Search Results (11)

The port logistics service innovation (PLSI) is closely associated with cross-border e-commerce (CBEC) enterprise performance, given that the port, as the spatial carrier and the joint point of goods, information, customs house affairs, etc., is essentially a key node of the CBEC logistics chain. However, the influence mechanism of PLSI on CBEC enterprise performance has still not yet been elaborated by consensus. To fill this gap, this study aims to figure out the effect mechanism integrating the probe into two variables (i.e., information interaction and environmental upgrade) in a moderated mediation model. Specifically, this study collects questionnaire survey data of logistics enterprises and CBEC enterprises in the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port of China by the Bootstrap method in the software SPSS 26.0. The results show the following: (1) PLSI can positively affect the CBEC enterprise performance; (2) information interaction plays an intermediary role between PLSI and CBEC enterprise performance; and (3) environmental upgrade can not only positively regulate the relationship between information interaction and CBEC enterprise performance, but also enhance the mediating role of information interaction with a moderated intermediary effect. Full article

Against the backdrop of rapidly expanding international trade and escalating environmental challenges, the development of green ports has emerged as a pivotal element of sustainable development. This study addresses the critical issues of insufficient corporate motivation for transformation and inadequate regulatory mechanisms by establishing a tripartite evolutionary game model involving government, customs, and port enterprises. Key findings demonstrate that customs supervision significantly reduces enterprises’ transition costs and enhances environmental compliance willingness, though its effectiveness depends on complementary government policies including environmental taxation and fiscal incentives. When regulatory intensity is weak, enterprises persist with conventional practices; conversely, strengthened supervision accelerates strategic convergence toward sustainable governance. This research provides a theoretical foundation for policymakers to formulate green port initiatives while offering practical guidance for enterprises to align with sustainability objectives, thereby contributing to environmentally responsible port development. Full article

Intelligent logistics and freight transportation is an important part of realizing the intelligence of port terminals. Due to the problems of inaccurate ton bag identification, high costs, large model sizes, and long computation times in traditional freight transportation—issues that hinder meeting real-time requirements on resource-constrained operational equipment—this paper proposes an improved lightweight ton bag detection algorithm, YOLOv8-TB (YOLOv8-Ton Bag), which is optimized based on YOLOv8. Firstly, the improved LZKAC module is introduced to combine with SPPF to form a new SPPFLKZ module, which improves the feature expression performance. Then, with reference to spatial and channel reconstruction convolution and deformable convolution, the C2f-SCTT block is designed for the backbone network, which reduces the spatial and channel redundancy between features in the network. Finally, the C2f-ORECZ block based on a linear scaling layer is designed for the neck, which reduces the training overhead and strengthens the feature learning of the feature extraction network for the targets in the complex background of the harbor and adds the 160 × 160 scale detection head to strengthen small target detection abilities. On the logistics ton bag operation dataset provided by shipping port enterprises, the improved algorithm improves by 3.7% and 5% compared with the original algorithm in mAP50 and mAP50-95, respectively, the model size is reduced by 4.42 MB and the amount of model computation is only 8 G, which is capable of accurately detecting logistics ton bags in real time. The superiority of the method is verified by comparing it with other classical target detection algorithms. Full article

Maritime transport plays a pivotal role in the global economy, facilitating the majority of international trade and serving as a cornerstone for efficient and expansive logistics networks. The proliferation of economic globalisation has resulted in a significant upsurge in intercontinental transactions, thereby fostering the utilisation of ports and shipping enterprises as cost-effective and expeditious means of accessing a wide range of destinations in Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America. The objective of this study is to evaluate the significance of five exogenous variables, namely, GDP per capita, water depth, commodity-type diversification, management model, and European directional division, in relation to the performance of seaports. Measuring the impact of exogenous variables in seaport performance is crucial for understanding how external factors influence efficiency, enabling informed decision-making, and facilitating the development of targeted policies for sustainable and effective port operations. This assessment will be conducted using robust benchmarking analysis methods, specifically the nonparametric order-α model. Several findings suggest that there is a negative relationship between GDP per capita and the performance of seaports when GDP per capita reaches very high levels. However, seaports located in regions with lower GDP per capita tend to exhibit superior performance. The inefficiency of southern seaports is evident, whereas seaports located in Central/Eastern Europe exhibit superior performance, irrespective of their model orientation. These findings underscore the importance of considering economic context and regional factors in understanding seaport performance and highlight potential areas for improvement in southern seaports. Full article

