Strategic alliances in container shipping: A review of the literature and future research agenda

Abstract Strategic alliances are the most common type of collaboration agreement used by shipping lines to provide worldwide maritime container transport services. Since their first appearance just before mid-1990s, they have progressed account for 90% global capacity with top eight operators organizing today East/West route services through one main three strategic alliances. This paper reviews comprehensively and critically literature on subject, over 25 years research this topic. includes 85 articles published in peer-reviewed journals between 1994 2019, analyzed grouped into areas: formation, management, optimization The output analysis is then a future agenda .