Broad Economic Impact of Port Inefficiency: A Comparative Study of Two Ports.

摘要

Weaknesses in trade-related transport and logistics, particularly in developing countries, impose costs on producers that erode the intended benefits of trade preferences in major markets, such as the United States and the European Union. In fact, the cost of such weaknesses may be many times greater than the benefit of preferences. Accordingly, trade capacity-building assistance should address these logistical and transport weaknesses so developing countries can join the global economy. Among weaknesses that need to be addressed, port inefficiencies may be the most serious and least understood. Improving ports can lower total transaction costs and boost the competitiveness of a countrys exportsand in the long run create jobs, spur growth, and improve general welfare. Studies relating port costs to national competitiveness have consistently shown a strong relationship between port efficiency and the cost of traded products. Until now, such studies have not made concrete linkages to the sources of those efficiencies, or attempted to quantify the effects of specific types of inefficient practices, much less calculate the overall trade and welfare effects of such inefficiencies, as we do in the original research presented here. In this study, we analyze the operation of a port challenged by congestion, Puerto Limon (in Costa Rica), comparing it with a port known for its efficient operations, Cartagena (in Colombia). We compare the cost and performance of Cartagena with that of Puerto Limon by determining vessel berth and cargo dwell times and by sailing a model ship through our port tariff model. We then examine and explain processing procedures for each instance in which processing times in the inefficient port exceed those in the efficient one. This comparison enables us to identify factors that contribute directly and indirectly to the relatively high cost of using the Puerto Limon port facilities.