Repercussions of impeding shipping in the Malacca and Singapore Straits

Abstract

As the Malacca and Singapore Straits are part of the shortest route between Europe and Asia any impedance to shipping has serious commercial and strategic repercussions. What would be the consequences to tankers and container shipping if access was restricted or prevented? This issue is addressed by examining the costs of using alternative tanker routes to the Straits and the flow-on consequences of removing a mega-hub port from the container-shipping network. The analysis highlights differences between tanker shipping, where the ship itself is the prime unit of interest, and container shipping, where the door-to-door network is of paramount importance.

Strategic locations for logistics distribution centers along the Belt and Road: Explorative analysis and research agenda

“…The global energy transition makes energy supply chains an important issue in the context of the BRI from the perspective of the Chinese economy. Considering the dependence of China on energy, the significance of energy for the Chinese economy, and security risks in the Malacca Strait (Rimmer and Lee, 2007), a future study can address energy supply chains comprising of LNG and crude oil along B&R from the viewpoint of China. Future studies on global LDCs can explore key success factors as well as pitfalls in their establishment and operation and introduce key performance indicators of global LDCs using insights from operations research and management science.…”

Strategic intent of OBOR: enhancing energy supply resilience

“…Rimmer and Lee (2007) recognized that the Straits of Malacca offers the shortest and quickest route between the Middle East Gulf and East Asia. And in particular, to China, the Straits of Malacca is a vital artery not only because it presents the shortest route but it is also the most secure by virtue of its serviceable navigational aids.…”

An Assessment of the Impacts on the International Container Transport and the World Economy Resulting from the 2014/15 U.S. West Coast Port Disruption

“…(Akimoto 2001) examined the structural weakness of chokepoints in Eurasian maritime areas such as the Malacca/Singapore Strait, the Sunda Strait, and the Lombok and Makassar Straits from the perspective of securing sea lanes. (Rimmer and Lee 2007) calculated the cost of using alternative routes to the Malacca/Singapore Strait. (The International Risk Governance Council 2011) selected and analyzed three possible high-impact events that would lead to the closure of the Malacca/Singapore Strait: the explosion of refineries, cyberattacks directed at ship control systems, and multiple collisions of large ships.…”