Demand and Supply Interactions in Transport Models : The Case of Hinterland Transportation

Sea-port throughput breaks records every year, bringing hard competition into their markets. The hinterland is the market area of a sea-port, and the 'battle-of-ports' is accomplished inland. In this book, an explanation of agents, transport modes, and decision-making reveals the functioning of this area and highlights the main elements for container flows. Then, an approach for modeling dynamic behavior of agents is treated explicitly. This model (Free Economic Energy) focuses on dynamic strategies of logistics-suppliers and firms trying to get the best services possible in an elegant form for obtaining the long-term equilibrium between the distribution of clients (flows) and the efficient location of sustainable suppliers supported by the local market (efficiency). In this dissertation, the model is extended and two empirical-studies demonstrate the potential of the model for giving advice to port authorities, entrepreneurs, and policy-makers. Dissertation.