On Coordination in Ports: A Comparative Study of the Ports of Valencia and Santos

Abstract

This article reports on a study that compared coordination initiatives in the Spanish ports of Valencia and Santos. The authors fielded a questionnaire of international freight forwarders as primary data collection and also used secondary data (performance indicators) from these ports. The two types of data were used to compare the ports. Results determined that there is a more effective structure for coordination between stakeholders in the port of Valencia. The authors note that their study underscores the need for the port authority to be responsible for developing a port ecosystem that includes effective coordination, even if that coordination may appear to cost more at the outset.