Liner shipping networks, port characteristics and the impact on port performance

Abstract

This paper explores how shipping networks are structured and investigates the relationship between network characteristics of major liner shipping firm ports and their throughputs. This study employs network analysis to evaluate network characteristics of ports and panel regression analysis to investigate the relationship between port network characteristics and their cargo throughputs. The results suggest that liner shipping networks exhibit properties of scale-free networks and that throughput performance is determined not only by macroeconomic variables and service capabilities, but also by the centrality of ports in networks.