ2=617.85 (df=305); χ2/df=2.0; CFI=0.91; TLI=0.89; SRMR=0.058
 Logistics Performance of Port (LPP)
EFC
Service quality (EFC1) 6 0.72–0.90 9.39–13.18 0.93 0.70 0.93
Customer orientation (EFC2) 4 0.84–0.91 12.90–15.46 0.93 0.77 0.93
Service price (EFC3) 3 0.91–0.97 18.45–22.38 0.95 0.88 0.95
EFF
Sea and land operation (EFF1) 5 0.52–0.92 8.48–9.03 0.90 0.65 0.90
Cargo operation (EFF2) 3 0.76–0.92 11.40–11.51 0.94 0.81 0.90
χ2=373.124 (df=177); χ2/df=2.1; CFI=0.93; TLI=0.92; SRMR=0.069

NOTE CR: composite reliability; AVE: average variance extracted; α-value: Chronbach’s α.
410 Port Logistics

Fi g u r e 19 .6   Structural model

cISCS1 cISCS2 cLTR1 cLTR2 cVAL1 cVAL2 cIMT1 cIMT2 cIMT2 cSCIP1 cSCIP2 cSCIP3

ISCS LTR VAL IMT SCIP

PSCO PSCI LPP

FR HR OR TMS EFC EFF

cFR1 cFR2 cHR1 cHR2 cOR1 cOR2 cTMS1 cTMS2 cEFC1 cEFC2 cEFC3 cEFF1 cEFF2

first-order constructs, those cases not meeting the suggested criteria can be con-
sidered to be acceptable. Based on the acceptable validation of the first-order
constructs, validation of the three hypothesized higher-order measurement
models was attempted. The results were successful since the overall model
fit indices were acceptable (2.0<χ2/df<2.4; 0.90<CFI<0.93; 0.89<TLI<0.91;
0.57<SRMR<0.70) and all the factor loadings from the higher-order con-
structs to the corresponding first-order constructs were high (ranging from
0.73 to 0.97) and statistically significant at the 0.001 significance level.

Structural model
The structural model was constructed for testing the hypothesized causal
relationships as shown in Figure 19.6. In constructing this model, a partial
aggregation method, which uses composites of 2–4 measurement items as
observed variables for their corresponding latent variables, was applied to
reduce model complexity and identification problems (Bagozzi and Heath-
erton, 1994; Leone et al, 2001).
The SEM results in Table 19.13 showed that the proposed model achieved
acceptably good fit. The normed chi-square statistics are higher than 2.0 but
below the recommended value of 3.0 suggested by Bollen (1989). CFI (0.90)
and TLI (0.89) do not indicate excellent fit but reasonable and acceptable
fit, and SRMR (0.057) is far below the suggested threshold. The individual
paths were also evaluated. Path PSCO-PSCI was statistically significant at
the 0.001 significance level with the critical ratio of 9.90. The standardized
regression weight was 0.96 indicating the impact of PSCO on PSCI is both
 Logistics Performance of Supply Chain-Oriented Ports 411

Ta B L E 19.13   SEM results: Structure model with higher-order

factors
Standardized
Path regression Weight t-value
PSCO → PSCI 0.96 9.90***
PSCI → LPP 0.95 10.39***
PSCO → FR 0.70 8.47***
PSCO → HR 0.89 10.02***
PSCO → OR 0.94 -
PSCO → TMS 0.94 11.23***
PSCI → ISCS 0.98 -
PSCI → LTR 0.92 10.56***
PSCI → VAL 0.87 11.28***
PSCI → IMT 0.72 7.39***
PSCI → SCIP 0.96 11.41***
LPP → EFC 0.96 -
LPP → EFF 0.93 10.7***
χ2=616.835(df=282, p<0.001); χ2/df=2.2; CFI=0.90; TLI=0.89; SRMR=0.057

NOTE *** P<0.001.

positive and very strong. Path PSCI-LPP was also significant at the 0.001
significance level and the standardized regression weight was 0.95. This also
indicates PSCI influences PP positively and very strongly. All the factor load-
ings of first-order factors on the corresponding higher-order factors were
significant and high, ranging from 0.7 to 0.96. In addition the factor load-
ings did not show substantial difference from those in the measurement
models, demonstrating the measurement models’ validity and stability (Hair
et al, 2010). The SEM results also supported nomological validity of PSCO
and PSCI measurement models because the PSCO-PSCI path was theoreti-
cally expected to make a positive contribution to LPP.

Conclusion
With regard to the results and findings of the empirical research, first, the
three constructs, PSCO, PSCI and PP, were successfully validated with the
412 Port Logistics

components identified from the literature review and interviews indicat-

ing that the three constructs are multi-dimensional concepts. Secondly, the
empirical research showed that PSCO has a strong contribution to PSCI,
and PSCI has a strong and positive impact on LPP. Considering the LPP
construct encompasses both effectiveness and efficiency of terminal opera-
tions, the consequences of PSCI are not limited to improving either internal
efficiency or external effectiveness. Both aspects of port performance can be
improved by seeking PSCI. Additionally PSCO, in turn, was found to influ-
ence positively and indirectly on LPP through implementing PSCI.
In conclusion, this chapter suggests that the integration strategy of ports
along supply chains (PSCI) should be firmly based on a strong orientation
to supply chain integration (PSCO) within individual seaport terminals, and
the successful implementation of this strategy necessarily involves signifi-
cant improvement of the logistics performance of terminals (LPP).
Appendix 19.1
Ta B L E 19 . 1 4     Latent and observed variables for PSCO
Measurement items Source
Fr (Financial resources)
Having the financial resources to invest for supply chain integration when necessary (FR1) Interview findings
Being willing to invest for supply chain integration when necessary (FR2)
Playing a high priority on investment for supply chain integration (FR3)
Hr (Human resources)
Workforce has a good understanding of new logistics environments (HR1) Interview findings
Workforce has the capabilities to develop new logistics services (eg integrated logistics services) (HR2)
Offering constantly education opportunities about supply chain integration to enhance the workforce’s
capabilities (HR3)
Or (Organisational relationships)
Goals and objectives are consistent with those of our supply chain members (OR1) Min and Mentzer (2004)
Min et al (2007)
CEO and the CEOs of our supply chain members have similar operating philosophies (OR2)
Panayides (2007)
Being willing to make cooperative changes with our supply chain members (OR3) Interview findings
Believing our supply chain members must work together to be successful (OR4)
Our supply chain members trust each other (OR5)
Keeping promises with our supply chain members (OR6)
Dealing with supply chain members with honesty (OR7)

(Continued )
Ta B L E 19 . 1 4     Latent and observed variables for PSCO (Continued )
Measurement items Source
TMS (Top Management Support)
Top management repeatedly tell employees that our continued success depends on its adapting to new Min and Mentzer (2004)
logistics environment such as supply chain integration (TMS1) Min et al (2007)
Interview findings
Top managers repeatedly tell employees that building, maintaining, and enhancing long-term relationships
with supply chain members are critical to our business’s success (TMS2)
Top managers repeatedly tell employees that sharing valuable strategic/tactical information with supply
chain members is critical to business’s success (TMS3)
Top managers repeatedly tell employees that sharing objectives and philosophy is critical to our business’s
success (TMS4)
Top management offers various education opportunities about supply chain management and integration
(TMS5)

NOTE * References in the ‘Source’ column represent sources for all the items in each block where they belong.
Ta B L E 19 . 1 5     Latent and observed variables for PSCI
Measurement items Source
iCS (information and Communication System)
Providing information concerning shipment and cargo tracking (ISCS1) Vickery et al (2003)
Sharing information concerning inventory management with supply chain members (ISCS2) Min and Mentzer
Exchanging information concerning supply and demand forecasts with supply chain members (ISCS3) (2004)
Exchanging information concerning marketing strategy with supply chain members (ISCS4) Min et al (2007)
Using integrated EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) to communicate with partners in the supply chain (ISCS5) Panayides and Song
Using integrated information systems to share data/information with partners in the supply chain (ISCS6) (2008)
Adopting computerized service systems for supply chain operations (ISCS7) Interview findings
Using the latest IT technology to support supply chain goals (ISCS8)
LTr (Long-Term relationships)
Reducing channel complexity to closely work with a selected set of Shin et al (2002)
supply chain members (LTR1) Min and Mentzer
We have facilitated a strong and long-term supply chain relationship fostering cooperation with each other (2004)
(LTR2) Min et al (2007)
Relationships with supply chain members are based on trust rather than contractual obligations (LTR3) Interview findings
Having guidelines for developing and maintaining long term relationships with supply chain members (LTR4)
VaL (Value-added Logistics)
Having adequate facilities for adding value to cargoes (VAL1) Panayides and Song
Capable of adapting a service to meet the customers’ specifications (VAL2) (2008)
Capable of launching new tailored services should the need arise (VAL3) Interview findings
Capable of delivering services tailored to different market segments (VAL4)
Capable of handling different types of cargo (VAL5)

