Note: The port density is calculated using the kernel density method that calculates the density of ports within a radius of 100km and weighted by their respective traffic in TEU.
Container port activity exhibits a high level of clustering, with 60.4% of all activity accounted for by 21 distinct clusters. They are directly related to the concentration of global commercial activities. Clusters enable high levels of inter-port competition, as well as simultaneous complementarity of options to service hinterlands. The two most important container port clusters globally are the Yangtze River Delta (Central China) and the Pearl River Delta (Southern China), which jointly account for approximately 20.4% of all throughput. The importance of these port clusters stems from the clustering of manufacturing and logistics activities in their hinterland. Other clusters, such as the Strait of Malacca and the Dubai /Gulf, are primarily the result of shipping lines selecting transshipment hubs. Containerization has enabled the emergence of massive economies of scale and agglomeration that have become prevalent in port geography.