Source: Notteboom, T. and J-P Rodrigue (2005) “Port Regionalization: Towards a New Phase in Port Development”, Maritime Policy and Management, Vol. 32, No. 3, pp. 297-313. Notteboom, T. and J-P Rodrigue (2010) “Foreland-Based Regionalization: Integrating Intermediate Hubs with Port Hinterlands”, Research in Transportation Economics, Vol. 27, pp. 19-29.
A port system can go through a series of phases in its spatial development, which is concurrent with the development of urban systems. Its initial pattern involves scattered, poorly connected ports along the coastline (Phase 1; mid-19th century). As economic and infrastructure development takes place, a series of penetration lines (road and rail) are set to capture the resource and market opportunities of an emerging hinterland (Phase 2; late 19th century). This eventually led to an interconnected regional port system, with some ports gaining greater prominence with traffic concentration due to their better accessibility (Phase 3; early 20th century). The continuation of the process through network and infrastructure development results in centralization, with the leading network consisting of corridors between gateway ports and major hinterland centers (Phase 4; 1980s).
Models of port system development did not explain the rise of new hub terminals and incorporate inland freight distribution centers and terminals as active nodes in shaping load center development. Two extensions to the model have been proposed:
- The first extension (Phase 5; late 1980s – early 1990s) encompassed the explicit integration of transshipment hubs. They tend to have greater depth since they were built to accommodate large containership drafts, placing them at a technical advantage. Increasing volumes can lead to an increasing segmentation in liner service networks and a hierarchy in hubs (both ‘offshore’ and ‘mainland’).
- The second extension (Phase 6; from the late 1990s) relates to incorporating inland freight distribution centers and terminals as active nodes in shaping load center development (inland ports). The port regionalization phase is characterized by strong functional interdependency and even joint development of a specific load center and (selected) multimodal logistics platforms in its hinterland, ultimately leading to the formation of a regional load center network.