IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/pal/marecl/v25y2023i3d10.1057_s41278-023-00263-z.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Understanding the implications of port-related workforce shortages on global maritime performance through the study of a carrier alliance

Author

Listed:
  • Wenjie Li

    (George Mason University)

  • Elise Miller-Hooks

    (George Mason University)

Abstract

Maintaining a full workforce is critical to the operational efficiency of ports, which are key to the functioning of global maritime transportation systems, as well as to the larger logistics systems and the industries they support. A shortage of skilled workers, or extended, large-scale, absenteeism at one or more ports can affect cargohandling operations, competitiveness, and even the efficiency of international trade. Through numerical experiments, we study (i) whether the effects of low-level workforce shortages can be ‘absorbed’ without loss of efficiency; (ii) the level at which shortages in a region can impact another region, or the performance of the wider maritime system. To test this, we investigate the ports used by the M2 shipping alliance of Maersk Line and Mediterranean Shipping Company. The analysis is supported by advanced mathematical modeling and algorithmic procedures. Findings include that low- and even mid-level network-wide worker shortages can be absorbed, but at a greater cost to shippers. Moreover, when a worker shortage arises in some regions of the world, the impacts in other regions can be very significant.

Suggested Citation

  • Wenjie Li & Elise Miller-Hooks, 2023. "Understanding the implications of port-related workforce shortages on global maritime performance through the study of a carrier alliance," Maritime Economics & Logistics, Palgrave Macmillan;International Association of Maritime Economists (IAME), vol. 25(3), pages 452-478, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:marecl:v:25:y:2023:i:3:d:10.1057_s41278-023-00263-z
    DOI: 10.1057/s41278-023-00263-z
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1057/s41278-023-00263-z
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1057/s41278-023-00263-z?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nagurney, Anna, 2021. "Optimization of supply chain networks with inclusion of labor: Applications to COVID-19 pandemic disruptions," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 235(C).
    2. Asadabadi, Ali & Miller-Hooks, Elise, 2018. "Co-opetition in enhancing global port network resiliency: A multi-leader, common-follower game theoretic approach," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 281-298.
    3. Kevin Cullinane & Hercules Haralambides, 2021. "Global trends in maritime and port economics: the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond," Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Post-Print and Working Papers) hal-04046225, HAL.
    4. Ozlem Ergun & Wallace J. Hopp & Pinar Keskinocak, 2023. "A structured overview of insights and opportunities for enhancing supply chain resilience," IISE Transactions, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 55(1), pages 57-74, January.
    5. Nagurney, Anna, 2021. "Supply chain game theory network modeling under labor constraints: Applications to the Covid-19 pandemic," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 293(3), pages 880-891.
    6. Weihong Hu & Mariel S. Lavieri & Alejandro Toriello & Xiang Liu, 2016. "Strategic health workforce planning," IISE Transactions, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 48(12), pages 1127-1138, December.
    7. Kevin Cullinane & Hercules Haralambides, 2021. "Global trends in maritime and port economics: the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond," Post-Print hal-04046225, HAL.
    8. Shahverdi, Bahar & Tariverdi, Mersedeh & Miller-Hooks, Elise, 2020. "Assessing hospital system resilience to disaster events involving physical damage and Demand Surge," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    9. Kevin Cullinane & Hercules Haralambides, 2021. "Global trends in maritime and port economics: the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond," Maritime Economics & Logistics, Palgrave Macmillan;International Association of Maritime Economists (IAME), vol. 23(3), pages 369-380, September.
    10. Elise Miller-Hooks, 2023. "Constructs in infrastructure resilience framing – from components to community services and the built and human infrastructures on which they rely," IISE Transactions, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 55(1), pages 43-56, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Hercules Haralambides & Girish Gujar, 2023. "The ‘new normal’, global uncertainty and key challenges in building reliable and resilient supply chains," Maritime Economics & Logistics, Palgrave Macmillan;International Association of Maritime Economists (IAME), vol. 25(4), pages 623-638, December.
