Operational Efficiency and Methodological Diversity in Container Port Performance Assessment

Container port and terminal performance is central to the efficiency and resilience of global maritime logistics. This study conducts a systematic review of methodologies used to evaluate container port performance, with a focus on both international practices and applications within Türkiye. The review identifies five methodological families: frontier-based efficiency analysis, simulation and optimization models, statistical regression models, KPI and benchmarking frameworks, and hybrid AI-enhanced methods. A consistent set of core operational metrics appears across all approaches, including vessel turnaround time, berth or crane throughput, and container dwell time. These metrics serve as foundational indicators in performance assessment. However, methodological diversity and context-specific definitions limit cross-port comparability. Turkish case studies demonstrate the integration of MCDM, fuzzy logic, and machine learning to address local efficiency and sustainability challenges. The review proposes a tiered framework that aligns methods with operational, strategic, and technological goals. It recommends a shift from isolated methods to integrated, data-driven systems that support real-time decision making and long-term planning. For emerging economies like Türkiye, adopting such a layered and standardized approach offers a path to greater competitiveness and resilience in the global maritime sector.