(Continued )
Ta B L E 19 . 1 5     Latent and observed variables for PSCI (Continued )
Measurement items Source
iMT (inter-Modal Transport)
Having the capacity to convey cargo through the most diversified routes/modes at the least possible time Panayides and Song
(IMT1) (2008)
Having a variety of services to handle the transferring of cargo from one mode to another (IMT2) Interview findings
Having adequate connectivity for the multimodal interface (IMT3)
Having reliable service operations for the multimodal interface (IMT4)
Providing cost-effective multimodal operations (IMT5)
Evaluating alternative routes for the more efficient multimodal transport of containers via our Terminal (IMT6)
SCiP (Supply Chain integration Practices
Collaborating with other supply chain partners to plan for greater supply chain optimization (SCIP1) Panayides and Song
Seeking to identify other competing supply chains for containers that might flow through our terminal (SCIP2) (2008)
Comparing the cost and time of cargoes flowing through our port and those of the cargoes flowing through Interview findings
other competitive ports (SCIP3)
Benchmarking the logistics/supply chain options available for cargoes that will flow through our port vis-a -vis
alternative routes via competing ports (SCIP4)
Seeking to identify least cost options for the transport of cargoes to hinterland destinations (SCIP5)
Constantly evaluating the performance of the transport modes available for linking our port/terminal to its
hinterland destinations (SCIP6)

NOTE * References in the ‘Source’ column represent sources for all the items in each block where they belong.
 Logistics Performance of Supply Chain-Oriented Ports 417

Ta B L E 19.1 6    Latent and observed variables for LPP

Measurement items Source
eFC1: Service Quality
We provide a consistent reliable service (EFC1-1) Marlow and
We handle cargoes on quoted or anticipated time (EFC1-2) Casaca
Annual number of complaints from customers (EFC1-3) (2003)
We handle cargoes on customers’ time requirements Woo et al
(EFC1-4) (2008)
Our service lead-time is appropriate (EFC1-5)
We provide shipment information accurately (EFC1-6)
eFC2: Customer Orientation
We respond promptly to the need of customers (EFC2-1) Lai et al
We have quick decision-making process (EFC2-2) (2002)
We are flexible in terms of volume and type of cargo Woo et al
handling (EFC2-3) (2008)
We deal with unexpected events or situations well
(EFC2-4)
eFC3: Service Price
Comparing with competitors, our total service price is Tongzon
(EFC3-1) (1995)
Comparing with competitors, our cargo handling charge is Woo et al
(EFC3-2) (2008)
Comparing with competitors, our charge for auxiliary
services is (EFC3-3)
eFF1: Sea and Land Operations
Our cargo throughput per crane is (EFF1-1) Tongzon
Our cargo throughput per acre is (EFF1-2) (1995)
Our ship waiting time is (EFF1-3) Marlow and
Our ship turnaround time is (EFF1-4) Casaca
Our time for loading/unloading cargo is (EFF1-5) (2003)
eFF2: Cargo Operation
Our time for mode transit is (EFF2-1) Marlow and
Our time for truck entry is (EFF2-2) Casaca
Our time from cargo’s entry to its exit is (EFF2-3) (2003)

NOTE * References in the ‘Source’ column represent sources for all the items in each block where
they belong.
418 Port Logistics

Appendix 19.2
Ta B L E 19.17    Port supply chain orientation (PSCO)
Fr Hr Or TMS
FR 0.68 0.4 0.5 0.45
HR 0.66*** 0.71 0.59 0.71
OR 0.71*** 0.77*** 0.69 0.79
TMS 0.67*** 0.84*** 0.89*** 0.73

NOTE *** P<0.001; ** p<0.01; * p<0.05

Ta B L E 19.18   Port supply chain integration (PSCI)

iSCS LTr VaL iMT SCiP
ISCS 0.67 0.72 0.66 0.41 0.72
LTR 0.85*** 0.67 0.66 0.48 0.70
VAL 0.82*** 0.81*** 0.67 0.58 0.75
IMT 0.64*** 0.69*** 0.76*** 0.61 0.67
SCIP 0.85*** 0.84*** 0.87*** 0.82*** 0.71

NOTE *** P<0.001; ** p<0.01; * p<0.05

Ta B L E 19.19    Port performance (PP)

eFC1 eFC2 eFC3 eFF1 eFF2
EFC1 0.70 0.71 0.52 0.56 0.40
EFC2 0.84*** 0.77 0.61 0.37 0.44
EFC3 0.72*** 0.78*** 0.88 0.32 0.38
EFF1 0.75*** 0.61*** 0.57*** 0.65 0.40
EFF2 0.63*** 0.66*** 0.62*** 0.63*** 0.81

NOTE *** P<0.001; ** p<0.01; * p<0.05

 Logistics Performance of Supply Chain-Oriented Ports 419

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PART FOUR
Conclusion
Looking ahead 20
p h OT I S M pa N ay I D E S a N D D O N g -wO O K S O N g

I n the first edition of this volume of readings in maritime logistics our aim
was to propagate further the development of this interesting area that
combines maritime transport and logistics management. Evidence suggests
that this aim has been achieved bearing in mind the considerable interest
that was shown for the first volume. On this basis the aim for the second vol-
ume remains strong and clear, bearing in mind the need for further empirical
research and development of scholarly thought in maritime logistics. The
combination of the two concepts is a natural consequence of the convergent
managerial and physical objectives in the transportation of goods and com-
modities from production to consumption. The combination is also evident
from the contributions in this volume. This concluding chapter provides an
overview of the contributions from two perspectives. The first perspective
reviews the chapters by highlighting the topics of investigation as well as
their importance. The second perspective focuses on what we have learned
from the contributions in the volume and highlights topics that may be the
subject of future scholarly investigation.

Topics of investigation and their importance

The importance of the concept of maritime logistics is underlined by virtu-
ally all authors in this volume. In addition, the topics that the authors chose
to investigate and analyse provide important signals as to the areas that
science and practice need to focus on in order to develop the boundaries of
knowledge further.
Chapter 2 by Veenstra addresses the relationship between ocean shipping
and trade, by examining to what extent shipping is still a facilitator to trade.
For this purpose, the author introduces the approach of the trade facilita-
tion school of thought in shipping and port management. This is followed
by a detailed description of the mechanism of international trade, as well
as the specific role of shipping within this mechanism. These concepts are
connected to the ongoing work on non-tariff barriers, both theoretical and
empirical, that has taken place in recent years.
428 Conclusions