In order to identify and assess the vulnerability of the port logistics system itself, this paper further improves the methodology on the basis of previous studies by using the Deterministic Experimentation and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) and Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) methods to study the correlation between the vulnerability factors of the port logistics system, and the best-worst method (BWM) to identify the key vulnerability points of the system. The results of the study showed that in terms of the correlation between the factors, port consolidation capacity and average arrival time are the most direct factors affecting the vulnerability of the port logistics system, and the strength of government regulation and coordination and the level of port management are important indirect factors affecting the vulnerability of the port logistics system. This paper also found that port loading and unloading facilities and natural disasters are the main vulnerabilities affecting the port logistics system itself. Port enterprises should focus on reducing the vulnerability of the system by strengthening the above aspects. The model constructed in this paper can also be applied to future research on the resilience and sustainability of port logistics. Full article

Considering the port function’s importance, the supply chain’s overall and individual revenues, and the port supply chain’s uniqueness, a game model for a two-stage port supply chain composed of port service providers and port enterprises was developed. Using revenue sharing contracts (RSCs) as a coordination mechanism, game equilibriums were investigated under two conditions: price-sensitive or price-insensitive port logistics service demand. The results suggested that RSCs can achieve Pareto improvement in both cases, thereby coordinating port supply chain revenues. Led by the port logistics service provider and port enterprise, the coordination mechanisms based on RSCs of port supply chain were discussed using logistics service capacity as the coordination link. Despite differing decision orders, the RSC model can coordinate the port’s supply chain with its service provider, while the port and logistics service provider determine the retention ratio. This paper also proposed coordination measures for the Nantong Port, one of the most important ports in China, to maximize the logistics capacity of iron ore supply chain and enhance the port logistics’ value-added services. Full article

Under the trend of developing green transportation in China, tractor-and-trailer transportation has received more attention. This paper focuses on the network-type tractor-and-trailer transportation mode in the port hinterland, aiming to tackle the problems of low efficiency and customer satisfaction in the existing transportation network. The authors recommend considering opening several alternative depots and making vehicle scheduling decisions simultaneous in order to optimize the existing transportation network. Therefore, this paper constructs a bi-level programming model with a generalized total cost minimization as the objective function. The solution to the original problem is divided into two stages: the location-allocation problem and vehicle scheduling; a two-stage hybrid heuristic algorithm is designed to solve the problem. Through the continuous iteration of the upper genetic algorithm and the lower hybrid particle swarm algorithm, the overall optimization of the problem is achieved. Finally, a specific example verifies the model and the algorithm’s effectiveness. The results show that the method proposed in this paper can significantly improve customer satisfaction and reduce transportation costs to a certain extent. It can also provide effective theoretical decision support for logistics enterprises to carry out tractor-and-trailer transportation business and develop green transportation. Full article

Ports are not only an important driving force for the growth of the world economy but also the main energy-consuming unit and pollution source in the world. Under the new global energy crisis and environmental deterioration situation, the international port community has put forward the concept of green port development. As a guide, the government’s environmental regulation strategy can directly affect green port construction through market incentive or command control means and can also indirectly affect green port construction through the intermediary role of green innovation, industrial agglomeration and green logistics. Considering the strategic choices of the government, port enterprises and transportation enterprises, this paper constructs a tripartite evolutionary game model and considers whether the government carrying out environmental regulation is affected by the fine income and management cost, whether the willingness of port enterprises to carry out green port construction is determined by the extra construction cost and income and whether transportation enterprises choose green port logistics transportation depending on the extra income they receive. In the process of tripartite cooperation, the government’s environmental regulation, port enterprises’ green port construction and transportation enterprises’ choice of the green port logistics transportation mode constitute the most ideal strategy combination. Finally, the paper puts forward some suggestions for the strategy selection of the three parties in order to promote the realization of the ideal strategy combination and provide a theoretical reference for the construction of green ports. Full article

