The importance of export logistics and trade costs in emerging economies

The aim of this article is to analyse the importance of logistical performance in international trade and its influence on costs, focusing on the study of emerging economies with a maritime border. For this purpose, gravity models are used to determine the importance of logistics in these countries' exports, taking as a representative variable the Logistics Performance Index and each of its components. Moreover, the equation of trade costs proposed by Novy (2013) is used to determine the importance of logistical performance. The results show that the analysed countries should continue to strive for improvement in their logistical infrastructure, not only in order to boost their trade, but also to improve their export competitiveness. They have already undertaken both by the private and public sector in an attempt to progress internationally as a way of boosting country growth.