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The container transport system during Covid-19: An analysis through the prism of complex networks

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  • Guerrero, David
  • Letrouit, Lucie
  • Pais-Montes, Carlos

Abstract

This paper analyses the changes on the maritime network before and after the Covid-19 outbreak. Using a large sample of vessel movements between ports, we show a decrease in the global maritime connectivity and significant differences between ports and inter-port links. Furthermore, we find that Covid-19 mitigation measures implemented by governments affected regional port hierarchies differently, with a reduction in port concentration in Europe and Africa and an increase in Asia and North America. Globally, very large ports and small but densely inter-connected ones resisted better to the crisis than the others, while small transshipment hubs and bridges appear to have been more negatively impacted. These findings have implications for the design of more resilient port strategies and transport policies by states and firms.

Suggested Citation

  • Guerrero, David & Letrouit, Lucie & Pais-Montes, Carlos, 2022. "The container transport system during Covid-19: An analysis through the prism of complex networks," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 115(C), pages 113-125.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:trapol:v:115:y:2022:i:c:p:113-125
    DOI: 10.1016/j.tranpol.2021.10.021
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    Cited by:

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    5. Yi Xiao & Minghu Xie & Yi Hu & Ming Yi, 2023. "Effective multi‐step ahead container throughput forecasting under the complex context," Journal of Forecasting, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 42(7), pages 1823-1843, November.
    6. Guo, Jianke & Wang, Ziqi & Yu, Xuhui, 2022. "Accessibility measurement of China's coastal ports from a land-sea coordination perspective - An empirical study," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 105(C).
    7. Song, Zhao-Yu & Lin, Cheng-Wei & Feng, Xuehao & Lee, Paul Tae-Woo, 2024. "An empirical study of the performance of the sixth generation ports model with smart ports with reference to major container ports in mainland China," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 184(C).
    8. Tvedt, Jostein & Hovi, Inger Beate, 2024. "Container shipping: A market equilibrium perspective on freight rates formation post-Covid-19," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    9. Lázaro Florido-Benítez, 2023. "The Role of the Top 50 US Cargo Airports and 25 Air Cargo Airlines in the Logistics of E-Commerce Companies," Logistics, MDPI, vol. 7(1), pages 1-27, February.
    10. Marc-Antoine Faure & Bárbara Polo Martin & Fabio Cremaschini & César Ducruet, 2024. "Shipping Trade and Geopolitical Turmoils: The Case of the Ukrainian Maritime Network," EconomiX Working Papers 2024-24, University of Paris Nanterre, EconomiX.
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    12. Olabisi Michael Olapoju, 2023. "Appraising the impact of COVID-19 on trading volume of selected vessel types in sub-Saharan Africa," Journal of Shipping and Trade, Springer, vol. 8(1), pages 1-12, December.
    13. Zhao, Chuan & Li, Xin & Zuo, Min & Mo, Lipo & Yang, Changchun, 2022. "Spatiotemporal dynamic network for regional maritime vessel flow prediction amid COVID-19," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 78-89.
    14. Ghareeb Ahmad, 2023. "Time Time Series Forecasting of Stock Price for Maritime Shipping Company in COVID-19 Period Using Multi-Step Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) Networks," Proceedings of the International Conference on Business Excellence, Sciendo, vol. 17(1), pages 1728-1747, July.
    15. Huang, Dong & Grifoll, Manel & Sanchez-Espigares, Jose A. & Zheng, Pengjun & Feng, Hongxiang, 2022. "Hybrid approaches for container traffic forecasting in the context of anomalous events: The case of the Yangtze River Delta region in the COVID-19 pandemic," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 1-12.

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