In Chapter 3, Yercan and Yildiz provide an overview of international

maritime trade and logistics, focusing on the development process of mari-
time trade. The authors use the liner shipping connectivity index to highlight
the importance of links and networks in facilitating international trade by
carriers.
In Chapter 4, Lee Nam and Song provide an in-depth understanding of
key concepts in maritime logistics including the definition, the main activi-
ties and a guideline for value creation of maritime logistics systems. The
authors define maritime logistics and maritime logistics value in terms of
the integration of maritime transport and logistics management to create
value through the reduction in costs and improvement in service quality. By
integrating the literature the authors highlight the difference between mari-
time logistics and maritime transportation, emphasizing the importance of
the managerial function in maritime logistics management. The chapter also
highlights strategic implications for maritime logistics operators.
Hinterland logistics incorporates the hinterland transportation system
and related logistics activities. Bergqvist in Chapter 5 argues that hinter-
land logistics should not be dealt with in isolation from the overall sup-
ply chain; rather, hinterland logistics has the important role of effectively
and efficiently connecting large and more global, primarily sea-based trans-
port networks with hinterland transport systems. The author provides an
informative review of the hinterland transportation concept and describes
the evolution and development of hinterland logistics including transport
system design, intermodality and intelligent system design as well as hinter-
land logistics strategy. The concepts are manifested in an analysis of how
the hinterland logistic system in Scandinavia, related to the functions of the
Port of Gothenburg, was developed. Through the case study of the Scandi-
navian Railport system, important implications for hinterland logistics and
its influence in global supply chains are presented.
The development of technology and technological advances may have
made some aspects of human work redundant but brought about several
other issues that need to be addressed in an efficient supply chain, not least
the interface between humans and technology in the various man–machine
systems that make up the global supply chain. The most significant concepts
are reviewed by Österman and Osvalder (Chapter 6).
Hayashi and Nemoto (Chapter 7) emphasize the importance of inter-
modal freight transport for multinational manufacturing companies that
operate globally and require door-to-door services. The configuration of
liner shipping networks and the design of liner services are analysed by
Ducruet and Notteboom (Chapter 8). Recognizing that the extensive world-
wide container shipping networks are key to globalization and global supply
chains, the authors analyse liner service networks as configured by container
shipping lines by using global vessel movement data, the position of sea-
ports and the changing geographic distribution of main inter-port links. The
importance of maritime logistics is epitomized in the propensity of shipping
companies to become actively involved in the business of logistics or inland
 Looking Ahead 429

transportation. Such an involvement may take the form of diversification or

integration in the supply chain. The concept is thoroughly investigated by
Panayides et al (Chapter 9) who also carry out an empirical investigation
into the valuation effects from the diversification of shipping companies.
In Chapter 10, Baird attempts to investigate and provide a wider picture
concerning what liner shipping competitors are doing with regard to the
provision of logistics and value-added activities, to assess the extent of these
activities in terms of logistics services provided, and to offer an indication
as to how this might evolve in the future. The chapter includes several brief
case studies which seek to review and analyse the specific logistics activities
and strategies within several of the top 20 container lines. The author seeks
to establish the performance implications from the provision of logistics-
related added-value services and to offer an indication of future evolution
using the case study approach. The case studies offer a more detailed insight
into the different approaches adopted by major global container lines with
respect to the development and provision of logistics services. The chapter
concludes that over half of the top 20 carriers, and not just the smaller lines,
actually offer little in the way of logistics or added-value services. Con-
versely, several top 20 carriers maintain a wide portfolio of logistics invest-
ments and capabilities and hence derive considerable income from these
activities. Yet there seems to be plenty of room for liner operators to expand
their logistics services, although whether they would wish to do so remains a
key question. Moreover, there appears to be scant evidence of ocean carriers
earning high profits from logistics.
Sea transport is not limited to containerized cargoes and the develop-
ments taking place in international trade render the application of logistics
concepts essential in non-containerized commodities. This is recognized by
Desrosiers (Chapter 11) and Comtois and Lacoste (Chapter 12).
Desrosiers (Chapter 11) discusses tanker shipping logistics with a focus
on cargo operations in particular, as well as commercial issues that pertain
to the arrival and discharge of a cargo of crude oil at a terminal. Comtois
and Lacoste (Chapter 12) highlight the importance of understanding dry
bulk shipping logistics on the basis of certain key salient features includ-
ing the need for efficiency improvements in cargo handling and transporta-
tion. The chapter provides a thorough understanding of developments in
dry bulk shipping logistics by looking at such issues as the dry bulk fleet and
route patterns, the dry bulk supply chain and inventory management, and
challenges in dry bulk shipping logistics.
Ports play a crucial role in the maritime logistics chain; hence Roso and
Rosa (Chapter 13) discuss the concept of the dry port and investigate its
application to practice. As an inland intermodal terminal that is directly
connected by rail to seaports, the aim of dry ports is to rationalize transport
in and out of a port by bundling the flows of cargo, thus reducing congestion
and other externalities. Case studies of dry ports in Europe are presented.
In a chapter titled ‘Port-centric logistics in concept and practice’ (­Chapter
14) Valantasis-Kanellos and Song begin by outlining the contemporary
430 Conclusions

business environment of ports and its effects on those ports. The evolution-
ary development of ports on a global scale is thereafter discussed from three
different perspectives. The first perspective is involved with the port gen-
erations model, the second with the privatization of ports, while the third
with the emergence and expansion of global port operators (GPOs). Finally,
before the main theme of this chapter, the development of port-centric logis-
tics (PCL) in the UK over the last decade, is discussed, the unique para-
digm of UK ports regarding their ownership and management mandates is
framed.
The concept of the hub port has been at the centre of maritime practice
for a good part of the last two decades. Despite this it seems that defining
exactly what a maritime logistics hub is has been an elusive concept, accord-
ing to Nam and Song (Chapter 15). They identify several empirical analy-
ses that use rather abstract definitions of maritime logistics hubs generally
proxied to container hub ports. Therefore, the authors attempt to tackle this
gap by not only defining the concept of the logistics hub but also by describ-
ing its application to container ports. The chapter concludes by providing
implications as to policy and strategy that will enhance the ability of aspir-
ing ports to become hub ports.
Chapter 16 by Parola aims to provide an exhaustive overview of the
container port business state of the art and evolution, depicting mainstream
trends and common managerial practices. For this purpose, extant academic
literature has been scrutinized in depth and critically discussed. The chapter
conceptualizes the nature and typology of stevedoring services, enlightening
the differences between dedicated and multi-user facilities. In addition, it
introduces business models of leading market players, exploring the main
drivers of growth. The chapter provides an analysis of spatio-temporal
dimensions of container port MNEs’ internationalization, illustrating the
timing and the geographic scope of overseas expansion. There is also a
description of the most common firms’ entry patterns and expansions of the
understanding of inter-firm partnerships, which originate ‘hidden families’
of cooperation across multiple locations.
In Chapter 17, Lam, Parola and Panayides add value to the body of port
literature by focusing on the growing trend in port public–private partner-
ships (PPPs). The study aims to perform an exploratory investigation of
the impact of PPP on port logistics performance through the discussion of
examples from the port industry and the respective countries’ situation. In
particular, the authors identify relevant institutional factors to frame the
discussion and draw inferences. Based on the examples from various ports,
PPPs could improve port logistics performance primarily attributed to the
private sector’s operational and managerial expertise. However, there are
also examples showing the capability of the public sector in achieving a high
level of port logistics performance.
Centin (Chapter 18) provides an organizational view of ports and logis-
tics chains. In particular, the author examines improvements in organiza-
tional effectiveness that can be achieved by organizational developments
 Looking Ahead 431

by important stakeholders and specifically by port authorities. The study

deals with the changes in the roles of ports and port authorities as a result
of the new trends in logistics chains. It also deals with the importance of
port authority strategies and activities for re-positioning the ports in these
chains. The fact that ports should seek to become more integrated in supply
chains through an increased supply chain orientation has been rigorously
advocated in this book. Woo et al (Chapter 19) aim to investigate the effect
of supply chain integration of seaports on port performance by examining
the causal relationships among the integration strategies of seaport termi-
nals along the supply chain, and the antecedents and consequences of the
integration strategies. The integration strategy is termed ‘port supply chain
integration’ (PSCI) and the antecedents of PSCI are identified as ‘port supply
chain orientation’ (PSCO). Logistics performance of ports (LPP) is consid-
ered as consequences of PSCI because it is suggested that traditional perfor-
mance measures such as cargo throughput is not sufficient for a proxy of
port performance in a global supply chain context. In particular the authors
examine the influence of PSCO (defined by the latent constructs of ‘organi-
zational relationships’, ‘financial resources’, ‘human resources’ and ‘top
management support’) on PSCI (defined by the latent constructs of ‘infor-
mation and communication system’, ‘long-term relationships’, ‘value-added
logistics’, ‘intermodal transport’ and ‘supply chain integration practices’).
They also examine the influence of the latter on logistics port performance
defined by ‘service quality’, ‘customer orientation’, ‘service price’, ‘sea and
land operations’ and ‘cargo operation’.

