How do port authorities measure and benchmark their container shipping performance and competitiveness?

Key KPIs include. Throughput: Total TEUs (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units) handled over a period. Berth Utilization: Efficiency of berth usage, measured by the number of TEUs handled per meter of berth length. Crane Productivity: Containers moved per hour by gantry cranes. Average Container Dwell Time: Time containers spend in the port. Vessel Turnaround Time: Time a ship spends at berth from arrival to departure. On-Time Performance: Percentage of vessels arriving and departing as scheduled. Benchmarking is achieved by comparing these metrics with historical data and those of peer ports globally, ensuring continuous improvement and competitive positioning.

Another key productivity metric is the total cost to move a container from ship's rail to port gates. This will by default include factors such as demurrage and detention charges, as well as the throughput costs.

I agree but a best measure is cargo value. Measuring total throughput is deceiving . Tampa for example moves a great deal of phosphate which is very low value but high tonnage

Throughput is the north star, as it is the foundation of the pricing model - so how to achieve it ? 1. KYC, know your customers, and the customers of your customers: do shippers export cacao, EV, or chemicals ? To whom geographies ? What are the latest commodity trends ? How valuable is the cargo for the Liners ? What share of the ship's capacity do they offer for the port imports/exports ? 2. Match making: quay must be occupied & cranes must be working, protect Ships having a great Length vs Container Moves ratio, as much as possible. 3. Balance in everything: educate your stakeholders that an empty container will be full one day, load must equal discharge, or Liners will pile up in depots or yards, and wreak havoc at some point.

Your ability to deliver is as good as your stakeholders ability to do so. Set dual-ways commitment contracts, with clear expectations on what each party shall deliver. If a Liner deviate from it, but still asks to be operated on-arrival, mark it up $. Keep some room for flexibility, yes it reduces efficiency thus increasing cost, but nothing cost more than a missed sale (Liner arriving out of window and seeking an alternative). It is paramount to value Quality & Reliability in the Liner business, and to generate a value from it - if you think otherwise, you can work as a tramper (no judgment, just a different world altogether).

This should include the length of time a vessel waits outside the port before being unloaded, which is a cost that is borne by the shipping lines and not the port itself.

This paragraph is a bit wooly - port competitiveness (ie its attractiveness compared to its competitors) is determined by its selling price for its services. Port internal costs have no bearing on its competitiveness provided the ports prices are higher than its costs.

Annual container throughput in 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) is a common port performance. Annual throughput should be used as a relative to inputs rather than an absolute concept. In port container terminals, this concept could be applied when comparing total production factors such as land space, quay side length, labour working hours, operating costs and etc, to throughputs volume in a certain period. Green port indications allude to the port's ability to host sustainable activities. Reducing carbon caps emissions per TEU and reducing negative externalities to the port community are critical for ports' competitiveness. Port accessibility for both foreland and hinterland with reliable ocean services and inland intermodal connections.

In an idea world yes, however containers and their transport is highly commoditised and capital intensive. Consequently innovation will be linked to the capital cycle and therefore ports may not be fast followers of new technology.

Depending on the Line, port time can weight from 10 (Asia Europe) to 80% (Algeria feeder) of the voyage time: innovation & offering solutions are key to Decarbonization. Regulations are gearing up, and to be able to offer cold-ironing (plug in your ship), solar panel powered reefer stations, are becoming sales differentiators - don't miss the (e)train !