Anticipating 2025: Changing Technologies and
Intermodal Linkages in Aerial, Highway, Marine, and
Rail Transportation in the Northeast Corridor, University
of Delaware, October 19 2007
The Insertion of BostWash
within the Global and
National Freight
Frameworks
Jean-Paul Rodrigue
Associate Professor, Dept. of Economics &
Geography, Hofstra University, New York,
USA
Email: ecojpr@hofstra.edu
Paper available at:
http://people.hofstra.edu/faculty/Jean-paul_Rodrigue
Freight Frameworks: From Global to Local
Production
Distribution
Global
Regional
Gateways
Corridors
Local
Consumption
Terminals
Commodity
Chains
Transportation
Integrated Transport Systems
Insertion in the Global Trade Framework

Imbalanced Trade
Imbalanced Container Flows
Commodity Chains
UPS Willow Springs Distribution Center, Chicago
Containerized Cargo Flows along Major Trade
Routes, 2005
11.7
Europe
8.9
Imports (Million TEUs)
Exports (Million TEUs)
Million TEUs
Growth (2000-2005)
17.2
USA
6.1
9.9
13.9 (+148%)
4.3 (+30%)
Asia
23.8
Balance of Containerized Cargo Flows
along Major Trade Routes, 1995-2006 (in
millions of TEUs)
0
1995
1996
-2
-4
-6
-8
-10
-12
-14
-16
-18
Europe/USA
Asia/Europe
Asia/USA
1997
1998
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
Sectors of American Imports of Asian Goods
Through Maritime Container Shipping, 2004 (in
TEUs)
Apparel
Textiles
Machinery
Electrical equipment
Toys
Shoes
Tires
Auto parts
Appliances
Electronics
Furniture
Big box retailer
0
300,000
600,000
900,000
1,200,000
1,500,000
1,800,000
Commodity Chains and Added Value
High
Globalization
Added value
R&D
Sales / Service
Marketing
Branding
Distribution
Design
Concept
Manufacturing
Low
Commodity chain
Logistics
Insertion in the Transportation and Logistical
Framework

Gateways and Corridors
Containerization and the Velocity of Freight
Shipping Networks
Global Port Operators
APL Distribution Center, Shenzhen, 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
Traffic at the 50 Largest Container Ports, 2005
Seattle Tacoma
Long Beach
New York/New Jersey
Oakland
Hampton Roads
Charleston Savannah
Los Angeles
Dubai
Jeddah
Nhava Sheva
Salalah
Colombo
TEU
Less than 2 million
2 to 4 million
Santos
4 to 7 million
7 to 10 million
Melbourne
More than 10 million
Pacific Asia
Tianjin
Laem Chabang
Quingdao Dalian
Port Kalang
Tanjung PelepasSingapore
Ho Chi Minh
Hong Kong Shenzhen
Guangzhou
Xiamen
Hamburg
Bremen/Bremerhafen
Rotterdam
Antwerp
Felixstowe
Europe
LeHavre
Shanghai
Ningbo
Busan
Kaohsiung Keelung
Kobe
Nagoya
Tanjung Priok
Manila
Tokyo
Yokohama
Barcel ona
Valencia
Gioia Tauro
Algeciras
World Container Traffic, 1980-2005.
Reaching Peak Growth?
Adoption
Acceleration
Peak Growth
Maturity
1000
2002-2010(?)
900
2010(?) -
800
Million TEU
700
1992-2002
600
500
1966-1992
Divergence
400
300
200
100
0
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
2005
2010
2015
2020
The Velocity of Freight
Transshipment Speed
Speed barrier
Future improvements
Pull Logistics
Logistical threshold
Containerization
Push Logistics
Shipment Speed
Three Major Pendulum Routes Serviced by
OOCL, 2006
Oakland
Los Angeles
New York
Norfolk
Charleston
27 Days
Hamburg
Le Havre
Rotterdam
Southampton
Genoa
Fos
Barcelona
Tokyo
Shanghai
Ningbo
Kaohsiung
Hong Kong
Laem Chabang
49 Days
Atlantic Express (ATX)
European Union / Mediterranean (EUM)
Note: Paths are approximate
South China Express (SCX)
Singapore
Port Kelang
39 Days
Majort Port Holdings, 2007
Dedicated Maritime Container Terminals
APM Terminals
Dubai Ports World
Hutchison Port Holdings
Port of Singapore Authority
Eurogate
Stevedoring Services of America
Pacific Asia
Europe
Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue, Dept. of Economics & Geography, Hofstra University
Insertion in the Continental Framework

