Spatial structural pattern and vulnerability of China-Japan-Korea shipping network

The economies of China-Japan-Korea (CJK) are complementary, with their proximity resulting in the three countries having a high degree of interdependence with respect to trade. Currently, trade among these countries relies mainly on port-centered shipping. The development of the shipping network is integral for in-depth integration of CJK trade. This paper analyzes the overall characteristics, centrality, spatial structure, and vulnerability of the CJK shipping network using the methods of complex network analysis, blocking flow theory, and interruption and deletion of hub ports. The main findings are as follows: 1) The CJK shipping network has a small average path length and clustering coefficient, and its degree distribution follows a power-law distribution, which make the network present obvious characteristics of a Barabasi-Albert scale-free. 2) The characteristics of the multi-center point of the CJK shipping network can alleviate traffic pressure. At the same time, the network shows a clear hierarchy in the port transportation system, with cargo transport relying mainly on the 'hub port-hub port' connection. 3) The CJK shipping network is relatively stable. Compared with ports in Japan and Korea, the main hub ports in China have a greater impact on the stability of the shipping network, in particular those ports of the central coastal region, including Shanghai, Ningbo, and Lianyungang.