Outcomes and implications

Veenstra in Chapter 2 indicates that further research may incorporate bot-
tlenecks related to container shipping operations into formal trade barrier
measurement efforts such as the Enabling Trade Index. An extension of the
UNCTAD Liner Shipping Connectivity Index seems to provide a good basis
for this. The author also suggests the development of gap measures for pairs
of countries based on the LPI, GDB or ET, and the use of these gap measures
as determinants for trade patterns or trade costs. Especially gap measures
based on some of the detailed transport-related elements of the LPI should
shed more light on the way the quality of transportation between coun-
tries plays a role in explaining trade patterns or trade costs between those
countries.
Lee, Nam and Song (Chapter 4) explain that maritime logistics is a con-
cept developed from the study of maritime transportation in a logistics
context and as such it includes the managerial functions that pertain to
logistics management. Maritime logistics has significant value in the con-
text of contemporary maritime operations. The significance of combining
maritime operations and logistics lies in the fact that value is created in the
432 Conclusions

context of this combination and this is where further research may focus.
Value includes improved efficiency and effectiveness, but also strategic value
from the expansion and offer of additional services.
Bergqvist (Chapter 5) concludes that the hinterland transport system is
a crucial part of the supply chain of shippers and logistics service provid-
ers. An in-depth understanding and knowledge of hinterland logistics and
its unique conditions in each situation are a crucial part of effective design
and strategy regarding transport systems and ultimately of efficient global
supply chain management.
In developing logistics systems and infrastructure, one must not overlook
the human element as highlighted by Österman and Osvalder (Chapter 6)
who focus on the maritime domain, identifying causes of occupational
hazards and their physical as well as company-related economic effects.
Hayashi and Nemoto (Chapter 7) conclude that under a globalized envi-
ronment, more varied alternative intermodal transport routes are required
in order to fulfil the changing and growing needs of the shippers. Shippers
are also interested in optimization of the global supply chain, cost and qual-
ity as well as service frequency. In order to achieve such goals the authors
state that cooperation is required between countries, especially develop-
ing countries, to plan on international intermodal transport infrastructure
requirements.
The development of liner shipping networks and the design of liner ser-
vices in a maritime logistics context are analysed by Ducruet and Notte-
boom (Chapter 8). The chapter breaks new ground by discussing the drivers
of liner service design and by exploring the changing geographic distribu-
tion of main inter-port links in light of liner network configurations and in
also considering the network position of seaports by referring to the con-
cepts of centrality, hierarchy and selection factors.
Panayides et al (Chapter 9) in their study of the supply chain integration
of shipping companies and the valuation effects thereof provide preliminary
confirmation that the supply chain integration trends in shipping compa-
nies and liner shipping in particular are value-creating. They conclude that
studies in the general literature indicating a diversification discount do not
necessarily apply in the unique setting of the maritime logistics industry. Of
course, bearing in mind that at a strategic level not all companies choose to
be diversified in the supply chain, the authors highlight the need for further
studies to distinguish between the performance implications of supply chain
integrated (diversified) and non-integrated shipping companies. Bearing in
mind the key question for management decision makers of whether or not
to integrate supply chain within maritime logistics, the area is very promis-
ing for further empirical investigation.
Baird (Chapter 10) reveals some interesting findings with respect to the
involvement of liner shipping carriers in offering logistics services. In par-
ticular, he found that several top 20 carriers maintain a wide portfolio of
logistics investments and capabilities and hence derive considerable income
from these activities. Despite this, the size of a carrier is not directly related
 Looking Ahead 433

to the degree of involvement in offering logistics services. In addition, the

author casts doubt on the belief that ocean carriers earn higher profits from
offering logistics services. This was particularly true during the period prior
to the economic crisis of 2008 where carriers were making significant profits
from ocean shipping and were focused on this core business activity. Accord-
ing to Baird, the key question that future research may seek to answer is to
specify the volume of additional business that can be generated for the core
ocean transport service though investment in logistics services.
With respect to cargo operations in a tanker logistics setting, Desrosiers
(Chapter 11) indicates that the logistics of transferring bulk petroleum is
subject to a variety of uncertainties and potential losses in quality, quan-
tity as well as time. It is on this basis that tanker operations need to pay
increasing attention to logistics issues in order to ensure that they reach
the standards of security and environmental and fiscal requirements and
considerations.
Comtois and Lacoste (Chapter 12) conclude that bulk movements pro-
vide an important market for the impacts of global economic processes and
therefore bulk shipping must be analysed in the broader context of over-
coming vulnerability in the bulk shipping supply chain to achieve traffic
fluidity. In this context the challenges for bulk shipping logistics are similar
to those faced by container and liquid bulk shipping logistics operations.
There is great scope for applying concepts of container maritime logistics in
the context of bulk shipping operations and professional practice suggests
that this stream of research should be given additional emphasis.
Following a case study examination of dry ports in Europe, Roso and
Rosa (Chapter 13) conclude that the advantages dry ports bring to all oper-
ators render their further development necessary. In particular, they identify
improvements in green logistics and environmental aspects, cost and time
savings due to reduced road congestion as well as the efficient interface of
the port and inland terminals and economies of scale through the bundling
of container flows and the use of intermodal transport. Obviously the dry
port concept is receiving increasing attention but still there is a lot to be
done in terms of empirical investigations.
Intermodal transport invariably uses the services of logistics hubs, a
concept that is defined in Chapter 15 by Nam and Song. According to the
authors ‘A maritime logistics hub is i) a nodal point of cargo transit or tran-
shipment assuring flawless door-to-door cargo movements, ii) a principal
distribution centre functioning as a temporary storage and sorting, and iii)
a place creating and facilitating value-added services on the regional and/
or international scale.’ Nam and Song apply economic and social network
theories and develop conceptual frameworks that examine the evolutionary
development of container hub ports. The conceptual frameworks provide
ample opportunity for empirical investigation of the concepts.
In Chapter 16, Parola indicates that despite the fruitful academic debate
on the topic of multinationalizing container ports, many promising streams
of research are still under-explored and deserve more attention by scholars.
434 Conclusions

First, future studies have to achieve a more sophisticated understanding of

the objectives and strategic attitudes of financial operators. In addition, the
unique internationalization drive of some container port MNEs makes this
industry a meaningful empirical context for expanding traditional inter-
nationalization theories and adopting innovative perspectives. Moreover,
the accelerated resort to EJVs and the formation of cliques still require a
massive analytical effort in a number of directions. Clique leadership and
governance, intra-clique management ties, geographic scope of cliques, role
and functions of domestic members in clique organizational structure, and
clique evolution and survival are just a few of the cutting-edge themes to
address. Finally, the academic literature must also include economic and
financial performance into the mainstream analytical frameworks of con-
tainer port MNEs.
In Chapter 17, Lam, Parola and Panayides provided an extensive analysis
of major institutional factors that would affect the impact of PPPs on port
logistics performance, based on the institutional framework and empirical
data provided by the World Bank. This chapter contributed to increasing
awareness of the complexity of this theme, and raised the urgency of per-
forming extensive empirical research for a clearer understanding of these
arguments. In particular, it could be worth investigating other analytical
dimensions and carrying out cross-industry comparisons among various
types of PPP transport infrastructures which might be affected differently
by institutional factors.
Centin (Chapter 18), through a theoretical and conceptual discussion,
identifies the effectiveness criteria of port organizations in the context of the
increasing importance of logistics-related developments. The criteria include
port-logistics chain integration, adaptability to the changes in the environ-
ment, customer orientation and satisfaction, information and communica-
tion management, service quality, provision of value-added and intermodal
services, and innovation and resource acquisition.
Woo, Pettit and Beresford (Chapter 19) validate the three measures of
port supply chain orientation, port supply chain integration and logistics
port performance and found that port supply chain orientation influences
positively the integration of ports in supply chains and that such integration
has a positive causal impact on port logistics performance. The scales devel-
oped by the authors provide the opportunity for further empirical investiga-
tion, not just to validate them in different settings but also to use them in
examining other relationships between the integration of supply chains in
ports and specific causal outcomes that may be conceptualized.
 INDEX

