Hinterland accessibility, maritime connectivity and inter-port relationships: A Spatial Analysis[Accessibilité à l’arrière-pays, connectivité maritime et relations interportuaires : une analyse spatiale]

Maritime transport is a critical component of international trade and supply chains, facilitating efficient and rapid access to global markets for producers. Port activity, as a key driver of maritime transport performance, enhances connectivity to the maritime network through regular shipping lines and the expansion of containerized traffic. In 2018, global container port traffic reached 793 million TEUs, with an average annual growth rate of 7.4% since 2000. Europe represents the second-largest region globally in terms of container port throughput, accounting for nearly 15% of worldwide traffic. Existing literature on port growth has primarily focused on factors influencing port selection, access to maritime networks characterized by regular shipping lines, and port competition. However, the spatial interdependence of ports has seldom been explored. This study aims to address this research gap by analyzing the determinants of containerized traffic in ports, focusing on the interactions between ports and their spatial dimensions. The Durbin Spatial Model (SDM) is applied to a sample of 123 European ports spanning from 2005 to 2019 to examine the determinants of containerized traffic, while accounting for spatial interdependence among European ports. The main findings reveal a positive spatial interdependence for the European port system, indicating that relationships between European ports tend to be complementary and cooperative rather than competitive. Furthermore, the study demonstrates that port specialization in liquid and solid cargoes negatively impacts containerized traffic. A one standard deviation increase in the hydrocarbon specialization index could result in a 42% decrease in containerized traffic, suggesting that ports prioritize specialization over diversification to exploit economies of scale and strengthen their competitive advantages. These findings have significant policy implications for port authorities, shipping lines, and policymakers, emphasizing the need to account for spatial interactions in port traffic estimates. The study underlines the importance of considering the effects of container flows from neighboring ports when making decisions at the individual port level. As policies and decisions implemented in one port also influence the activity of neighboring ports, greater cooperation and coordination among ports within the same range are encouraged to optimize overall performance and efficiency in the maritime transport sector.