China–Japan Port Networks Suitable for Short Sea Shipping

During the last few decades, China and Japan have become mutually dependent economically. Most significantly, trade volume by container transportation between two countries has increased. However, in situations of short distance, container transportation entails the important shortcomings of costly investment for land and infrastructure at ports as well as time-consuming complex cargo-handling operations. The distances of China and Japan routes are much shorter than those transoceanic sea routes used for container transportation, e.g. between Europe and Asia. In Europe, short sea shipping by Roll-on – Roll-off (RORO) or ferries is well networked among countries because of their proximity. There, it is difficult for container transportation to avoid the effects of cost and inefficiencies described above. Accordingly, short sea shipping should be introduced properly between China and Japan because the distances separating the countries are similar to those of existing European short sea shipping networks. This paper presents an exploration of the possibility of introducing better short sea shipping networks between China and Japan. First, data related to short sea shipping in Europe were surveyed. The data include short sea shipping operators and regions with local ports, but also include regional populations, regional GDPs, number of regional tourists, and total regional freight tonnage. From analyzing the characteristics of short sea shipping networks, two major groups of the short sea shipping networks were found: one-to-one port networks and one-to-more port networks. Finally, geographical conditions of port locations between China and Japan were examined to ascertain whether any future port combinations can be suitable for expanding short sea shipping networks. Results show that port combinations among Okinawa in Japan, Taiwan, and southeastern China conformed to the one-to-more port networks. A short sea shipping network already exists between Okinawa and Taiwan. This paper reports means of future expansion of the network to China.

• Record URL:
  https://www.polyu.edu.hk/lms/ICMS/Proceedings/Proceedings%20of%20IFSPA%202015.pdf
• 
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/9789623677967
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Abstract reprinted with permission of Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
• Corporate Authors:

  Hong Kong Polytechnic University

  Department of Logistics and Maritime Studies
  Tung International Centre for Maritime Studies
  Hong Kong,   China 
• Authors:
  • Tong, Jun
  • Watanabe, Yutaka
• Conference:
  • International Forum on Shipping, Ports and Airports (IFSPA) 2015: Empowering Excellence in Maritime and Air Logistics: Innovation Management and Technology
  • Location: Hong Kong , China
  • Date: 2015-11-29 to 2015-12-2
• Publication Date: 2016-5

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 341-350
• Monograph Title: Proceedings of the International Forum on Shipping, Ports and Airports (IFSPA) 2015: Empowering Excellence in Maritime and Air Logistics: Innovation Management and Technology

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Freight traffic; Network analysis (Planning); Short sea shipping
• Geographic Terms: China; Europe; Japan; Taiwan
• Subject Areas: Marine Transportation; Operations and Traffic Management;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01609685
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 9789623677967
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 1 2016 9:07AM