1. ¹Data Management and Business Research, Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
2. ²Department of Agricultural Economics, Center for Agricultural & Food Industrial Organization, University of Nebraska – Lincoln, 103E Filley Hall, Lincoln, NE 68583-0922, USA. E-mail: aazzam@unlnotes.unl.edu

Abstract

With falling tariff and non-tariff barriers, lowering other trade costs related to the logistics of moving goods through ports is key to further facilitation of world trade. Such costs are now part of the language of several GATT articles of importance to WTO negotiations. This paper estimates the effect of various port costs on re-export intensity in six major Asian ports: Dubai, Manama, Mumbai, Bandar Abbas, Damman, and Hong Kong. What we find is that the cost of transportation and logistics is the most important factor affecting re-export intensity. We also find that re-export intensity is not dissimilar between the Asian ports reviewed except Hong Kong. Hong Kong seems to outperform the rest of the ports except Dubai.