Modeling and Analysis the Competition Dynamics among Container Transshipment Ports

This study examines the competitiveness and cooperativeness among the container ports in East Asia by analyzing their monthly dynamics in eight years (2008-2015). Time series data on container throughput divided into origin and destination (O/D), such as the top six Chinese ports and the transshipment (T/S) ports such as Hong Kong, Busan, and Singapore, are computed with two methods based on the Vector Error Correction Model (VECM). The first Granger causality test results show that Busan T/S has significant bilateral relations with three Chinese O/D ports; and significant unidirectional relations with three other O/D ports. Shenzhen port has significant bilateral relations with Singapore, and has a significant unidirectional relation with Hong Kong port. Co-integrating test results showed that Busan holds negative co-integration with all Chinese O/D ports. Impulse response function (IRF) results show an opposite direction between paired ports. The ratios of the impulse from T/S ports are significantly high to one another in the short-run, but its power declines as time passes. The ratio of the impulse from the Chinese ports to T/S ports is less significant in the short-run period, however, it becomes more significant as time passes. The significance of most shocks was high in the second period, but was diluted after the sixth period.