River of Traffic: The Spatial Fragmentation of US Ports

Abstract

Potter C. River of traffic: the spatial fragmentation of US ports, Regional Studies. Containerization has spatially fragmented the physical functions of US ports by reducing the friction of moving freight through ports to inland destinations. Previous studies of this shift have focused on case studies or selected municipalities. Employing descriptive statistics, regression analysis and geographical information system (GIS) mapping to explore shifts in longshoring, warehousing and trucking employment across the United States, this paper provides two major findings. First, employment in labour-intensive transportation activities, notably warehousing and trucking, is primarily driven by proximity to population concentrations rather than to port infrastructure. Second, a significant proportion of warehousing employment has migrated, forming a band approximately 200-300 kilometres inland.