• Journal of Korea Port Economic Association
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.75-89
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• 2015

This study examines 31 import and export cargo items handled in each port to investigate which items face the most competition among the ports and how many of them are transited to other ports. The study aims to suggest implications for the future port policy of Incheon Port. It was found that the volume concentration in the Western Coast region from 2005 to 2014 became increasingly decentralized. The decentralization began in earnest in 2009 in particular, and the value was 0.448 in 2014, indicating fierce competition among the regions. According to the static and dynamic positioning analyses results for Incheon Port, Pyeongtaek and Dangjin Port, and Gunsan Port, using BCG Matrix, the static positioning analysis showed that Incheon Port belongs to the 3rd quadrant (Cash Cows), Pyeongtaek and Dangjin Port belongs to the 2nd quadrant (Question Marks), and Gunsan Port belongs to the (Dogs) group. This implies that Incheon Port has maintained its position with large shares compared to those of other ports, despite its low growth rate. However, the market position and growth rate of Incheon Port decreased according to the dynamic positioning analysis results. The shift-share analysis results indicated that the volumes of Incheon Port and Gunsan Port were shifting to Pyeongtaek and Dangjin Port. Moreover, the ratio of absolute growth to potential growth of Incheon Port and Gunsan Port turned out to be significantly lower than that of Pyeongtaek and Dangjin Port, implying that Incheon Port and Gunsan Port are declining as compared to Pyeongtaek Port and Dangjin Port. According to the LQ index analysis results, specialized items from Incheon Port that do not overlap with other ports included the following ten items: meat, fish and crustaceans, bituminous coals, crude oil and petroleum, petroleum-refined products, plastic rubber and products, textiles, nonferrous metal and products, electric machinery, and aircrafts and ships. In particular, it was confirmed that the bulk cargo of Incheon Port was actually shifting to Pyeongtaek and Dangjin Port following the policy of re-establishing port functions.