ABB 98 B/L 15, 57, 197, 203

accidents 91–92, 95, 96–97, 101, Baltic Dry Index 216–17
104, 112 bareboat charters 216
accountability indicators 335, 336 barge-road transport chain 79
acquisition see mergers and barriers, non-tariff 11, 18–19, 23, 25
acquisitions; resource acquisition bauxite 217
adaptability 362, 363, 367 betweenness centrality 140, 286
administrative processes, ports 16, bill of lading 15, 57, 197, 203
17, 235 bimodal transport 71
Africa 33, 34, 35, 37, 39, 211, 324, 325 born-global firms 306, 307
container port traffic 44, 45, 46 Brazil 333, 336
inter-regional flows 135, 136, break bulk trade 222–23
137, 138 build-own-operate (BOT) schemes
liner shipping 48, 49, 131 309, 310
logistics services 177 bulk carriers 212–14, 429
air transport 74, 77, 112 bundling 127–29, 130–31
see also aviation industry Busan 62, 137, 138–39, 141, 144, 281,
Algeciras 130, 143 282, 334
alliance structures 131, 153, 178, 189 business
Antwerp 130, 141, 143 environment (ports) 244–45
AP Möller Group 157, 163 Global Doing Business report 20,
APL (American President Line) 174, 22, 26
177, 182–84, 186, 298, 302, models 296–300
304, 306, 312 buyer-supplier relationships 394
regional focus 62, 131
subsidiaries 158 calibration data 201, 202, 204–05, 207
APM Terminals 63, 157, 251, 299, 301, Capesize carriers 213, 214, 216, 217
302, 308, 316, 330 cargo
EJV terminals 312, 314 flows 43, 112, 134, 135, 136, 137,
Arctic shipping routes 215 138–39
arm’s-length trading 14, 154 see also trade routes
Asia 115–16, 118–19, 122, 126, 128, inspections 201–05
131, 134–37, 211, 280–82 inspectors (surveyors) 200, 202
cargo flows 43, 112 losses 205–06, 207
container port traffic 44, 45–46 owners 200
economic growth 32, 34, 35, 36–37 trade volumes (2006–2012)
MNEs 307, 308 37–43, 45
port/ terminal operators 63 transfer work flow 197–205, 417
PPPs 324–25 Carriage of Goods by Sea Act 110
trade volumes 40 carriers 115, 196, 186–90, 212–14,
assets, terminal 300 215, 216, 217, 429
aviation industry 275–76, 279 see also shipping lines (companies)
see also air transport cartel legislation 11–12
436 Index

centrality 140–45, 286 business models 296–300

CFA 405, 406, 407, 408–09 centrality 140–45
channel relationships 394 multinationalization 291–317
chartering 200, 215, 216 traffic 44, 45–46, 125–26
charter parties 196–99 shipping 6–7, 15–18, 50, 125–46,
China 32, 36, 46, 49, 76, 213, 215, 152, 171–90, 260, 429
284, 336 design 115, 121
ports 126, 283, 324, 326, 335, 336, storage 235
338 terminals 119, 154, 156
transport 75, 112, 116, 118–19, 120, containerization 46, 67, 69–71, 86,
121, 122 114–16, 121, 122, 125, 154
China Merchant Holdings International costs 112–14
(CMHI) 300, 302, 305, 308, 312 and port authorities 351–52
China SAR 297, 298 and port development 247, 248
China Shipping 131, 159, 251 contingency theory 329
and container ports 299, 301, 302, contract enforcement 333–34, 336–37
304–05, 308, 312, 316 contractual
Clean Shipping Index 98 relationships 196–201
clingage 206, 207 requirements 81, 82, 212, 215–16
cliques 313–17, 434 Convention on International
close dry port 233–34 Multimodal Transport of Goods,
closed systems 81 The 110
CMA-CGM 131, 157, 174, 175, cooperative
181–82, 188 EJV networks 313–17
and container ports 299, 302, 304, paradigms 313
305, 308, 312, 316 coordination problems, hinterland
coal 217, 218 logistics 82–84, 88
Code of Conduct for Liner COSCO Group 158, 174, 186, 251,
Conferences 12 331
cognitive ergonomics 95, 99–100, 101 and container ports 299, 301, 302,
Cointegration Test 283 305, 308, 312, 316
collective action 84 costs 16–17, 22, 25, 121, 217
combination carriers 212 accidents 95, 103
combined transport 71, 110, 119–21 chartering 216
common-user terminals 295 detentions 98
communication 100, 369, 371, forwarding 120
386, 401 hinterland logistics 82
compensation claims 112 port-centric logistics 261, 263–64
competence erosion 96–97 reducing transaction 155
competition 280 stevedoring 298
competitive advantage, port-centric terminal 114–15
logistics 261–62 transport 13, 14, 17, 25, 46, 74, 81,
complex bundling networks 130–31 112–15, 116, 152
conceptual framework, hinterland Council of Supply Chain Management
logistics 73 Professionals 54, 150, 348
concessions 309, 310 CO2 emissions 76–77, 86, 114
confirmatory factor analysis 405, 406, crude oil 36–37, 193–94, 195, 321
407, 408–09 washing (COW) 206
container CSAV Group 158, 174, 188, 302, 304
ports 8, 118, 264, 275–87, 368, 430 CSCL 159, 174, 188
 Index 437

customers 60, 61, 167, 280–81, 362, ease to start a business 333–34, 336–37
363, 370, 394, 417 econometric models 282–84
customs 13, 15, 16–17, 18, 21, 22, 230, economic
231, 331 conditions 328, 386
and dry ports 237, 238 dimensions (port authorities) 356
and hinterland transport 83, 116 growth 32, 33–35, 36–37
CYKH 131 theories 282–85
effectiveness
Danish Pilotage Service 332–33 government 331, 335, 336–37
data organizational 343–44, 358–72,
calibration 202, 204–05, 207, 210 430–31
manifest 16–17 service 60–61, 63
dedicated efficiency 60–61, 63, 102, 104, 360,
equity ventures 294 362, 363, 403, 404–05
terminals 295, 296 port 13–14, 384
deficiencies, inspections 97–98 see also inefficiencies
degree centrality 140, 145, 286 EJVs 311–13, 434
delays 16, 17, 25, 60, 61, 83, 197, 198 electrified railways 75, 77
demurrage 16, 18, 25, 197, 201, 258, Emma Maersk 91
261 empirical analysis, port logistics
Denmark 332–33 406–11
deregulation 8, 54, 120, 121, 247, 256, employee satisfaction 363
257, 275–76, 292 Enabling Trade report 22–25,
see also regulatory environment 25–26, 431
design, liner service 131–33 entry summary declaration (ENS) 18
detentions 16, 18, 25, 96, 97–98, 102, environmental impact 104, 236, 239,
104 247–48, 259–60, 280, 433
developing economies (countries) 14, accidents 98
36, 38–39, 50, 122, 292 dry bulk shipping 222
port PPPs 323, 324, 325, 326 transport systems 75–77, 118, 234,
direct supply chains 393 235
discharge oil losses 206 see also sustainable development
distance 137–40, 221, 229 Equasis 98
distant dry ports 233 equity
distribution firms 300, 308
capacity 221 funds, private 250
centres 276, 277, 278, 391 ventures
disturbances, operational 97, 104 dedicated 295, 296
Doing Business Indicators 329–38 EJVs 311–13, 434
domestic followers 305, 306 50/50 296, 311
DP World (Dubai Ports World) 62, 63, ergonomics 92–98, 99–100,
251, 322, 332 101, 104
and container ports 301, 302, 308, Erica 92
310, 312, 314–15, 316 Ericsson 98
stevedoring services 297, 305, 307 Error Correction model 283
dry bulk shipping 7, 41–42, 162, Estonia 92
211–23, 321, 323, 326, 429 EU-27 33, 75, 76
dry ports 7, 85, 227–39, 243, 433 Eurogate 63, 251, 297, 302, 306, 312,
DSTs (double stack trains) 116–17, 312, 314, 315
118, 119 Euromax Terminal 330
438 Index

