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Towards Analytics-Enabled Efficiency Improvements in Maritime Transportation: A Case Study in a Mediterranean Port

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  • Pierluigi Zerbino

    (Department of Energy, Systems, Territory and Construction Engineering, University of Pisa—Largo Lucio Lazzarino 1, 56122 Pisa, Italy)

  • Davide Aloini

    (Department of Energy, Systems, Territory and Construction Engineering, University of Pisa—Largo Lucio Lazzarino 1, 56122 Pisa, Italy)

  • Riccardo Dulmin

    (Department of Energy, Systems, Territory and Construction Engineering, University of Pisa—Largo Lucio Lazzarino 1, 56122 Pisa, Italy)

  • Valeria Mininno

    (Department of Energy, Systems, Territory and Construction Engineering, University of Pisa—Largo Lucio Lazzarino 1, 56122 Pisa, Italy)

Abstract

The current digitalization trend, the increased attention towards sustainability, and the spread of the business analytics call for higher efficiency in port operations and for investigating the quantitative approaches for maritime logistics and freight transport systems. Thus, this manuscript aims at enabling analytics-driven improvements in the port transportation processes efficiency by streamlining the related information flow, i.e., by attaining shorter time frames of the information and document sharing among the export stakeholders. We developed a case study in a mid-sized European port, in which we applied Process Mining (PM)—an emerging type of business analytics—to a seven-month dataset from the freight export process. Four process inefficiencies and an issue that can jeopardize the reliability of the time performance measurements were detected, and we proposed a draft of solutions to cope with them. PM enabled enhancements in the overall export time length, which might improve the vessels’ turnover and reduce the corresponding operational costs, and supported the potential re-design of performance indicators in process control and monitoring. The results answer the above-mentioned calls and they offer a valuable, analytics-based alternative to the extant approaches for improving port performance, because it focuses on the port information flow, which is often related to sustainability issues, rather than the physical one.

Suggested Citation

  • Pierluigi Zerbino & Davide Aloini & Riccardo Dulmin & Valeria Mininno, 2019. "Towards Analytics-Enabled Efficiency Improvements in Maritime Transportation: A Case Study in a Mediterranean Port," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(16), pages 1-20, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:16:p:4473-:d:258736
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Claudia Durán & Fredi Palominos & Raúl Carrasco & Eduardo Carrillo, 2021. "Influence of Strategic Interrelationships and Decision-Making in Chilean Port Networks on Their Degree of Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-17, April.
    3. Caldeirinha, Vítor & Felício, J. Augusto & Salvador, Antónia Sena & Nabais, João & Pinho, Tiago, 2020. "The impact of port community systems (PCS) characteristics on performance," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    4. Shahrzad Nikghadam & Kim F. Molkenboer & Lori Tavasszy & Jafar Rezaei, 2023. "Information sharing to mitigate delays in port: the case of the Port of Rotterdam," Maritime Economics & Logistics, Palgrave Macmillan;International Association of Maritime Economists (IAME), vol. 25(3), pages 576-601, September.
    5. Cezary Mańkowski & Jędrzej Charłampowicz, 2021. "Managing Maritime Container Ports’ Sustainability: A Reference Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-15, September.
    6. Surucu-Balci, Ebru & Iris, Çağatay & Balci, Gökcay, 2024. "Digital information in maritime supply chains with blockchain and cloud platforms: Supply chain capabilities, barriers, and research opportunities," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 198(C).

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