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Evolution of regional inequality in the global shipping network

Author

Listed:
  • Xu, Mengqiao
  • Li, Zhenfu
  • Shi, Yanlei
  • Zhang, Xiaoling
  • Jiang, Shufei

Abstract

Global shipping is a backbone of the global economy, and as such, it evolves alongside the development of trade and the elaboration of commodity chains. This paper investigates the evolution of regional inequality in the global shipping network by analyzing the changing positions of world regions during the period from 2001 to 2012. This was a period of both prosperity and recession in maritime shipping. Using data on inter-regional flow connections, the positions of seventeen regions in the global shipping network are analyzed in terms of their traffic development, centrality, dominance and vulnerability. The East Asian, Northwest European and Europe Mediterranean regions have consistently held the highest positions, while East African and North African regions have held the lowest positions. By commanding the largest flows in the network, East Asia assumes a dominant position. The Australasian, North American West Coast, Northwest European and Southern African regions show an increasing dependency on East Asia. The analysis also identifies a few emerging regions that have had the highest growth rates in total traffic volume and connectivity for the studied period, namely South American North Coast, South American East Coast, West Africa, Southern Africa and West Asia. The empirical results of this paper supplement existing research on global shipping network evolution. One implication of the analysis is that the traffic growth of East Asia does not imply that, there is an equivalent improvement in its position in the global shipping network. The paper also shows that indicators from network analysis may be used to provide a more nuanced understanding of port-regional development than existing measures based solely on total traffic volume.

Suggested Citation

  • Xu, Mengqiao & Li, Zhenfu & Shi, Yanlei & Zhang, Xiaoling & Jiang, Shufei, 2015. "Evolution of regional inequality in the global shipping network," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 1-12.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jotrge:v:44:y:2015:i:c:p:1-12
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2015.02.003
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Wang, Wenya & Li, Zhenfu & Cheng, Xin, 2019. "Evolution of the global coal trade network: A complex network analysis," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 496-506.
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    4. Jin, Lianjie & Chen, Jing & Chen, Zilin & Sun, Xiangjun & Yu, Bin, 2022. "Impact of COVID-19 on China's international liner shipping network based on AIS data," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 121(C), pages 90-99.
    5. Goh, Tian & Zhong, Sheng & Ang, B.W. & Su, Bin & Ng, Szu Hui & Chai, Kah-Hin, 2021. "Driving factors of changes in international maritime energy consumption: Microdata evidence 2014–2017," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    6. César Ducruet & Liehui Wang, 2018. "China’s Global Shipping Connectivity: Internal and External Dynamics in the Contemporary Era (1890–2016)," Post-Print halshs-01832319, HAL.
    7. Moura, Ticiana Grecco Zanon & Garcia-Alonso, Lorena & del Rosal, Ignacio, 2018. "Influence of the geographical pattern of foreign trade on the inland distribution of maritime traffic," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 191-200.
    8. Ducruet, César, 2017. "Multilayer dynamics of complex spatial networks: The case of global maritime flows (1977–2008)," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 47-58.
    9. Nicanor García Álvarez & Belarmino Adenso-Díaz & Laura Calzada-Infante, 2021. "Maritime Traffic as a Complex Network: a Systematic Review," Networks and Spatial Economics, Springer, vol. 21(2), pages 387-417, June.
    10. Achilleas Tsantis & John Mangan & Agustina Calatayud & Roberto Palacin, 2023. "Container shipping: a systematic literature review of themes and factors that influence the establishment of direct connections between countries," Maritime Economics & Logistics, Palgrave Macmillan;International Association of Maritime Economists (IAME), vol. 25(4), pages 667-697, December.
    11. Mou, Naixia & Wang, Chunying & Yang, Tengfei & Ren, Haonan & Zhang, Lingxian & Xu, Huanqing & Liu, Wenbao, 2022. "Spatiotemporal patterns of maritime trade between China and Maritime Silk Road: Evidence from a quantitative study using social network analysis," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    12. César Ducruet, 2020. "The geography of maritime networks: A critical review," Post-Print halshs-02922543, HAL.
    13. Ge, Jiawei & fu, Qiang & Zhang, Qiang & Wan, Zheng, 2022. "Regional operating patterns of world container shipping network: A perspective from motif identification," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 607(C).
    14. Yang, Yuxiang & Goodarzi, Shadi & Jabbarzadeh, Armin & Fahimnia, Behnam, 2022. "In-house production and outsourcing under different emissions reduction regulations: An equilibrium decision model for global supply chains," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    15. Tocchi, Daniela & Sys, Christa & Papola, Andrea & Tinessa, Fiore & Simonelli, Fulvio & Marzano, Vittorio, 2022. "Hypergraph-based centrality metrics for maritime container service networks: A worldwide application," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    16. Ducruet, César, 2020. "The geography of maritime networks: A critical review," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    17. Feng, Lin & Yuan, Liwei, 2017. "A developmental model on quantifying urban policy effectiveness in port city relations," MPRA Paper 81037, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    18. Liehui Wang & Nanyi Zhang & Fei Ye & Yui‐yip Lau & César Ducruet, 2020. "The complex network analysis of liner shipping networks: Lessons from the merger between COSCO and CSCL," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(4), pages 1877-1893, December.
    19. Yu, Hongchu & Fang, Zhixiang & Lu, Feng & Murray, Alan T. & Zhang, Hengcai & Peng, Peng & Mei, Qiang & Chen, Jinhai, 2019. "Impact of oil price fluctuations on tanker maritime network structure and traffic flow changes," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 237(C), pages 390-403.
    20. Xianzhe Zhang & Yanming Chen & Manchun Li, 2018. "Research on Geospatial Association of the Urban Agglomeration around the South China Sea Based on Marine Traffic Flow," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-19, September.
    21. Cheung, Kam-Fung & Bell, Michael G.H. & Pan, Jing-Jing & Perera, Supun, 2020. "An eigenvector centrality analysis of world container shipping network connectivity," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    22. Calatayud, Agustina & Mangan, John & Palacin, Roberto, 2017. "Connectivity to international markets: A multi-layered network approach," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 61-71.
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