Assessing New Englandʹs waterborne energy imports (1995–2004)

This paper tests four hypotheses relating to the waterborne commerce of New Englandʹs imported energy, by port of entry, from 1995 through 2004. It concludes that the regionʹs ports engaged in this fossil fuel traffic are part of a hierarchical system of large, medium, and small ports; that such energy flows have increased over the study period; that localized demand for energy is the principal component leading to growth; and that regional inter-port competition was not stable.