COVID-19 pandemic, port congestion, and air quality: Evidence from China

The emergency of COVID-19 leads to almost all unnecessary activities being banned because of city lockdowns, which results in the economy and human mobility being strictly restricted. While affecting economic development, it has brought some environmental benefits. As a critical link to collection and distribution, ports have been deeply impacted by COVID-19, including quarantine time and operational efficiency, and even cause unexpected port congestion. This study empirically examines the relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic, port congestion and air quality in Chinese port cities using classical and system panel models. We find that the COVID-19 pandemic and port congestion significantly influence air quality in port cities. Managerial implications include the ensuring of port workers’ shifts, the unblocking of port logistics, and the cooperation between transportation, customs, and quarantine departments, which can reduce the time of ships at berths and improve the air quality in port cities.