Europe 12, 14, 18, 227–28 freight

cargo flows 43, 134, 135, 136, 137, forwarders (forwarding) 57–58, 59,
138–39 62, 120, 121, 156, 163, 279, 394
container handling 70, 115–16, 154, rates 112
177, 264, 368 terminals 7, 68, 121, 232
container port traffic 44, 45–46 villages 230, 231, 238, 275, 277,
dry ports 233, 237–38, 433 278, 346
economic growth 33, 35, 37 Freight Forward Agreement 216–17
hinterland operations 357
intermodal transport 110, 112, geographical conditions 75, 112,
117–18, 119, 121, 122, 247 177–78, 328, 386
and line-bundling service 127, Germany 333
128, 129 global
manifest data 16–17 economic growth (2005–2014)
port/ terminal operators 63 33–34, 36
and PPPs 325, 327 financial crisis (2008–2009) 31–32,
European Union Road Federation 36–37, 45–46, 149, 152, 300
(2008) 227, 229 port operators 244, 249–50
Evergreen Line 131, 152, 157, 174, recovery 32–36, 46, 50
184, 188, 251 supply chains 87–88
and container ports 298, 301, 302, trade developments 29–51
304, 305, 308, 312, 317 Global Doing Business (GDB) report
excess value (EV) 165, 166 20, 22, 26, 431
expansion strategies, MNEs 309–17 globalization 3, 5, 6, 7, 30, 31, 32,
extended 62–63, 211
distribution centres 391 and multinationalization 291
supply chains 393 and port authorities 351–52
external growth 309, 310 Gluckauf 195–96
goal setting, ports 360–61, 362
feeder ports 282 Gothenburg 84–87, 141
fees 15–16, 18 governance 221
Felixstowe 267, 268 government effectiveness 331, 335,
50/50 joint ventures 296, 311 336–37
financial GPOs 244, 249–50
global crisis (2008–2009) 31–32, Grand Alliance 131
36–37, 45–46, 149, 152, 300 gravity models 13, 14
holdings 250 greenfield schemes (projects) 309,
operators 299–300, 301, 305, 316, 434 310, 313
performance measures 96 growth 309, 310
resources 403, 413 economic 32, 33, 34, 35, 36–37
first-generation ports 246 strategies 309–17, 363
5-layer model, transportation 72
flexibility see adaptability Hallsberg 85, 237
floating roofs 201, 205, 207 Hamburg 118, 142, 143, 229, 264
Flying Geese Paradigm 284–85 Hamburg Süd Group 160, 174, 177, 188
foreign direct investment (FDI) Handymax carriers 213, 214, 217
model 283 Handysize carriers 213, 214, 217
formalization 82, 84 Hanjin Shipping 131, 159, 174,
40/40/20 rule 12 188, 251
fourth-generation ports 248–49, and container ports 298, 301, 302,
347–48 304, 312, 317, 334
 Index 439

Hanseatic Marine Underwriters 97 industry focus, container line operators

Hapag Lloyd AG 158, 174, 189 175–77
hedge funds 300 inefficiencies 14
Herald of Free Enterprise 92 information
HHLA Intermodal 229, 297, 302, 305 exchange 16, 17–18, 83, 155, 363
hierarchical structure 140 management 369, 386
highways see road transport technology 151–52, 248, 263, 362,
hinterland logistics 5, 8, 67–88, 371, 400, 401
227–28, 229, 279–80, 357, information and communication system
428, 432 399–400, 415
coordination problems 82–84, 88 injuries 92, 96–97, 104
and customs 116 see also accidents; incidents
dry ports 232–33 inland
and port authorities 358 clearance depots 230, 231, 346
and port development 245 container depots 231
HLCL 188 freight terminals 7, 68, 121, 232
HMM Container Lines 131, 161, ports 230, 232, 243, 349, 357
175, 188 see also dry ports
Hong Kong 22, 24, 46, 47, 49, 138–39, waterway transport 74, 75, 76, 79,
141, 143, 333 111–12, 114, 118, 119, 121
and financial operators 305 innovation 362, 363, 370–71
shipment volumes 281, 282 inspections 97–98, 104, 201–05
hub-and-spoke network 8, 127–30, pre-shipment declaration 18, 25
275, 283 inspectors, cargo 200, 202
hub ports 275–87, 430 institutional factors, PPPs 329–38
human insurance 97, 98
elements 5, 91–104 integrated port system 389, 391
resources management (HRM) integration 3, 4, 30–31, 55, 149–68,
402–03, 413 172, 363, 396, 401
Humber port 262, 265, 266 ports 348–49, 387, 391, 392,
Hutchison Korea Terminals 334 395–405
Hutchison Port Holdings 2, 251, 297, see also supply chain integration;
301, 302, 304 vertical integration
hybrid operators 298–99, 301, integrators 171
311–12, 316 see also logistics service providers
Hyundai 161, 298, 302, 305, 314–15 inter-organizational relationships 402
inter-port competition 67–68
ICC 116 inter-regional cargo flows 135, 136,
ICDs 231 137, 138–39
ICS 399–400, 415 interlining networks 129
Ideal X 69, 114 intermodal
ILUs 229 freight centres 230
imputed value 165 loading units 229
IMT see intermodal transport terminals 229–31
incentives 82 transport 5–6, 7, 70, 71, 79–80,
incidents 91–92 109–24, 228–32, 369–70, 433
see also accidents; injuries and port development 247, 263
Incoterms 15, 17, 18 and PSCI 400, 416
India 328, 336 see also bimodal transport;
indicators 61, 102, 103, 329–38, combined transport; multimodal
363, 404 transport; piggyback transport;
440 Index

intermodal (continued) labour pool system, Rotterdam 330–31

rolling motorway systems land
transport units 68 availability 263
internal growth 309, 310 and sea operations 417
international landlord ports 253, 255, 327, 335,
agreements 110 351, 352
followers 306 landlords, port 251–52, 254
free trade zones 276, 277 Latin America 34, 35, 37, 44, 45–46,
logistics zones 275, 277 135, 211, 314–15, 324
pioneers 305, 306 inter-regional traffic 136, 137
shipping practice 14–18 lay time 197
International Ergonomics Association Le Havre 368
(IEA) 93 lead-time reduction 61
International Maritime Organization lean port performance measurement
resolution (1997) 92 framework 389
International Organization for legal knowledge 7
Standardization containers see also cartel legislation; contract
114–16, 118, 122 enforcement; contractual
International Union of Marine relationships; contractual
Insurance (IUMI) 97 requirements
Interstate Commerce Commission 116 legislation, cartel 11–12
intra-regional traffic 136, 137 liberalization 13, 121, 152, 167, 249,
inventory control 218, 260, 262 301, 304, 322, 324
investment 82, 83, 291–92, 300, 301, and port authorities 351–52
330, 334 lighting quality 94
FDI model 283 line-bundling 127, 128, 129
PPPs 324, 327 line displacement (push) 202, 205
investors 330, 331, 332, 334, 336–37 liner shipping 46–50, 125–46, 429
IPI 117 service networks 6, 297–98, 432
iron ore 212, 217 Liner Shipping Connectivity Index 23,
ISO containers 114–16, 118, 122 25, 26, 46–50
IT see information technology liquid bulk shipping 104, 158, 162,
Italy 238 323, 324, 326, 433
ITUs 68 Liverpool 141, 259, 266, 267, 268
load units 72
Japan 33, 37, 49, 75, 76, 116, 118, 126, loading oil losses 205–06
284–85, 286 logistics see maritime logistics
Jastrzebowski, Wojciech 93 Logistics Performance Index 19–20, 21,
joint performance improvement 25, 26, 431
teams 294 London Gateway 332
Jurong 331 long-term
just-in-time (JIT) services 117, 120, commitments 81
156, 223, 345 relationships 400, 415
losses
K Line 160, 174, 186, 298, 302, 304, cargo 205–06, 207
305, 331 productivity 96–98
Kaohsiung 141, 143, 281, 282, 314 LPI 19–20, 21, 25, 26, 431
knowledge sharing 362 LPP 381, 403–05, 407, 409, 411,
Korea 334 417, 431
 Index 441

