- Differences in connectivity within the least-connected 100 ports are now minimal.
- Global trade is increasingly reliant on a few major hub ports, sidelining smaller ports.
- This trend reflects a shift toward a hub-and-spoke shipping network structure.
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) releases a quarterly Port Liner Shipping Connectivity Index (PLSCI), which provides an index-based liner connectivity score for ports worldwide. The latest report for 2024-Q4 highlights notable trends in connectivity among ports, reports Sea Intelligence.
Rising Connectivity Among Top-10 Ports
The top 10 most connected ports in 2024-Q4 have consistently seen their average connectivity increase across the analysed period. This growth has accelerated significantly since 2020, widening the gap between these ports and the next 10 most-connected ports. While the remaining top segments have also experienced connectivity increases, these gains are marginal compared to the dominant top-10 ports.
This data illustrates that the most connected ports are becoming increasingly dominant, consolidating their status as key nodes in the global shipping network.
Declining Connectivity in the Least-Connected Ports
In contrast, at the lower end of the connectivity index, ports have, over most of the period considered, witnessed a drop in average connectivity. In the lowest 100 ports, differences between tiers of average connectivity are no longer material and underline relative homogeneity in reduced connectivity scores.
Increased dependence on large Hub Ports
The observed trends indicate a growing reliance on a smaller set of major hub ports. These highly connected ports are becoming critical to global shipping networks, while smaller ports are increasingly relegated to feeder services. This shift is reflected in the declining liner connectivity scores of less-connected ports, underscoring their reduced role in the global shipping ecosystem.
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Source: Sea Intelligence
