Spillover effects from inland waterway transport development: Spatial assessment of the Rhine-Alpine Corridor

Felipe Bedoya-Maya, Joris Beckers and Edwin van Hassel

Journal of Transport Geography, 2023, vol. 113, issue C

Abstract: Inland waterways have the potential to enhance port-hinterland connectivity and foster sustainable freight transport. Their development as transport corridors is highly dependent on geography, yet spatial spillovers of port throughput are often overlooked. In Europe, the configuration of inland container terminals can lead to cross-border spillovers. This paper analyzes inland container throughput between 2007 and 2021 in the Rhine-Alpine Corridor to quantify its spatial dependence and economic spillover effects. The assessment involves 43 regions from Belgium, France, Germany, Netherlands, Luxemburg, and Switzerland. A Spatial Durbin Model is developed accounting for economic conditions, fixed effects, and time trends. The results suggest that throughput exhibited spatial concentration patterns, which intensified after water levels dropped in 2018. Second, the spatial dependence is heterogeneous between transport performance in tonne-km vs. TEU-km. Third, technological resources and population density were positively associated with throughput, while the opposite was found for employment and motorways. Notably, the spillovers of technological resources and employment were considerably higher than the local impact. Based on these findings, the paper advises on spatially oriented policies to address low water levels, workforce decline, and the need for new business models.

Keywords: Inland waterway transport; Regional development; Spatial regression; Spillover effects; Europe (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jotrge:v:113:y:2023:i:c:s096669232300193x

DOI: 10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2023.103721

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