LSPs 79–81, 88, 171, 189 mergers and acquisitions 149, 153, 172,
see also integrators 249, 309–10, 389
LTRs 400, 415 Miami 143–44
midrange dry ports 233
M&A 149, 153, 172, 249, 309–10, 389 minority shares 311
machinery damage 97 Mitsul O.S.K. Line 159
McLean, Malcolm 69, 114 MLB (mini-land bridge) 117
Madrid 237–38 MO 398
Maersk Line 62, 69, 130, 131, 157, MOL 131, 159, 174, 186, 298, 302,
174, 177, 180–81, 186 304, 315
and container ports 304, 305 MSC (Mediterranean Shipping
Malaysia 328, 336 Company) 62, 130, 131, 157,
management 73, 82–87, 386 174, 180, 188, 331
HRM 402–03, 413 and container ports 299, 302,
manifest data 16–17 304–05, 308, 312
Marco Polo Programme 118 MT Convention 110
marine terminals 194–95 multimodal transport 4, 71, 110–11,
maritime logistics 3–4, 29, 30–32, 119–21
53–64, 171–90, 431–32 multinational enterprises (MNEs)
centres (facilities) 276, 278 8, 291–93, 296–308, 317,
chains 343–72 430, 434
channel perspective 349 multinationalization 291–317
hub concept 8, 275–87, 433
ports 258–418 National Fire Protection
service providers 79–81, 88 Association 195
see also integrators National Policy Statement (Planning
maritime port logistics chain 393 Act 2008) 332
market negotiations 81
conditions 14, 328 Netherlands 330–31
openness 332, 336–37 network
orientation 398 analysis 316
value 165 theory 285–86
marketing terminals 195 networking, port 357
Matson Navigation Company 69–70, networks
114, 304 interlining 129
measurement liner service 6, 125–46, 432
centrality 286 relay 129
crude oil 201–02, 203–04, 205, 206 New World Alliance 131
financial 96 Nippon Express 120
lean port performance 389 noise levels 94, 99, 101
organizational effectiveness 359–72 NOL Group 158, 163, 298
performance 96–98 non-tariff barriers 11, 18–19, 23, 25
port performance 387, 389, 403–05, North America 111, 116–17, 211
407–11 notice of readiness (NOR) 197
ROB 205, 206, 208 NVOCC 120
transport 60–61 NYK Line 131, 159, 162–63, 174,
mental health 96, 100, 103 184–85, 186
merchandise trade growth (2007–2012) and container ports 299, 302, 304,
35, 36 312, 331
442 Index

occupational accidents 91–92, 95, performance

96–97, 101, 104, 112 indicators 61, 102, 103
ocean carriers see carriers; shipping joint performance improvement
lines (companies) teams 294
Ocean Shipping Reform Act 152 measures 96–98
OE 343–44, 358–72, 430–31 of ports 154, 321–39, 381–418, 431
oil shipping companies supply chain
crude 36–37, 193–94, 195, 206, 321 integration 156–67
losses 205–06 personnel indicators 102
pipeline transport 74, 76, 205, 206 petroleum 433
OOCL Group 160, 174, 186, 298, bulk 7, 193–208
302, 305 physical
open systems 80, 371 ergonomics 94–95
operational inspections 202
benefits, port-centric logistics 260 piggyback transport 68–69, 72
changes, ports 352 PIL 161, 175, 188, 331
disturbances 97, 104 pilotage services 332–33
operator role, port authorities 351, 352 pipelines 74, 76, 205, 206
operators planning 83, 84
financial 299–00, 301, 305, 316, 434 port-centric logistics 258–68, 350
hybrid 298–99, 301, 311–12, 316 Port Services Workforce Skills
port 63, 244, 249–50, 279 Qualifications 331
terminal 63, 251, 291 Port Supply Chain Integration 368–69,
ore, iron 212, 217 381, 398–401, 405, 406, 407,
organic growth, MNEs 309 408, 410–12, 418, 431
organizational Port Supply Chain Orientation 381,
effectiveness 343–44, 358–72, 402, 405, 406, 407, 408,
430–31 410–14, 415–16, 418, 431
ergonomics 95, 100, 104 ports 243–44, 429–30
relationships 413 administrative processes 16, 17, 235
worth 363 as-open-systems 359, 361
orientation authorities 9, 250–53, 257,
customer 417 266, 267–68, 331, 350–58,
market 398 371–72, 431
supply chain 396, 398, 402 business environment 244–45
calls 132–33
Pacific International Line 161, 175, cluster perspective 346
188, 331 community 349, 356
Panama Canal 114, 115, 215 competition 67–68, 382, 384
Panamax carriers 115, 196, 213, 214, efficiency 13–14, 384
215, 216, 217 generations model 245–49, 280–81
Paris and Tokyo Memorandum of handling facilities 219
Understanding 97–98 integrated port system 389, 391
partially-owned subsidiaries 296, 311 landlords 251–52, 254
PAs 9, 250–53, 257, 266, 267–68, 331, logistics 8–9, 258–418
350–58, 371–72, 431 networking 357
PCL 258–68, 350 operations 57, 58, 59, 62, 63, 368–69
PEFs 250 operators 63, 244, 249–50, 279
pendulum services 127, 128 performance 154, 321–39,
pension funds 299 381–418, 431
 Index 443

position of 6, 46 public-private partnership schemes 9,

PPPs 9, 254, 256, 309, 321–39, 430 254, 256, 309, 321–39, 430
privatization 250–58 pumping clauses 197
regionalization 349 pure
regulatory function 87–88, 198, 254, public sector port administration 254
255, 327, 351, 352 stevedoring services 296–97, 301,
research 385–91 304, 307, 316, 317, 322
revenues 300
terminalisation 349 quality
and trade facilitation 12–14 cargo inspection 204–05
trunk 282 indicators 102
see also Antwerp; Busan; container regulatory 330, 332, 335, 336–37
ports; dry ports; Felixstowe; service 98, 104, 363, 369–70, 417
Gothenburg; Hamburg; Hong quantity, cargo inspection 202–04
Kong; hub ports; Humber port; quantity remaining on board,
inland ports; Jurong; Kaohsiung; measurement 205, 206, 208
landlord ports; Le Havre;
Liverpool; London Gateway; rail transport 6 8, 74, 75–77, 79,
Miami; Rotterdam; Shenzhen; 79–80, 111–12, 113, 114, 229
Singapore; Southampton; Asian 118–19
Surabaya; Tanjung Pelepas; dry port access 232, 233, 234,
Teesport; Tilbury; Tyne port; 237–38
Valencia; Zeebrugge environmental benefits 259
POS 296, 311 Europe 117–18
PP see ports, performance North America 116–17, 121
PPI 324 Scandinavian Railport System 84–87
PPPs 9, 254, 256, 309, 321–39, 430 see also double stack trains
pre-shipment declaration 18, 25 refining facilities 195
prestige concept 286 regional
pricing 17, 81, 328, 417 conditions 75
private cooperation groups 97
equity funds 250 regionalization, port 349
investors 330, 331, 332 regulatory
Private Participation in Infrastructure 324 environment 13–14, 20, 22, 75, 92
private-public sector port see also deregulation
administration 254 function (ports) 87–88, 198, 254,
privatization 250–58, 309, 322, 328 255, 327, 351, 352
process, maritime logistics 58–59 ports see landlord ports
productivity quality 330, 332, 335, 336–37
indicators 102, 363 relationships 196–201, 394, 400, 402,
losses 96–98 403, 413, 415
profitability 363 relay networks 129
Prospero 91–92 Renault 401
protecting investors 334, 336–37 repeatability 204
PSA Corporation 62, 251, 297, 301, reproductability 204
304, 307, 312, 328, 331 research
PSCI 381, 398–401, 405, 406, 407,408, models 405–06
410–12, 415–16, 418, 431 ports 385–91
PSCO 381, 402, 405, 406, 407, 408, resilience analysis 221
410–14, 418, 431 resource acquisition 363, 371
444 Index

