Analyzing the Shipping Network of the Maritime Silk Road (MSR) Based on a Complex Network

The Maritime Silk Road (MSR), wherein ships call at the ports of China and sail throughout Asia, is analyzed in this paper. Based on complex networks, the statistical characteristics of the MSR are investigated, and numerical analysis shows its small-world effects and scale-free properties. Additionally, the MSR highly depends on its hubs, which is likely to lead to network vulnerability; thus, the network structure needs to be improved.