Title: A forward-looking study on the opening of the Northeast passage: addressing the challenges of 'port-city block'

Authors: Wenqian Chang; Nan Li; Guoyue Han; Yingxiu Zhao

Addresses: School of Economics and Management, North China University of Science and Technology, No.21 Bohai Avenue, Caofeidian New Town, Tangshan 063210, Hebei, China ' School of Digital Economy and Management, Suzhou City University, Suzhou 215104, Jiangsu, China ' School of Economics and Management, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan 063210, Hebei, China ' School of Economics and Management, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan 063210, Hebei, China

Abstract: The opening of the Arctic's Northeast Passage (NEP) anticipates port expansion, but imbalanced port-city relations may escalate conflicts between ports and cities. Consequently, comprehending the phased dynamics between port operations and socio-economic factors, along with devising effective governance strategies, becomes imperative. This study introduces the concept of 'Port-City Block' grounded in symbiotic theory and delves into it is origins and consequences. Furthermore, it employs partial differential equations to simulate the manifestation of 'Port-City Block' under various conditions. Finally, the results of the simulation are validated by examining endpoint cities in Northeast Asia. This forward-looking study proposes: 1) port invasion in the prospering NEP corridor can be expressed by the friction coefficient that encompasses element associations and spatial effects. Therefore, governance strategies should prioritise the regulation of this friction coefficient. 2) Adaptive governance measures are recommended for transhipment ports along the NEP corridor, including Busan, Kobe, and Vladivostok, etc.

Keywords: Port-City block; simulation; symbiosis; friction coefficient; Northeast passage; NEP.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSTL.2025.147402

International Journal of Shipping and Transport Logistics, 2025 Vol.20 No.3, pp.312 - 337

Received: 22 Sep 2023
Accepted: 05 Mar 2024
Published online: 15 Jul 2025 *

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