Port productivity assessment for major container terminals of Turkey

Abstract

This paper investigates a number of major productivity metrics for leading container terminals of Turkey, and the interpretation of numerical results is performed to highlight terminal units subject to improvements. The assessment of port performance is always a topical problem, and several approaches are proposed in the last few decades. Comparative port efficiency models (e.g. Data Envelopment Analysis) are frequently utilized, and these models are very instrumental in the port competition environment in which the quality of services are emphasized. Another major approach is based on the performance indicators (productivity approach) defined for each unit of port operation. The downside of productivity approach is the disability of integrating quality dimension. Key performance indicators measuring service quality may still be able to enclose quality dimension while collecting such numerical data is usually impractical or kept confidential. In this study, the productivity approach is preferred to illustrate terminal performance in major units of terminal operation : Berth and vessel operations, crane operations and yard operations.