Fourth industrial revolution and seaports impact on economic growth: MENA region

Abstract EN

The paper is analytical trying to analyze the relationship between fourth industrial revolution technologies at seaports and economic growth, through theoretical and empirical analysis studying first the nature of relationship between economic growth and technology theoretically using economic growth model, then testing causality between economic growth and logistics performance index (LPI) as proxy of fourth industrial revolution at seaports, the test results found that LPI directly cause economic growth.

Then the paper studied the relationship between seaports and economic growth theoretically studying seaports infrastructure and ports activity using different economic models, then studied empirically using panel model including 22 countries in Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, analysis period is 21^st century the up rise of innovation at seaports the data collected starting from year 2007 the start of calculating LPI by world bank and till 2019 due to data availability.

Explanatory variables (Exports, containers volume as proxy of seaport activity and ports infrastructure) are found to be positively significant to economic growth.

Seaports recommended to apply Fourth industrial revolution innovations to improve its performance, which will further positively affect economic growth.