Title: Identifying the partition of port clusters and hierarchical structure for port networks

Authors: Xin He; Jianfeng Zheng; Tingyu Yu; Qian Wang

Addresses: Transportation Engineering College, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian, China ' Transportation Engineering College, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian, China ' Transportation Engineering College, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian, China ' Transportation Engineering College, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian, China

Abstract: With the deepening of port integration, the development of port clusters has become an important trend. How to determine a reasonable partition of port clusters for a number of ports (i.e., a port network) is an important research topic, which has not been addressed yet. This paper utilises the k-means algorithm and the elbow method to address port cluster partition. By using a number of statistical indicators including degree centrality, strength centrality, closeness centrality, betweenness centrality, and clustering coefficient, a hierarchical clustering method is used to further determine the hierarchical structure of port clusters. Considering ports in Asia, we construct two port networks generated by using a waterway-based physical network and a ship route-based service network, respectively. Numerical experiments show that, we can obtain properties of regionalisation and hierarchy for our obtained port clusters. Our results can provide the basis for the cooperative development among ports, the partition of port clusters, as well as understanding the hierarchical structure of port clusters.

Keywords: port cluster partition; port cooperation; regionalisation; hierarchy.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSTL.2024.142353

International Journal of Shipping and Transport Logistics, 2024 Vol.19 No.1, pp.36 - 56

Received: 21 May 2022
Accepted: 12 Jul 2022
Published online: 25 Oct 2024 *

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