2008 International Logistics Forum, Incheon
(Korea), October 8, 2008
Port Regionalization:
Towards a New Phase in
Pacific Asian Port Development
Jean-Paul Rodrigue
Associate Professor
Dept. of Global Studies & Geography
Hofstra University
New York, USA
The Challenge of the Hinterland

The Maritime / Land Interface
The Velocity of Freight
Gateways and the Logistical Hinterland
Container yard, Port of Yantian, China
Elements of the Maritime / Land Interface
Maritime Freight
Distribution
Foreland (Shipping Network)
Inland Freight
Distribution
Port System
Gateways
Road
Rail
Corridors and Hubs
Hinterland (FDC)
Coastal / Fluvial
Functional and Geographical Diffusion of
Containerization: Globalization and Regionalization
Global containerized commodity
chains (Optimal: 75% ?)
Volume
Globalization
Niche
markets
Regionalization
Regional Load Center
Network
Foreland Traffic
Port
Hinterland Traffic
Diffusion (Functional and Geographical)
Hinterland Logistics: The Realm of the “Last Mile”
(or the “First Mile”)
Massification
Atomization
Frequency
Capacity
GLOBAL
Shipping Network
Gateway
HINTERLAND
REGIONAL
Corridor
Segment
Inland
Terminal
LOCAL
Distribution
Center
Customer
“Last Mile”
Logistics and the Velocity of Freight
Transshipment Speed
Speed barrier
Future improvements
Pull Logistics
Logistical threshold
Containerization
Push Logistics
Shipment Speed
Port Regionalization

Regionalization and Hinterland Setting
Hinterland Logistics
Trimodal Container Terminal, Willebroek, Belgium
The Spatial Development of a Port System
Phase 2: Penetration and hinterland capture
Phase 1: Scattered ports
LAND
SEA
Phase 3: Interconnection & concentration
Phase 4: Centralization
Phase 5: Decentralization and insertion of ‘offshore’ hub
Phase 6: Regionalization
Load center
Interior centre
Freight corridor
Deepsea liner services
Shortsea/feeder services
Hinterland-based (Regional
load centre network)
Foreland-based
Regionalization and Hinterland Setting
North America
Western Europe
East and Southeast Asia
Coastal concentration
Landbridge connections
Inland concentration
Coastal gateways
Coastal concentration
Low hinterland access
Gateways and the Logistical Hinterland
Pacific-Asia
(e.g. Pearl River Delta)
North American West Coast
(e.g. LA/Long Beach)
Landbridge
Container port / terminal
Logistics zone / site
Strongly developed corridor
Poorly developed corridor
Multi-port gateway region
North Europe
(e.g. Rhine Scheldt Delta)
Continuous and Discontinuous Hinterlands
Port A
Continuous hinterland Port A
Discontinuous
hinterland Port A
'Island' formation
Discontinuous
hinterland Port B
Port B
Continuous hinterland
Port B
Main hinterland
Competition margin
Maritime load centre
Inland terminal
Types of Hinterland
Macro-economic
Physical
Logistical
Concept
Transport demand
Transport supply
Flows
Elements
Logistical sites
Transport links and
(production and
terminals
consumption) as part of
commodity chains
Mode, Timing,
punctuality and
frequency of services
Attributes
Interest rates,
exchange rates, prices,
savings, production,
debt
Capacity, corridors,
terminals, Physical
assets (fixed and
mobile)
Added value, tons-km,
TEU, Value of time, ICT
Challenge
International division of
production and
consumption
Additional capacity
(modal and intermodal)
Supply chain
management
Gateways and the New Port Hinterlands: The
“Regionalized Port”
Interest rates, exchange rates, prices, savings,
production, debt
Consumption
Production
Terminal / DC
Link (mode)
Trade
Balanced flows
Imbalanced flows
Hinterland Challenges in Pacific Asia

Long Distance Trade Networks
Supply Chain Reliability
Port Regionalization Clusters
“Emma Maersk”, 12,500 TEU, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Eq
ua
to
r
Circum Hemispheric Rings of Circulation
North American Landbridge
Eurasian Landbridge
Arctic Routes
Circum-Equatorial Maritime Highway
The Resurgence of All Water Services to the
American East Coast
Zone of Contestability
NY
Savannah
E qu
Suez
a tor
Eastbound
Route
Westbound
Route
Landbridge
Panama
Route
Panama
Challenges and Opportunities of the New Panama
Canal (New Panamax – 12,000 TEU)
Singapore
Colombo
Hong Kong
Shanghai
Kobe
Jeddah
Pusan
E qu
Suez
a tor
Gioia Tauro
Algeciras
Eastbound
Route
Westbound
Route
LA/LB
Kingston
Panama
Service Time Reliability: All Water Services vs.
Transpacific / Landbridge
Port congestion
Offshore transshipment
Transloading
Unit train assembly
Rail congestion
Transmodal operations
Road congestion
Transpacific /
Landbridge
18 days
Port congestion
Offshore transshipment
Panama / Suez Delays
All Water
Services
NY: 22 days
Savannah: 21 days
Port Regionalization Clusters in Pacific Asia
Hinterland-based regionalization
Foreland-based regionalization
Two Major Transpacific Pendulum Routes Serviced
by OOCL, 2006 (The Wal-Mart Express)
Vancouver
Seattle
Qingdao
Shanghai
Laem Chabang
Shekou
Ningbo
Hong Kong Kaohsiung
Northwest Express (NWX)
Pusan
Kobe Tokyo
Oakland
Los Angeles
40 Days
Nagoya
Singapore
49 Days
South China Express (SCX)
Note: Paths are approximate and transit time includes port time
Source: OOCL Web Site
Port Regionalization in Pacific Asia
Freight Distribution Moving Inland
Two Major Forms of Regionalization:
Foreland and Hinterland-Based
Container waiting to be loaded, Shenzhen, China