Ocean liner shipping services: corporate restructuring and port selection/competition.

An examination is made of the nature of corporate restructuring among liner shipping companies to meet the needs of producers for logistic services within the Asia-Pacific Economic Region. This task is undertaken by detailing the development of the global alliances forged in 1996. Then their impact on port selection and competition within the Asia-Pacific Economic Region is studied with particular reference to the Trans-Pacific trade. As the composition of these alliances has already changed by mergers their likely effect on port destinies is considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]