The effects of tropical cyclone on the container shipping network: A case study of typhoon Ma-on (2022)

Abstract

As climate change intensifies, tropical cyclones pose increasing challenges to container shipping networks (CSN). However, research related in this area remains insufficient. In this study, we analyzed the effects of Typhoon Ma-on on the CSN using over 776 million Automatic Identification System (AIS) trajectory signals. Our findings reveal that the typhoon not only altered the network structure of the CSN but also affected the importance of container ports, vessel flow, and travel distance fluctuations along shipping routes. After the typhoon, the recovery of the network’s connectivity and stability, as well as travel time fluctuations, was less robust compared to other aspects. Additionally, the impact ranges for port importance, vessel flow, and travel distance fluctuations were 1,750 km, 500 km, and 2,250 km, respectively, following an inverse distance decay pattern. These findings offer new insights for stakeholders to enhance the effectiveness of disaster prevention and mitigation policies.