A comparative study of the productivity and operational efficiency of container terminals of major Indian ports and Srilankan port using DEA (Malmquist index)

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to compare the operational and technical efficiency of four Indian and one Srilankan Port, comprising of 13 Indian container terminals and 5 Srilankan container terminals. The relative efficiencies of these 18 terminals were analysed over a period of the last six years, starting from FY2013-2014 through FY2018-2019, by comparing the micro level factors contributing to the efficiency of ports. Data envelopment analysis (DEA) using Malmquist index was the methodology chosen for analysis. The study analysed the operational efficiency of the container terminals using a few factors like number of berths, depth of berths, quay cranes, goods handled in each terminal, yard size of container terminal, number of ships handled per container terminal, workforce deployed at each container terminal, and throughput of the terminals. The results exposed the fact that terminal efficiency was largely dependent on the technological changes.