Demand and supply interactions in transport models: The case of hinterland transportation

Sea-port throughput breaks records every year bringing hard competition over their markets. Hinterland is the market area of a sea-port and the battle-of-ports is accomplished at that place. 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 as 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). For geographical analyses the model is extended and two empirical studies demonstrate the potential of the model for giving advice to port authorities, entrepreneurs and policy-makers. David Carrillo Murillo is a researcher in Economic Policy, logistics and freight transportation. He currently resides in Mexico but collaborates with researchers in France, Italy and Germany.