Assessment of port efficiency within Latin America

Abstract

The Panama Canal expansion has influenced the development of ports within the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region, intending to capitalise on economic opportunities through seaborne trade. Examining port performance is essential to ascertain the PCE impact on port efficiency within the LAC region. Stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) was used to determine the technical efficiency of the 19 major ports within the LAC from 2010 to 2018. The result indicates that, among the four (4) port performance indicators (berth length, port area, the number of cranes (STS gantry and mobile), and the number of berths), the number of STS gantry cranes and berth length had the largest and most significant impact. Some ports with high technical efficiency experienced TEU losses despite port infrastructural development and privatization. The findings also revealed that the increased competition among regional and US East and Gulf Coast ports has negatively impacted some LAC ports’ TEU volumes due to port proximity. The dynamism of the maritime sector, especially containerization, requires ports to implement value-added services and logistics centers in tandem with port performance indicators to remain sustainable and competitive in the maritime industry.

Analysis of occupational accident risk in breakwater construction and floating piers

“…A port is an area of water that is protected against waves, which is equipped with sea terminal facilities including a pier where ships can moor for loading and unloading of goods, and warehouses where goods can be stored for a longer time, while waiting for delivery to the destination area [1]. The port is a gateway to enter a region or country and as a connecting infrastructure between regions or islands in that region or country.…”