| This research examined the competition between Canadian and U.S. ports. An assessment of the ports' competitive position in the context of North American trade and transportation patterns was performed. The influence of intentional trade was explored. This thesis attempted to identify the factors of ports' competitive success by evaluating financial, operational and locational factors. The total cost of transportation became the determining factor in assessing ports' competition. Two competing ports, one Canadian and one American were compared based on the total transportation costs. The total transportation costs, consisting of the marine, port and ground transportation costs, were computed for each port for the period of ten years. These costs were utilized in the calculation of the Weighted Average Cost Competitive Index for ports, which was the primary finding of this thesis. The secondary theme dealt with the correlation between the transportation cost and the port's throughput. Even on a limited set of data it was possible to conclude that ports need to compete for customers in order to increase the throughput and reduce the cost of transportation to remain competitive. In view of the economic globalization, the findings of this thesis should assist port managers and transportation policy decision-makers in responding accordingly to today's highly competitive transportation environment. |
