ANALYSIS OF THE EAST-WEST TRADE ROUTE CONTAINER MARKET DYNAMICS

The globalisation of international trade has significantly changed the world economy and increased mobility, thus considerably affecting maritime transport and liner shipping in particular. This paper assesses and analyses the level of the container ports in the East-West trade route for the period between 2001 and 2016. In doing so, Concentration Ratio analysis, Hirschman-Herfindahl index technique, and Shift Share analysis were used. The analysis of the market reveals a tendency towards deconcentration and increased competition among ports in the market in the period of study. Accordingly, the market can be segmented into two main categories, the present hub ports, and the potential hubs. The ports of the first category have a competitive advantage in their strategic location, while those of the second category are trying to utilize their resources more effectively in order to enhance their competitive position and increase their market share.