Efficiency Pattern and Spatial Strategy of Ports in Yangtze River Delta Region

This paper measures the efficiency of ports in the Yangtze River Delta Region(YRDR) in 2008 and 2013 using port berth quantity, quay length, and human resources as input indicators, using cargo and container throughput as output indicators, and considering traditional(foreign trade dependence and industrialization level) and modern environmental factors(traffic line density, financial development level, and informatization level). To achieve such aim, this study constructs a multi-stage data envelopment analysis model(DEA) that identifies effective port decision-making units(DMUs) and generates a highly accurate conclusion by eliminating the interference from the exogenous environment and random errors. First, the external environment significantly affects port efficiency, with the traditional environmental factors showing huge fluctuations and the modern environmental factors producing great benefits. Second, the efficiency of ports in YRDR has increased from 2008 to 2013 primarily because of their pure technical efficiency. Third, the weighted standard deviation ellipse(SDE) analysis results reveal that the efficiency pattern of ports significantly deviates from their throughput pattern, while the center of SDE of port efficiency moves from the eastern coastal regions to the northwest regions. Based on these findings, this paper proposes spatial development strategies for YRDR, such as creating an unblocked environment where spatial elements can freely circulate, intensifying port-city joint development, implementing differentiated policies, and focusing on the spatial collaboration of port efficiency.

An Awesim Simulation Study： To Determine the Efficiency of Future Improvements on Tupras Izmit Oil Terminal

Oil and oil products occupy an important place in the industry and transportation sectors, both as bunker and raw materials. Most oil and oil products are transported by sea. The aim of this study was to evaluate the handling capacity of the Tupraslzmit Tanker Terminal, which is an important hub for Turkey with regards to the transportation ofoil and refined oil products. To assess the capacity of the port and to determine the amount of queuing that could form with regards to tug services; the Awesim simulation program was used. Based on the study results, a comparison was performed between the port＇s current annual handling capacity and the maximum amount of cargo it can handle. In addition, by using the study data, the maximum amount of queuing that can form in tug services was also calculated for days with unfavorable weather and sea conditions. This study thus represents a case study performed with the Awesim modeling program in order to determine port efficiency.

TRANSPORT COSTS AND CHINA'S EXPORTS:SOME EMPIRICAL EVIDENCES

Based on a new panel data set covering exports of four Chinese port cities to 32 countries and Hong Kong over the period of 1997-2008, this paper extends the conventional gravity model to assess the impacts of transport costs and port efficiency on China＇s exports. The results can be summarized as three main findings： （1） The improvements of port efficiency and reduction of road transport costs play a vital role in China＇s export competitiveness in the global market. The coefficient estimates on them are relatively large, around 0.72 and -0.89, respectively; （2） The effect of transport costs and port efficiency on China-to-Asia exports significantly exceeds that on China-to-Europe and China-to-America exports; （3） The overall estimated elasticity of road, railroad and port measure is 1.66, which is almost three times that of the average wage of port cities. The empirical results provide strong evidences that upgrading China＇s transport service networks should offer greater scope for maintaining and increasing its competitive edge in low cost productions. The findings offer some insights and priorities for government policy making.

A Study on Transport Costs and China＇s Exports： An Extended Gravity Model

This paper suggests an extending conventional gravity model design to empirically analyze the effect of transport costs and port efficiency on China's export flows. It shows that factor endowment and transport costs variables affect export trade value in directions that New Trade Theory(NTT) predicted. Also, the evidence indicates that, controlling for the effects of transport costs on trade, variables in traditional gravity model are consistent with previous empirical studies in both magnitudes and directions. Moreover, more than 22% of the variation in Chinese export trade can be explained by those three variables alone. The findings reported in this paper empirically explains how seriously transport costs and port efficiency affect China's export growth by comparing effects of labour production factor costs on external trade. It suggests that the improvement of port efficiency and reduction of road transport costs play a vital role in China's export competitiveness in the global market.

DEA-based Malmquist Productivity Index Measure of Operating Efficiencies:New Insights with an Application to Container Ports

To investigate the long-term operating efficiencies of container ports, we extend the work of previous researches to present a new systemic and improved method of data envelopment analysis （DEA）-based Malmquist productivity index （MPI） in this paper. An approach based on both panel data and multi-inputs/outputs is considered comprehensively, and aims at measuring the operating efficiencies of 10 leading container ports in China from 2001 to 2006 by applying this new systematic influence factor of total factor productivity change is the calculation method. The results illustrate that the main technology change, and the container transportation of these 10 ports is on the healthy development status and will recover and grow reposefully in the following years