The vulnerability of the global container shipping network to targeted link disruption

Abstract

Using complex network theory to describe the relational geography of maritime networks has provided great insights regarding their hierarchy and evolution over the past two decades. Unlike applications in other transport elds, notably air transport, complex network theory has had limited application in studying the vulnerability of maritime networks. This study uses targeted link disruption to investigate the strategy speci c vulnerability of the network. Although nodal infrastructure such as ports can render a network vulnerable as a result of labour strikes, trade embargoes or natural disasters, it is the shipping lines con- necting the ports that are more probably disrupted, either from within the industry, or outside. In this paper we apply and evaluate two link-based disruption strategies on the global container shipping network, one based on link betweenness, and the other on link salience, to emulate the impact of large-scale service recon guration a ecting priority links. The results show that the network is by and large robust to such recon guration. Meanwhile the exibility of the network is reduced by both strategies, but to a greater degree by betweenness, resulting in a reduction of transshipment and dynamic rerouting potential amongst the busiest port regions. The results further show that the salience strategy is highly e ective in reducing the commonality of shortest path sets, thereby diminishing opportunities for freight consolidation and scale economies.