Quantitative Evaluation on High-quality Development of Inland Waterway Transport Policies in Yangtze River Delta Area

As a green, low-carbon, intensive and efficient transport mode, inland waterway transportation plays an increasingly vital role in regional integrated transportation systems and coordinated economic development. As a pilot zone for high-quality development of inland waterway transportation, the Yangtze River Delta has witnessed intensive issuance of relevant policies by local governments to advance the construction of a modern inland waterway transportation system. Based on content analysis and the PMC index model, this paper constructs an evaluation system comprising 9 primary indicators (including policy nature, effectiveness and functions) and 36 secondary indicators, and quantitatively assesses 32 inland waterway transportation policy texts released by the three provinces and one municipality in the Yangtze River Delta over the past five years. The results indicate that the inland waterway transportation policies in the Yangtze River Delta are generally sound, with positive progress made in green transformation, infrastructure upgrading and transport structure optimization. However, there remain deficiencies in the alignment of short-, medium- and long-term plans, cross-regional coordination, improvement of guarantee mechanisms and innovation incentives. Obvious regional differences exist in policy focus: Shanghai excels in financial and technical support; Jiangsu boasts superior policy coverage and completeness; Zhejiang’s policies are highly directional; and Anhui has achieved notable results in guiding functions and green transformation. This study can provide quantitative support and practical reference for optimizing inland waterway transportation policies and enhancing regional collaborative governance in the Yangtze River Delta.