The container shipping industry is essentially a service industry, based on the derived need of shippers wanting to transport their goods to buyers around the world. The industry relies on the volume of world trade and consequently is highly cyclical with its profitability being dependent, in large part, on the health of the global economy. It is also a highly capital intensive industry that requires large amount of investment in large scale fixed assets, such as ocean vessels, ports facilities, terminal equipments, global office networks and communication infrastructure. The industry has been undergoing a period of restructuring and consolidation in the 1990s, reflected in both merger and acquisition and in the formation of global alliances. This paper will explore the literature on growth alternatives and competitive advantages of the industry. The specific case on NOL/APL growth path and its key success factors of strategy-performance relationship will also be identified. This paper will conclude by making some suggestions on longer-term strategy for the company in order to generate sustainable profitability and financial success for the NOL/APL group.

本研究主要在探討台灣貨櫃航商之競爭策略，首先聚焦在全球整體海運業之定期船業務，因其運送約七成貨物價值之貨載，而貨櫃航運業運輸量則佔定期船運量超過九成，重要性不言可喻。台灣貨櫃船公司更在世界航運舞台，扮演重要角色成效斐然，因此以台灣貨櫃航運業為研究對象，專注於研究台灣貨櫃船公司所面臨的環境壓力衝擊、分析產業競爭問題、產業風險及成本結構、以歸納建議因應當代變局的關鍵競爭策略。 透過與業界深具實務經驗的資深專家訪談，並以進行面對面深度訪談及勾選問卷聚焦填答方式，對於研究問題經由具決策權之高階管理專家，得到更深遠寬廣的義涵與解答。本研究歸納受訪專家的結論認為：要改善貨櫃海運產業的激烈競爭態勢，當務之急是航商之間應擇優策略聯盟，不該盲目跟進大量訂造新船，宜審慎避免過度投資及過量增加船舶艙位，造成產業運能供給與需求失衡。 規劃產業的競爭策略最重要的是要把公司放入「環境」中考量。貨櫃航運業歷經逾五十年的發展，已逐步過渡到溫和成長的「成熟期產業」階段。這個階段伴隨技術成熟與極度標準化的國際競爭加劇，而使產業獲利走低，業者必須格外著重降低成本與提升服務品質，執行風險管理，並兼顧產品組合之合理化及正確訂價，且要積極穩固忠誠的老客戶，才足以因應嚴峻情勢變化與挑戰，同時必須實施流程創新與再造，及加強管控產業的各項「不確定性」風險。 業者應積極整合組織中外顯與內隱的競爭優勢，以科學管理方式實踐合理化，創新性與競合式發展策略，並強調知識經濟與核心能力為主的差異化策略，實質確保永續優勢的「競爭策略」。 / This study explored the competitive strategies of Taiwanese container shipping companies. I focus on the impact of the environmental pressures on these companies, and highlighted their key competitive strategies. Based on depth interviews and questionnaire with industrial senior executive experts, this study suggests that Taiwanese container shipping companies consider to reduce their risk exposure by forming strategic alliances and to avoid making excessive new vessels building and investment, in facing increasing imbalance of worldwide fleet loading capacity in container shipping industry. Global container shipping industry has developed over than 50 years and is now toward “Industry maturity period”. Competitors in such an industry should focus on lowering cost and strengthening the quality of service to secure customer loyalty. At same time, competitors in the industry should also strive for process innovation and better risk management. They should also develop the core competence and try to differentiate themselves from other competitors in order to ensure their sustainable advantages.