Port efficiency in Brazil: a Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA)

• Grant number: 15/10136-2
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): March 01, 2016
• Effective date (End): December 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Production Engineering - Operational Research
• Principal researcher: Ana Elisa Périco
• Grantee: Guilherme Ribeiro da Silva
• Home Institution: Faculdade de Ciências e Letras (FCL). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Studies on efficiency became more significant in organizations in open markets scenario, which began in Brazil in the 90s. This context can be viewed both in industry and commerce, as in the institutions providing services. Brazilian ports are included in institutions providing services and are responsible for all the shipping (freight and passenger) in the country, either for exports or imports. Important note should be made with regard to the prevalence of sea lanes in Brazilian exports and imports. From 1997 to 2014 about 85% of Brazilian exports were made via shipping and approximately 72% of imports. From this context, the aim of this project is to analyze, data envelopment (DEA), the efficiency of 24 major Brazilian ports (in financial turnover), using the IPEA databases, IBGE and WebAlice/MDIC, in the period 2010 to 2014. The reason for the preparation of this research project refers to the crucial importance of the Brazilian ports, considering the predominance of maritime transportation mode for freight transport. Also, another important consideration is related to the understanding of the relationship between the port costs and the cost of Brazilian exports, since it is common knowledge that many Brazilian commodities, to be harvested, representing the lowest values observed in the world and, upon arrival in Brazilian ports, achieve little competitive values. From these reasons, the purpose of this project is to evaluate whether these ports, based in the country, are efficient or not, considering the hypothesis that high values moved not necessarily represent efficiency.