Measuring Container Port Accessibility: An Application of the Principal Eigenvector Method (PEM)

Container port accessibility examines the potential or opportunity for the transportation of containerised cargoes within the global liner shipping network. It is also a particularly relevant aspect of port competitiveness since, as previous studies have pointed out, the level of throughput at any container port is significantly and positively correlated to its accessibility. This paper aims not only to generate quantitative estimates of individual container port accessibility, but also to provide a numerical basis for comparing the relative geographical importance of each port. For this purpose, the principal eigenvector method is described and applied to a sample of port data. By supplementing extant technical indicators that relate to port competitiveness, such as port prices and estimates of relative efficiency, with a quantitative measure of port accessibility, the results provide a better understanding of the current structure of the global liner shipping network and the ongoing status of inter-port competition.