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Internationalisation and Consolidation of the Container Port Industry: Assessment of Channel Structure and Relationships

Author

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  • Khalid Bichou

    (Port Operations, Research and Technology Centre (PORTeC), Centre for Transport Studies, Imperial College London, London SW7 2BU, UK.)

  • Michael G H Bell

    (Port Operations, Research and Technology Centre (PORTeC), Centre for Transport Studies, Imperial College London, London SW7 2BU, UK.)

Abstract

The international consolidation of the container port industry is a relatively recent, yet radical trend in international shipping and logistics. Global strategies of vertical and horizontal integration evolving around port ownership and operations are undertaken by a variety of market players, both within and outside the international shipping and logistics markets. However, while much of the available literature on the subject has focused on the bases and various motives behind the change, little work has addressed the impacts on channel structure and relationships, including such aspects as control, power and conflict. By channel, we refer to an organised network of institutions that form the combined physical and non-physical path taken by goods and services as they move from original supplier to final consumer. However, in the context of this paper, the scope of the distribution channel is reduced to active members of the international shipping and logistics industry, that is, shippers, ocean carriers, ports, agents and intermediaries. This paper investigates the extent of channel power, conflict, role, performance and strategic concentration of shipping lines as international container terminal operators. A structural equations model is used to assess the impacts of global factors and consolidation on the container port industry, and test whether the direction of change would result in an increasing or decreasing risk of commoditisation and footloose mobility. Maritime Economics & Logistics (2007) 9, 35–51. doi:10.1057/palgrave.mel.9100170

Suggested Citation

  • Khalid Bichou & Michael G H Bell, 2007. "Internationalisation and Consolidation of the Container Port Industry: Assessment of Channel Structure and Relationships," Maritime Economics & Logistics, Palgrave Macmillan;International Association of Maritime Economists (IAME), vol. 9(1), pages 35-51, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:marecl:v:9:y:2007:i:1:p:35-51
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    Cited by:

    1. Brinker, Janosch & Haasis, Hans-Dietrich, 2020. "The impact of an asymmetric allocation of power on the digitalization strategy of port logistics," Chapters from the Proceedings of the Hamburg International Conference of Logistics (HICL), in: Jahn, Carlos & Kersten, Wolfgang & Ringle, Christian M. (ed.), Data Science in Maritime and City Logistics: Data-driven Solutions for Logistics and Sustainability. Proceedings of the Hamburg International Conferen, volume 30, pages 457-484, Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH), Institute of Business Logistics and General Management.
    2. Kevin Cullinane & Yuhong Wang, 2012. "The hierarchical configuration of the container port industry: an application of multiple linkage analysis," Maritime Policy & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(2), pages 169-187, March.
    3. Parola, Francesco & Veenstra, Albert W., 2008. "The spatial coverage of shipping lines and container terminal operators," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 16(4), pages 292-299.
    4. Satta, Giovanni & Notteboom, Theo & Parola, Francesco & Persico, Luca, 2017. "Determinants of the long-term performance of initial public offerings (IPOs) in the port industry," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 135-153.
    5. Geraldine Knatz & Theo Notteboom & Athanasios A. Pallis, 2022. "Container terminal automation: revealing distinctive terminal characteristics and operating parameters," Maritime Economics & Logistics, Palgrave Macmillan;International Association of Maritime Economists (IAME), vol. 24(3), pages 537-565, September.
    6. Ursavas, Evrim & Zhu, Stuart X., 2016. "Optimal policies for the berth allocation problem under stochastic nature," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 255(2), pages 380-387.
    7. Parola, Francesco & Notteboom, Theo & Satta, Giovanni & Rodrigue, Jean-Paul, 2013. "Analysis of factors underlying foreign entry strategies of terminal operators in container ports," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 33(C), pages 72-84.
    8. E. Gutiérrez & S. Lozano & B. Adenso-Díaz & P. González-Torre, 2015. "Efficiency assessment of container operations of shipping agents in Spanish ports," Maritime Policy & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(6), pages 591-607, August.
    9. Francesco Parola & Giovanni Satta & Simone Caschili, 2014. "Unveiling co-operative networks and 'hidden families' in the container port industry," Maritime Policy & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(4), pages 384-404, July.
    10. Theo Notteboom & Jean-Paul Rodrigue, 2023. "Maritime container terminal infrastructure, network corporatization, and global terminal operators: Implications for international business policy," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 6(1), pages 67-83, March.
    11. Talley, Wayne K. & Ng, ManWo & Marsillac, Erika, 2014. "Port service chains and port performance evaluation," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 236-247.
    12. Wilmsmeier, Gordon & Monios, Jason & Farfán, Adriana Francesca Ballén, 2021. "Port system evolution in Ecuador – Migration, location splitting or specialisation?," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    13. Simone CASCHILI & Francesca MEDDA, 2015. "The Port Attractiveness Index:Application On African Ports," Region et Developpement, Region et Developpement, LEAD, Universite du Sud - Toulon Var, vol. 41, pages 47-82.
    14. Su-Han Woo & Stephen Pettit, 2011. "Port Performance in Changing Logistics Environments: Measurement Development and Model Testing," Chapters, in: Kevin Cullinane (ed.), International Handbook of Maritime Economics, chapter 20, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    15. Hokey Min & Seung-Bum Ahn & Hyang-Sook Lee & Heekeon Park, 2017. "An integrated terminal operating system for enhancing the efficiency of seaport terminal operators," Maritime Economics & Logistics, Palgrave Macmillan;International Association of Maritime Economists (IAME), vol. 19(3), pages 428-450, August.
    16. Theo Notteboom & Jean-Paul Rodrigue, 2012. "The corporate geography of global container terminal operators," Maritime Policy & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(3), pages 249-279, May.
    17. Liehui Wang & Yuanbo Zheng & Cesar Ducruet & Fan Zhang, 2019. "Investment Strategy of Chinese Terminal Operators along the “21st-Century Maritime Silk Road”," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-21, April.
    18. Woo, Su-Han & Pettit, Stephen J. & Kwak, Dong-Wook & Beresford, Anthony K.C., 2011. "Seaport research: A structured literature review on methodological issues since the 1980s," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 45(7), pages 667-685, August.
    19. Kevin Cullinane (ed.), 2011. "International Handbook of Maritime Economics," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 13163.
    20. Liehui Wang & Yuanbo Zheng & César Ducruet & Fan Zhang, 2019. "Investment Strategy of Chinese Terminal Operators along the “21st-Century Maritime Silk Road”," Post-Print halshs-02092097, HAL.

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