retailers 266 ship manifest data 16–17

revenues 103, 300 shipping 11–18, 56–57, 58–59, 427
RIPI (reverse inland point intermodal) dry bulk 7, 41–42, 162, 211–23, 321,
117 323, 326, 429
risk assessments 221 owners 199–200
risks, PPPs 327 tanker 193–208, 429
Rivalta Scriva 238 see also vessels
road transport 74, 75, 76, 77, 79–80, shipping lines (companies) 11, 14, 62,
111, 112–14, 121, 227–28 279, 304, 310, 313, 316
dry ports 233–34 and dry ports 234
reduction in 259–60 intermodal transport 119–20,
ROB measurement 205, 206, 208 121, 122
rolling motorways systems 71 and ports 389
Rotterdam 16, 118, 141, 143, 264, and stevedoring 292
330–31, 357 in supply chain 149–68, 345
round-the-world services 127, 128, 130 UK 256
vertical integration of 245, 250
safety 92, 94, 97, 103 see also carriers; liner shipping
Samsung-Yusen 262 shore tanks 201–02, 203, 204
satisfaction, customer 362, 363, 370 short-run marginal cost (SMC)
Savannah Express 91, 92 pricing 328
scale economies 217, 228–29 short-term focus 82
Scandinavian Railport system 84–87 Singapore 264, 282, 328, 331
SCIP 401, 416 social
SCM 4, 29, 30–31, 387–91, 396 dimension, port authorities 356
SCO 396, 398, 402 network analysis 285–86
Scotland 265 socio-technical systems 94, 95
sea sour crude oil 194
and land operations 417 South Korea 122, 281, 286, 298
transport 76, 77, 112–14 Southampton 91, 92, 266, 267
Sea-Land Services Inc 114 Spain 237–38
seaports see ports SS Hawaiian Merchant 69
Seaway Bill 15 Staggers Rail Act (1980) 116
Seawise Giant 196 stevedoring services 8, 250, 292,
second-generation ports 246–47, 280 294–96, 298, 305, 308,
security factors 221, 232 311–12, 313
self-managed transportation systems 81 pure 296–97, 301, 304, 307, 316,
SEM 406, 410–11 317, 322
service storage facilities 218, 235, 248,
effectiveness 60–61, 63 260, 263
port model 253 strategic management 386
price 417 strategy
quality 98, 104, 363, 369–70, 417 container shipping 171–90
trade liberalization efforts 121 expansion 309–17
service sector infrastructure 13, 14 growth 309–17, 363
shadow entry holdings 311 hinterland logistics 73, 79–81, 82
Shanghai 139, 141, 143, 282, 302 port authorities 351, 352
shares, minority 311 shipping line 6–7
Shenzhen 138, 139, 141, 143, 145, 282 TOCs 386–87
 Index 445

stress, work-related 100, 103 terminal operating companies 386–87

structural equation modelling 406, terminals 57, 58, 59, 62, 63, 72, 83,
410–11 368–69, 384–85
subsidiaries 157–61, 162–63, 296, 311 assets 300
Suez Canal 114 common user 295
supply chain integration 6, 9, 149–68, container 119, 154, 156
349, 367–69, 396, 432 costs 114–15
ports 245, 262, 349, 388 dedicated 295, 296
practices 401, 416 delays 198
see also vertical integration freight 7, 68, 121, 232
supply chain management 4, 29, 30–31, intermodal 229–31
387–91, 396 marine 194–95
supply chain orientation 396, 398, 402 marketing 195
supply chains 4, 87–88, 345, 393 operators 63, 251, 291
dry bulk 218–22 see also Hutchison Korea Terminals
and ports 381–418 TESCI 368–69, 381, 398–401, 405,
see also supply chain integration; 406, 407, 408, 410–12, 418, 431
supply chain management; Texas City 198
supply chain orientation third-generation ports 247–48, 280–81
supply channel perspective 349 3PL (third-party logistics) services
Supramax carriers 213, 214, 217 120–21, 156, 244, 261, 265,
Surabaya 143–44 266–67, 268, 393
surveyors see inspectors three-phase process model, PPP 329
surveys, cargo 200–01 Tier 1–3 carriers 186–90
sustainable development 75, 92, 130, TIL 251, 299
222, 228, 235, 281, 348, 360 Tilbury 262, 267
see also environmental impact time
Sweden 237 charter 215, 216
sweet crude oil 194 series data analysis method 283
systems Titanic 92
approach 359, 371 TOCs 386–87
closed 81 TOFC 68–69, 72
models 94 tool port model 253
open 80, 371 top management team (TMS) 403, 414
ports 359, 361 topography 137, 139–40, 221
socio-technical 94, 95 trade
barriers 11, 18, 19–26
Tanjung Pelepas 127, 142, 281, 282 see also delays
tanker break bulk 222–23
shipping 193–208, 429 channel perspective 349
trade volumes 36–37 developments 29–51
technology 3, 5, 30, 91–92, 101, 103, facilitation 4–5, 11–26
221, 297, 428 routes 30, 43, 45, 131, 134, 196, 213,
information 151–52, 248, 263, 362, 215, 284, 321
371, 400, 401 see also cargo flows
see also ergonomics tanker 36–37
Teesport 258–59, 260, 263, 266, 267 volumes 37–43, 45
TEN infrastructure plan 118 trading houses see shipping lines
Terminal Investment Limited 251, 299 (companies)
446 Index

traffic value 59–64, 154–55, 156, 165–67,

container ports 44, 45–46, 125–26 175–77, 245
intra-regional 136, 137 chains 349–50, 351, 357
trailers-on-flatcars 68, 69, 72 creation 5, 6–7
trains, double stack 116–17, 118, 119 value-added
transhipment volume, Asia-Pacific intermodal services 369–70
281–82 logistics services 175, 177, 245, 264,
transport 4, 50, 55–56, 76, 92, 236 279, 281, 346, 350, 400, 415
air 74, 77, 112 terminal facilities 229, 232, 237
bulk shipping 221 VAT 15
chain integration 155–56 vertical integration 4, 6, 119, 150,
costs 13, 14, 17, 25, 46, 74, 81, 151–52, 154, 155, 164, 172, 229
112–15, 116, 152 port development 245, 249–50,
economics 386 298, 346
geography 386 see also supply chain integration
hinterland 67–87 vessels 133, 150, 203, 227, 321
and logistics 31–32, 36 dry bulk fleet 212–14
piggyback 68–69, 72 see also carriers
pipeline 74, 76, 205, 206 vibration levels 99, 101
sea 76, 77, 112–14 virtual terminal agreements 296
waterway 74, 75, 76, 79, 111–12, voice indicators 335, 336–37
114, 118, 119, 121 Volvo 98
see also intermodal transport; rail voyage oil losses 206
transport; road transport
trip charter 216 waterway transport 74, 75, 76, 79,
trunk ports 282 111–12, 114, 118, 119, 121
Tyne port 258 wholly-owned subsidiaries (WOS)
296, 311
UASC 161, 175, 188 work
UK 255–59, 263–66, 332 environment 94, 95, 99, 101
ullage 201, 203, 204, 205, 206, 208 organization 100, 101, 103
ultimate supply chains 393 -related stress 100, 103
UN ECE 230, 231 workforce, profile 101
United Nations Conference for Trade Workforce Development Agency
and Development (UNCTAD) 12 (WDA) 331
United States 22, 47, 305, 328, 334–35 World Bank 19, 291, 292, 324,
container handling 115 331, 434
economic growth 33, 35 World Bank Port Reform Toolkit
intermodal transport 120, 121, 122 (WBPRTK) 254–55
manifest data 16–17 World Governance Indicators 329–38
see also North America
US Airline Deregulation Act (1978) Yang Ming Group Corp. (YML) 161,
275–76 174, 188, 302

VAL 175, 177, 245, 264, 279, 281, 346, Zeebrugge 130, 142, 265
350, 400, 415 Zim 160, 175, 188, 302, 304, 316
Valencia 130, 143 Zoroaster 195
 EDITION
DONG-WOOK SONG

2ND
“International trade is growing faster than the global economy – and most
trade continues to be seaborne. Orders may be placed electronically, but the PHOTIS M PANAYIDES
actual movement of the goods still requires ports and ships. Maritime logistics
is thus evermore important for any country’s development. Understanding
contemporary shipping and port management is vital for businesses and

MARITIME LOGISTICS
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“A real tour de force in its comprehensive coverage of the shipping
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2ND EDITION
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At the cutting edge in its assessment of the industry, Maritime Logistics

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covers the whole scope of the subject and examines the latest logistical SHIPPING AND PORT MANAGEMENT
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PHOTIS M PANAYIDES
logistics, global supply chains, maritime transport and future trends and

DONG-WOOK SONG
developments.

Written by a team of experienced international experts, Maritime Logistics

provides a fully global perspective. The book covers everything that students
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As well as providing comprehensive guidance on shipping lines, containers,
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DONG-WOOK SONG is Professor of Transport and Logistics, Transport

Research Institute, at Edinburgh Napier University.

PHOTIS M PANAYIDES is Professor in Shipping Economics, Department

of Commerce, Finance and Shipping at Cyprus University of Technology.

Kogan Page ISBN: 978-0-7494-7268-9

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