Hinterlands
Trade Corridors
Landbridges
APL “Australia” entering San Francisco Harbor
Hinterland Setting and Major Economic
Regions
North America
Western Europe
Coastal concentration
Landbridge connections
Inland concentration
Coastal gateways
Hinterland intensity
Freight Corridor hierarchy
East and Southeast Asia
Coastal concentration
Low hinterland access
Gateway hierarchy
Main North American Trade Corridors and
Metropolitan Freight Centers
Edmonton
Calgary
Vancouver
Winnipeg
Seattle
Halifax
Portland
Montreal
Minneapolis
Toronto
Boston
Detroit
Chicago
Salt Lake City
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
Baltimore
San Francisco
Denver
Cincinnati
Kansas City
St. Louis
Norfolk
Charlotte
Los Angeles
San Diego
New York
Cleveland
Oklahoma Ci ty
Memphis
Phoenix
Atl anta
Charleston
Savannah
Dallas
Hub
Gateway
Houston
New Orleans
Miami
Potential Location of Major Transmodal Rail Facilities:
Maritime Gateways and Inland Hubs
Calgary
Vancouver
Seattle
Regina
Winnipeg
Tacoma
Montreal
Minneapolis
Chicago
Oakland
Kansas City
New York/New Jersey
St Louis
Hampton Roads
Memphis
Long Beach
Los Angeles
Dallas / Fort Worth
Houston
Charleston
Savannah
Maritime Rail Gateway
Transmodal Rail Hub
Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue, Dept. of Economics & Geography, Hofstra University
Beware of Future Expectations: The Fallacies
of Linear Thinking
Beware of Future Expectations: The Fallacies of
Linear Thinking (Projected TEU Traffic, Port of
NY/NJ)
12
Million TEUs
10
Real (- 2006)
Projected
8
6
4
2
0
1990
2000
2010
2020
2030
2040
2050
2060
Monthly Traffic, Port of Los Angeles (TEUs)
450,000
400,000
350,000
300,000
2004
2005
2006
2007
250,000
200,000
150,000
100,000
50,000
Au
gu
st
Se
pt
em
be
r
Oc
to
be
r
No
ve
m
be
r
De
ce
m
be
r
Ju
ly
Ju
ne
y
Ma
Ap
ril
rc
h
Ma
Ja
nu
ar
y
Fe
br
ua
ry
0
Insertion in the Regional Framework

Distribution Clusters
Regional Freight Distribution
Port Regionalization
“Maersk Sealand” Locomotive, Landers Yard (NS), Chicago
The “Last Mile” in Freight Distribution
Massification
Atomization
Frequency
Capacity
HINTERLAND
GLOBAL
Shipping Network
Gateway
Corridor
REGIONALLOCAL
Segment
Inland
Terminal
Distribution
Center
Customer
“Last Mile”
Proximity and Intermediacy for Distribution
Clusters
DC
DC
Long distance
transport corridor
DC
Metropolitan
Area
Main Access Corridors to the East Coast
Boston – Washington Corridor: Volume to
Capacity Ratio
Port Inland Distribution Network and Freight
Clusters
Conclusion: Global Processes, Local Realities

Multiscalar Freight Insertion
Modal Shift (rail corridors)
Freight Diversion (regionalization)
Translisft crane, NS Rutherford yard, PA