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The impact of distance in seaborne trade: An analysis of bilateral container transport flows

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  • Biermann, Franziska

Abstract

A significant part of world trade volume is transported by container ship today. Growing world trade will enforce containerization, since standardized shipment reduces transport costs. The research aim of this paper is to identify the impact of variables used in merchandise trade flow models, like GDP, or colonial ties, and especially distance, on bilateral container transport flows. Distance is one of the most important natural barriers in trade models, and despite globalization, its impact has been quite persistent in world trade. For container transport, the impact might be smaller, since it takes place especially between distant regions. The results show that the distance effect is even positive in some of the model specifications. Furthermore, compared to traditional measures of distance, the use of shipping route distances reveals noticeable differences in the impact of distance and border on container transport. The impact of other variables is comparable to empirical findings in the related literature.

Suggested Citation

  • Biermann, Franziska, 2012. "The impact of distance in seaborne trade: An analysis of bilateral container transport flows," HWWI Research Papers 134, Hamburg Institute of International Economics (HWWI).
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:hwwirp:134
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    Cited by:

    1. Achilleas Tsantis & John Mangan & Agustina Calatayud & Roberto Palacin, 2023. "Container shipping: a systematic literature review of themes and factors that influence the establishment of direct connections between countries," Maritime Economics & Logistics, Palgrave Macmillan;International Association of Maritime Economists (IAME), vol. 25(4), pages 667-697, December.
    2. Julian S. Leppin & Stefan Reitz, 2016. "The Role of a Changing Market Environment for Credit Default Swap Pricing," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 21(3), pages 209-223, July.
    3. Vöpel, Henning, 2013. "A Zidane clustering theorem: Why top players tend to play in one team and how the competitive balance can be restored," HWWI Research Papers 141, Hamburg Institute of International Economics (HWWI).
    4. Bräuninger, Michael, 2014. "Tax sovereignty and feasibility of international regulations for tobacco tax policies," HWWI Research Papers 152, Hamburg Institute of International Economics (HWWI).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Panel Data; International Trade; Transportation; Containerization;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C33 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • F10 - International Economics - - Trade - - - General
    • O18 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Urban, Rural, Regional, and Transportation Analysis; Housing; Infrastructure
    • R40 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics - - - General

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