City Research Online

Abstract

National shipping centres comprise both upstream and downstream firms in the logistics chain to conduct shipping and trade-related activities. Users of national shipping centres include traders, logistics service providers, shipping lines, terminal operators, and other actors. Shipping is the business of transporting goods to facilitate trade. Shipping and trade are closely associated. Shipping centres are located in transport complex economies that are desirable for their users to perform various shipping related business activities. To explore the formation of national shipping centres, this study identifies trade facilitation measures at both the macro and micro levels that enhance economic performance.

To build the model of national shipping centre, hypotheses have been developed to illustrate the relationship between trade facilitation activities and trade costs. Furthermore, the economic outcomes are also examined in this theoretical model. To validate the proposed research model, data are collected from the World Bank, and analytical tool is used for data analysis. The results suggest that trade facilitation measures are negatively associated with trade costs. The results also suggest that the trade facilitation measures of a country are positively associated with its economic performance.

The findings of this study are useful for both business managers and policy makers. Based on the finding, managers can formulate effective business strategies to select a location for their firms to conduct their business activities. On the other hand, policy makers can formulate relevant measures to attract business firms to locate at their countries. In studying the formation of national shipping centres, the importance of developing social capital for trade facilitation is also emphasized. To illustrate the validity of the findings, two case studies are presented. The first case study examines countries with more than one port. These countries are China, Japan, and Korea. The second case study look into areas with single port (i.e., Hong Kong and Singapore).

Overall, this study builds a theoretical model and validates the model to seek answers to the following questions:
• What are the roles of trade facilitation at the macro-level and micro-level in the development of national shipping centres?
• Does trade facilitation influence the economic development of a country?
• What is the link between the development of social capita (in terms of trade facilitation measures) and the economic performance of a country?
• What are the differences national shipping centres between developed and developing countries?

Publication Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HE Transportation and Communications
Departments:	School of Science & Technology > Engineering Doctoral Theses School of Science & Technology > School of Science & Technology Doctoral Theses

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