Logistics Capability and Performance of Container Ports: An Empirical Research Basing on SEM

Abstract

Container ports expect more competitive advantages and performance improvement on their extinctive logistics capabilities in the circumstance of ongoing integration of supply chain and port fields. Whereas, the connotation and denotation of port logistics capabilities and port performance have been undergoing significant changes. Meanwhile, the competition between container ports is presented in multitiered and wide-ranging arena. This research focuses on container ports and conceptualizes port logistics capability from five dimensions (positioning, integration, infrastructure, operation and agility) and port performance from four aspects (productivity, finance, social and satisfactory performance), then tests the relationships among port logistics capability, competitiveness advantages and performance. Data from 30 container ports and 181 responses and results from structural equitation modeling indicate that the comprehensive improvement of port logistics capability can directly raise port efficiency and effectiveness performance concurrently. Moreover, via the competitiveness advantages in market, port logistics capability has an indirect positive impact on performance.