Strategic interdependence in capacity expansion: A spatial analysis for port infrastructure services

Abstract

This study analyses the possible existence of spatial interdependence in port authorities' capacity expansions in the port industry. We propose a dynamic model that allows quantifying the degree of port authorities' interdependence in capacity decisions and simulating a hypothetical scenario of cooperation agreements among different port authorities. The econometric specification is based on a structural model of demand, cost and market equilibrium. The empirical results suggest that strategic interdependence exists in port infrastructure services. Furthermore, using a simulation analysis, we show that incentives to invest in port capacity increase under a cooper-ative setting.