Cooperation and Competitiveness of Intra-Regional Container Ports

In order to cope with the ever-increasing competitive environment and enhance the overall competitiveness of ports in a region, cooperation between adjacent container ports is emerging. The main purpose of this paper is to explore causal relationships between influence factors, types of port cooperation (i.e. complementary cooperation and coopetition), and port competitiveness. Besides, potentially important items for port cooperation are also identified. The results indicated that both two types of port cooperation would positively influence the competitiveness of adjacent ports in same region. Moreover, competitive intensity in a region would support through both types of cooperation to influence regional competitiveness indirectly. Shipping and terminal operators' strategy would also influence regional competitiveness through both types of cooperation indirectly. Finally, port internal conditions, liners service and pricing strategy are identified as important items for complementary cooperation and that for coopetition are port operational management, liners service, resource integration and pricing strategy.