    2. Taeil Kim & Sunghwa Park & Hanna Kim & Janghan Kwon, 2023. "Estimating the Impact of COVID-19 on International Trade: Cases of Major Countries Using the SUR Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(24), pages 1-17, December.
    3. Theo Notteboom & Hercules Haralambides & Kevin Cullinane, 2024. "The Red Sea Crisis: ramifications for vessel operations, shipping networks, and maritime supply chains," Maritime Economics & Logistics, Palgrave Macmillan;International Association of Maritime Economists (IAME), vol. 26(1), pages 1-20, March.
    4. Marc Lim, Weng, 2023. "Transformative marketing in the new normal: A novel practice-scholarly integrative review of business-to-business marketing mix challenges, opportunities, and solutions," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    5. Miao Su & Keun Sik Park & Sung Hoon Bae, 2024. "A new exploration in Baltic Dry Index forecasting learning: application of a deep ensemble model," Maritime Economics & Logistics, Palgrave Macmillan;International Association of Maritime Economists (IAME), vol. 26(1), pages 21-43, March.
    6. Kim, Ki-Dong & Shim, Gyuhun & Choi, Hyun-Im & Kim, Dong-Hyun, 2023. "Effect of the timber legality requirement system on lumber trade: focusing on EUTR and Lacey Act," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 121106, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    7. Saeed, Naima & Nguyen, Su & Cullinane, Kevin & Gekara, Victor & Chhetri, Prem, 2023. "Forecasting container freight rates using the Prophet forecasting method," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 86-107.
    8. Bruno Moeremans & Michaël Dooms & Elvira Haezendonck, 2023. "Long-term analysis of traffic flows in European inland ports: implications for the port–city interface," Maritime Economics & Logistics, Palgrave Macmillan;International Association of Maritime Economists (IAME), vol. 25(2), pages 272-300, June.
    9. Yang, Yang & Liu, Qing & Chang, Chia-Hsun, 2023. "China-Europe freight transportation under the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic and government restriction measures," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    10. Qin, Meng & Su, Chi-Wei & Umar, Muhammad & Lobonţ, Oana-Ramona & Manta, Alina Georgiana, 2023. "Are climate and geopolitics the challenges to sustainable development? Novel evidence from the global supply chain," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 748-763.
    11. Zhen, Lu & Lin, Shumin & Zhou, Chenhao, 2022. "Green port oriented resilience improvement for traffic-power coupled networks," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 225(C).
    12. Nagurney, Anna, 2022. "Attracting international migrant labor: Investment optimization to alleviate supply chain labor shortages," Operations Research Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 9(C).
    13. Hu, Xiaowei & Li, Peng, 2022. "Relief and stimulus in a cross-sector multi-product scarce resource supply chain network," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    14. Ardavan Babaei & Majid Khedmati & Mohammad Reza Akbari Jokar & Erfan Babaee Tirkolaee, 2022. "Performance Evaluation of Omni-Channel Distribution Network Configurations considering Green and Transparent Criteria under Uncertainty," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-15, October.
    15. Songhong Chen & Jian Ming Luo, 2023. "Understand Delegates Risk Attitudes and Behaviour: The Moderating Effect of Trust in COVID-19 Vaccination," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-18, February.
    16. Rozhkov, Maxim & Ivanov, Dmitry & Blackhurst, Jennifer & Nair, Anand, 2022. "Adapting supply chain operations in anticipation of and during the COVID-19 pandemic," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    17. Guangying Jin & Wei Feng & Qingpu Meng, 2022. "Prediction of Waterway Cargo Transportation Volume to Support Maritime Transportation Systems Based on GA-BP Neural Network Optimization," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-24, October.
    18. Bokyung Kim & Geunsub Kim & Moohong Kang, 2022. "Study on Comparing the Performance of Fully Automated Container Terminals during the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-13, August.
    19. Shafiee, Mohammad & Zare-Mehrjerdi, Yahia & Govindan, Kannan & Dastgoshade, Sohaib, 2022. "A causality analysis of risks to perishable product supply chain networks during the COVID-19 outbreak era: An extended DEMATEL method under Pythagorean fuzzy environment," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).
    20. Alikhani, Reza & Ranjbar, Amirhossein & Jamali, Amir & Torabi, S. Ali & Zobel, Christopher W., 2023. "Towards increasing synergistic effects of resilience strategies in supply chain network design," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:pal:marecl:v:25:y:2023:i:3:d:10.1057_s41278-023-00263-z. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.palgrave-journals.com/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.