Benchmarking Analysis of Port Services from a Perspective of Freight Forwarders

Abstract

In the time when the World can experience volatility of international trade due to World economic crisis, concentration of the shipping industry and liberalisation of transport markets, port competition is becoming fiercer over the time. In such an environment, freight forwarders’ role is becoming more and more important, representing a valuable link in the whole supply chain. This research attempts to analyse and benchmark port services based on the factors and criteria most important to freight forwarders’ port choice, the operational efficiency and performance benchmarking of container ports and terminals, situated in the area of the United Kingdom and Balkan Peninsula. It does so by applying different techniques, starting from questionnaire survey among freight forwarders in these regions in order to determine the most important port choice factors, followed by analytical benchmarking technique such as DEA to analyse impact of operating factors on port efficiency and concluded with productivity analysis to measure terminal productivity changes during, before and after the World economic crisis. The study found that region where freight forwarders are acting has impact on their port choice. Geographical location seems to be the most important factor while choosing a port, followed by terminal intermodal connection efficiency and reliability, frequency of ship calling, inland delivery cost, port accessibility, flexibility to answer freight forwarders demands and port working hours. Benchmarking analysis showed that most of the terminals from the sample are inefficient, where mainly larger terminals based in the UK depicted higher efficiency scores above 80 %. Study found terminal operational efficiency is positively related to both seaside and landside terminal connectivity and port customer service. Productivity analysis showed high volatility in productivity change during the World economic crisis, with overall productivity loss, suggesting that terminals were mainly focused on terminal expansion rather than rationalisation of input use.