A DEA study of the efficiency of 122 iron ore and coal ports and of 15/17 countries in 2005

摘要

This paper, using data envelopment analysis, assesses the efficiency of 122 iron ore and coal ports in 2005. Estimates for 54 loading and 68 unloading ports show that the main source of inefficiency in bulk terminals is related to the scale. Results aggregated at a country level demonstrate that the national efficiency can be achieved either through a limited number of large ports or by combining smaller ports with complementary characteristics-national network effect.