Carriers and alliances now have very specific shopping lists as they build their transshipment hub-port networks. A key item on the list is geographic advantage. A regional transshipment port must be positioned for minimal deviation from the trade lane it serves. It must be in proximity to secondary ports along the route. For example, it should not require sailing upriver or up a lengthly coastline away from the main route.
Access is another important consideration.
Linehaul ships typically require either deep water or channel drafts of 46 feet or more, and a wide turning basin for berthing. Proximity to a large local market is helpful. A successful transshipment port must have substantial backland storage area for containers. A decade ago, a large container terminal would have been about 100 acres. Transshipment terminals under construction today range from 200 to 300 acres each.