Measurement of inland port spatial relationship: a case study of Yangtze River inland ports

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to determine whether spatial relationships in the Yangtze River inland ports are primarily characterized by competition or complementarity. Moreover, this study considers the spatial relationship between Yangtze River inland ports in terms of period and geographical location. Utilizing a spatial Durbin model (SDM) and yearly data for 22 main inland ports in the Yangtze River between 2000 and 2018, the study showed that the relationship between inland ports along the Yangtze River is characterized by complementarity. In addition, using the two-regime SDM, the study identified that the complementarity between Yangtze River inland ports increased after the completion of the Three Gorges Dam in 2006. The two-regime SDM also revealed competition among inland ports downstream from the Yangtze River, while inland ports in the Yangtze River's upper and middle streams are undoubtedly complementary.