This paper focuses on the development of secondary ports in the circular economy model (as a node of circular supply chains) to implement sustainable seaports in the context of the structural changes taking place in the global economy, trade, and maritime transport. The purpose of this article is to identify the opportunities, challenges, and key actions to be taken by secondary ports in circular supply chains. The research method applied was a single case study. The object of the study was the seaport of Szczecin (Poland). Our study showed that the secondary ports lacking technical conditions to serve large vessels, but with available space to develop their transshipment, storage, industrial, distribution, and logistics activities, may become major participants in circular supply chains. Taking advantage of the opportunities associated with participating secondary ports in the circular supply chain requires facing a number of challenges identified in the current literature, such as return-flow uncertainty, transport and infrastructure, the availability of suitable supply chain partners, coordination and information sharing, product traceability, and cultural issues. Our study partially confirms the significance of these challenges for secondary ports. The significance of these challenges depends on the kind of circular supply chain, i.e., whether the supply chain is a producer or a consumer chain. Our study shows that a very important challenge for both types of chains is the problem of internal resistance to change. This still-unsolved issue involves the persistent linear mindset of the port authority, which is manifested mainly as investor evaluation policy based exclusively on the declared annual transshipment volume, which fails to take actions to provide the available land plots with the infrastructure necessary for the terminals and industrial plants that participate in circular supply chains. Simultaneously, for secondary ports, we proved that it is stevedores (who are flexible and fast in adapting to new market conditions, strongly determined to search for new cargo types to replace those that have vanished, and who adapt the scope of their services) who play a key role in stimulating the development of circular supply chains. As a main managerial implication for the authorities of secondary ports, such authorities should create appropriate policies for investor assessments and the utilisation of available areas within the port premises to encourage the enterprises engaged in circular supply chains to invest in and develop their businesses within the port’s premises. It is also necessary to develop appropriate communication between port authorities and their external stakeholders. As a managerial implication for the stevedores in secondary ports, these entities should first develop their service offers to address cargo as part of the circular supply chains (with more comprehensive service offers and added-value services, such as freight forwarding services, stuffing, packing, and mixing of cargo) and develop cooperation with other stakeholders of circular supply chains. Full article

Maritime transport in the European Union has increased in the last years, triggering congestion in many of the most important sea and river ports. A lot of works have highlighted how the connection between these ports and dry ports can contribute to reducing port congestion and emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs). This work aims to improve the knowledge about the functionalities of Terminal Operating Systems (TOSs) managing container terminals of sea, river, and dry ports, with the aim of improving their performance and contributing to reducing congestion and GHG emissions to achieve a higher sustainability. The contribution and novelty of this paper in the field of container-terminals logistics research is the use of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to identify and hierarchize TOS functionalities. The robustness of the model was checked by applying a sensitivity analysis. One hundred and seven functionalities were grouped into six main clusters: Warehouse, Maritime Operations, Gate, Master Data, Communications, and ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) Dashboard. The results show that time tracking of vessels, space optimization, development of loading and unloading lists, and optimization of container locations are the most important functionalities of a TOS. This work is addressed to developers, sellers, managers, and users of TOSs and researchers working on container-terminal performance. Full article

Port cities are on the front-line of a changing global urban system. There are problems from restructuring of trade, logistics and ship-building, creating economic dependency, social exclusion and cultural destruction. Meanwhile, there exists new opportunities in heritage tourism, cultural industries and ecological restoration, but these opportunities often have negative impacts. This paper addresses the question of how port cities can steer from negative to positive development paths and outcomes. It sets out a way of working with inter-connected economic, social, political and technological factors—a ‘synergistic’ approach to mapping of problems and design of policy responses. Looking at three contrasting examples of port cities—Liverpool, Dubai and Mauritius—we can compare the inter-connected dynamics of growth and decline. Then we can understand the inter-connected factors of successful regeneration and sustainable prosperity, not as linear ‘policy fixes’, but more like synergistic processes of learning, innovation and capacity building. These call for new models for creative innovation in social and community enterprise: cultural heritage both old and new; new social finance and investment; socio-ecological restoration with participative governance, etc. Such pathways and opportunities are now emerging in many different locations; this paper provides methods and tools to understand them and promote them. Full article