{"title":"Comprehensive efficiency analysis of ports in South Korea: An evaluation of operational, safety, and environmental competencies","authors":"Min-Seop Sim , Yul-Seong Kim , Chang-Hee Lee","doi":"10.1016/j.rtbm.2026.101614","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As departure and arrival points for all modes of maritime transport, ports are pivotal to Korea's economic growth. Additionally, there is currently global discourse on enhancing the eco-friendliness of all ports and implementing safe working environments. However, despite these changing trends and social consensus, comprehensive research on port efficiency that considers a range of factors is scarce. Therefore, this study analyzes the comprehensive efficiency of Korean state-managed trade ports by evaluating it on the basis of three areas: operational efficiency, safety efficiency, and environmental efficiency. It also identifies each port's strengths and weaknesses through portfolio analysis and establishes operational strategies. The study employed a slacks-based measure data envelopment analysis and an undesirable output model to analyze overall efficiency. The findings identify Busan Port, Ulsan Port, and Yeosu–Gwangyang Port as the most efficient ports in all three areas. Further, the portfolio analysis indicates that Gunsan and Daesan ports strongly emphasize safety, whereas Incheon Port would benefit from implementing a marketing strategy that emphasizes eco-friendliness. Finally, Pohang Port, Masan Port, Mokpo Port, and Donghae and Mukho Port were found to deviate from the standards of safety and eco-friendly port operations. These findings have significant implications for the operational strategies and competitive advantage strategies of Korean ports.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47453,"journal":{"name":"Research in Transportation Business and Management","volume":"66 ","pages":"Article 101614"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8000,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Research in Transportation Business and Management","FirstCategoryId":"5","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2210539526000209","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2026/1/29 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"BUSINESS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
As departure and arrival points for all modes of maritime transport, ports are pivotal to Korea's economic growth. Additionally, there is currently global discourse on enhancing the eco-friendliness of all ports and implementing safe working environments. However, despite these changing trends and social consensus, comprehensive research on port efficiency that considers a range of factors is scarce. Therefore, this study analyzes the comprehensive efficiency of Korean state-managed trade ports by evaluating it on the basis of three areas: operational efficiency, safety efficiency, and environmental efficiency. It also identifies each port's strengths and weaknesses through portfolio analysis and establishes operational strategies. The study employed a slacks-based measure data envelopment analysis and an undesirable output model to analyze overall efficiency. The findings identify Busan Port, Ulsan Port, and Yeosu–Gwangyang Port as the most efficient ports in all three areas. Further, the portfolio analysis indicates that Gunsan and Daesan ports strongly emphasize safety, whereas Incheon Port would benefit from implementing a marketing strategy that emphasizes eco-friendliness. Finally, Pohang Port, Masan Port, Mokpo Port, and Donghae and Mukho Port were found to deviate from the standards of safety and eco-friendly port operations. These findings have significant implications for the operational strategies and competitive advantage strategies of Korean ports.
期刊介绍:
Research in Transportation Business & Management (RTBM) will publish research on international aspects of transport management such as business strategy, communication, sustainability, finance, human resource management, law, logistics, marketing, franchising, privatisation and commercialisation. Research in Transportation Business & Management welcomes proposals for themed volumes from scholars in management, in relation to all modes of transport. Issues should be cross-disciplinary for one mode or single-disciplinary for all modes. We are keen to receive proposals that combine and integrate theories and concepts that are taken from or can be traced to origins in different disciplines or lessons learned from different modes and approaches to the topic. By facilitating the development of interdisciplinary or intermodal concepts, theories and ideas, and by synthesizing these for the journal''s audience, we seek to contribute to both scholarly advancement of knowledge and the state of managerial practice. Potential volume themes include: -Sustainability and Transportation Management- Transport Management and the Reduction of Transport''s Carbon Footprint- Marketing Transport/Branding Transportation- Benchmarking, Performance Measurement and Best Practices in Transport Operations- Franchising, Concessions and Alternate Governance Mechanisms for Transport Organisations- Logistics and the Integration of Transportation into Freight Supply Chains- Risk Management (or Asset Management or Transportation Finance or ...): Lessons from Multiple Modes- Engaging the Stakeholder in Transportation Governance- Reliability in the Freight Sector