A Study of Regional Variability in Port Transport Efficiency in China - Based on A Three-Stage DEA-Malmquist Index Model

Abstract

To study the impact of COVID-19 on China's port logistics efficiency, this paper uses a three-stage DEA and Malmquist model to measure the efficiency of China's port logistics industry in 38 coastal and inland river cities under environmental constraints from 2016-2021, and analyses its spatial and temporal characteristics and evolutionary dynamics. The study shows that the comprehensive technical efficiency of port logistics in coastal cities is higher than that of inland river ports. The progress in port logistics efficiency stems from the increase in scale efficiency, and the dependence of port logistics on scale expansion is high. In addition, COVID-19 has had some hit on port operational efficiency, where the reduction in total factor productivity is mainly caused by a lower technological progress index. Compared to coastal ports, inland ports are more affected by COVID-19. Meanwhile, the impact of COVID-19 on the productivity of Chinese ports is characterised by a clear short-term pattern. The paper then makes recommendations for further improving the efficiency of port logistics and the ability to cope with major contingencies in China and globally.