Container trade and shipping connectivity of Vietnam: implications of Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road

The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road (MSR) are key developments that will impact container trade performance and liner shipping connectivity. This is the first study in literature to analyse container trade and shipping connectivity from a longitudinal perspective and derive the implications of CPTPP and MSR on shipping connectivity. The example used is that of Vietnam who is a participant of both initiatives. Developments in container trade and shipping connectivity are analysed over a 20-year period for major ports in Vietnam. Our analysis shows container terminals located in Ho Chi Minh City, Haiphong and Ba Ria-Vung Tau in Vietnam to see distinctively different impacts on their shipping connectivity. Policy insights and implications from the perspective of container shipping network dynamics, port capacity and hinterland infrastructure development, terminal capacity utilisation and regional competition are discussed.