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Shipping alliances and shipping lines are one major research field concerning marine management. This paper examines the role played by shipping lines in shaping the global container shipping network, and focuses on the significant impact of shipping alliances on the global shipping market. The scientific evaluation of the effects of shipping alliances construction and reorganization on network integration remains inadequate. To bridge this gap, our study uses AIS big data to construct a comprehensive model of the container shipping network from the perspective of multilayer, focusing on two levels: shipping alliances and shipping lines. Our findings show that while shipping lines have been competing for shipping markets fiercely, the construction of shipping alliances eases the competition among them and promotes their cooperation. The three alliances have formed a new oligopoly pattern, combining to build a complete and mature network with increased efficiency, density, and stability. Shipping alliances promote spatial complementarity, expand network coverage, and develop branches. We also identify distinct spatial patterns for each alliance, with differentiated complementary structures. This study sheds light on the spatial effect of shipping network integration, offering a new perspective and method for understanding the organization of the global shipping network.
Yichao et al. (Sun,) studied this question.