Article: The dynamic coupling relationship between port and city from the perspective of port container traffic and the economy of port city Journal: International Journal of Shipping and Transport Logistics (IJSTL) 2025 Vol.20 No.4 pp.437 - 464 Abstract: This study aims to explore the dynamic coupling relationships and the inter-lagging effects between the port and port city based on the auto-regression distribute lag model (ARDL) and error correction model (ECM). An empirical analysis of the Yangtze River Delta multi-port system was performed for illustration and verification purposes from the perspective of container traffic and the economy of the port city. Results show that port container traffic and the economy of the port city have significant interaction for both short- and long-run relationships, but different-scale ports have different port-city relationships and different inter-lagging effects. The findings also show that tertiary industry (TI) activities are the most associated with port development, secondary industry (SI) is second, and primary industry (PI) has less connection with port development. Meanwhile, with the extension of the lagging periods, the positive and negative effects are always declining. In terms of methodology, this framework is also helpful and applicable to other ports and port cities worldwide, and the empirical analysis also can provide managerial insight for policymakers and investors. Inderscience Publishers - linking academia, business and industry through research

Title: The dynamic coupling relationship between port and city from the perspective of port container traffic and the economy of port city

Authors: Dong Huang; Hongxiang Feng; Manel Grifoll; Pengjun Zheng; Qin Lin

Addresses: Donghai Academy, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315832, China; Barcelona Innovation in Transport (BIT), Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya – BarcelonaTech, 08003 Barcelona, Spain ' Donghai Academy, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315832, China ' Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Barcelona Innovation in Transport (BIT), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya – BarcelonaTech, 08003 Barcelona, Spain ' Faculty of Maritime and Transportation, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315832, China ' Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Barcelona Innovation in Transport (BIT), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya – BarcelonaTech, 08003 Barcelona, Spain

Abstract: This study aims to explore the dynamic coupling relationships and the inter-lagging effects between the port and port city based on the auto-regression distribute lag model (ARDL) and error correction model (ECM). An empirical analysis of the Yangtze River Delta multi-port system was performed for illustration and verification purposes from the perspective of container traffic and the economy of the port city. Results show that port container traffic and the economy of the port city have significant interaction for both short- and long-run relationships, but different-scale ports have different port-city relationships and different inter-lagging effects. The findings also show that tertiary industry (TI) activities are the most associated with port development, secondary industry (SI) is second, and primary industry (PI) has less connection with port development. Meanwhile, with the extension of the lagging periods, the positive and negative effects are always declining. In terms of methodology, this framework is also helpful and applicable to other ports and port cities worldwide, and the empirical analysis also can provide managerial insight for policymakers and investors.

Keywords: port-city dynamic coupling relationships; inter-lagging effects; ARDL-ECM; the Yangtze River Delta multi-port system.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSTL.2025.147550

International Journal of Shipping and Transport Logistics, 2025 Vol.20 No.4, pp.437 - 464

Received: 28 May 2023
Accepted: 20 Apr 2024
Published online: 21 Jul 2025 *

Title: The dynamic coupling relationship between port and city from the perspective of port container traffic and the economy of port city

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