Spatial network analysis of container port operations: the case of ship turnaround times

This research investigates the determinants of ship turnaround times at about 2,300 container ports between 1977 and 2016, based on nearly 3 million daily vessel movements. It adopts a multilevel approach combining territorial and network indicators to characterize ports, and proposes a new methodology calculating shipping delays. Main results reveal that port connectivity, Gross Domestic Product per capita, the number of vessel calls, and island location foster efficient port operations. Conversely, urban population, voyage delays at sea, maximum ship size, and upstream location increase turnaround time. While average turnaround time and inter-port sailing time have both regularly declined, operational and technological changes in the ports and maritime sector - especially after the 2007/8 global financial crisis - accelerated intra-port time and slowed down inter-port time. This relational and spatial approach also underlines the geographic differentiation of ship times nationally and regionally, as it is far from being randomly distributed on the globe.