FCEO - Port economics, competitiveness and governance

This research empirically evaluates the impact of service quality on customer value and customer satisfaction for port community system (PCS) service based on the users' views in Kaohsiung Port. The SERVQUAL model was used as the theoretical foundation to design the questionnaire. In total, 149 validity respondents were collected from the users of PCS in Kaohsiung Port. A multiple regression analysis was performed to examine the impact of service quality, customer value and customer satisfaction in PCS service. Results show that three service quality dimensions, namely tangibles, reliability, and empathy were positively related to customer value, whereas tangibles and empathy were positively related to customer satisfaction in PCS service. Customer value was also found to have a positive impact on customer satisfaction. However, the impacts of responsiveness and assurance on customer value were not found in this study as well as the impact of reliability, responsiveness and assurance on customer satisfaction. The findings and implications could be provided for the Taiwan International Ports Corporation (TIPC) to improve PCS service.

The study was implemented to address the issue of sustainable development within the port hinterland relation in the data-limited northern coastal region of Heraklion Prefecture, Greece. Sustainability levels were evaluated through spatial analyses, engaging dataset manipulation and spatial autocorrelation analysis. Key parameters included population density, GDP per capita, nighttime lights main road networks, invasive species, land surface temperature, NO2 concentration and Natura 2000 areas. Kriging, Inverse distance weighted (IDW) and Kernel density estimation spatial tools were employed to quantify the sustainability indicators, while autocorrelation analysis identified priority areas with low sustainability values due to port hinterland connectivity, highlighting the need for conservation measures. The results reveal a significant aggregation of socio-economic activities around the port area, threatening ecosystem integrity on land and sea. By incorporating GIS and innovative sustainability indicators, this study provides a framework for informed decision-making among port hinterland stakeholders, underscoring the critical role of land-sea planning integration in advancing sustainable development and Blue Growth. 

This article investigates the factors that influence cruise passengers to participate in shore excursions. Data were collected from a sample of 403 people during the 2019-2020 season in the port of Las Palmas (Gran Canaria) using a self-administered questionnaire. The study uses exploratory factor analysis and several logit models to identify passenger behaviour in relation to excursions.
The results show that passengers who participated in excursions rated the offer positively, indicating a relationship between the experience and the perception of the service offered. Those who did not participate showed a lower rating, suggesting negative perceptions or lack of information about the activities available.
The likelihood of purchasing an excursion increased with factors such as the variety of the offer, limited time on land, quality assurance of the excursion and the assurance that the ship will wait in case of delay. In contrast, familiarity with the destination, prices compared to local operators and ease of booking and refund in case of cancellation decrease this likelihood.
These findings highlight the need to improve the promotion of available excursions and understand passenger motivations and preferences in order to develop more effective strategies to encourage participation in shore excursions.

Many large infrastructure projects (LIPs) are going over budget, and thus affect the total investment potential for infrastructure in a certain period and the dedicated public finances. This is also the case for port related projects, affecting funding instances such as port managing bodies and (local) governments. Have these projects all failed? Requests from stakeholders ex-durante the project and the vulnerability of projects to VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity) are making it more difficult to stay within a predefined budget. But these cost overruns in LIPs often go hand in hand with the creation of added value for society. Dealing with these sub-projects adding value require another way of managing port related projects ex-ante but also after project decision. Classical evaluation models (e.g. SCBA and MCA) are no longer sufficient and must be complemented by an additional method, i.e. the effectuation approach. In this approach we start from the "reasonably stretched available means" and work towards developing the project in collaboration with our stakeholders throughout the entire project duration. A multiple-case analysis of 15 multi-billion infrastructure projects and their sub-projects, through desktop analysis and interviews, helps us to better analyze the relevance and benefits of that effectuation approach in the context of project management, and for maritime projects in particular. The analysis shows in which circumstances the effectuation approach is beneficial and how project decision making, budgeting and management should be adapted. 

Yachting is one of the fastest-growing segments of sea tourism, with an annual growth rate of approximately 4.4% and significant value added at national and local levels. The Mediterranean is the region that dominates this sector, accounting for 70% of global yacht chartering activity, with the Mediterranean countries being among the top destinations of yachting tourism. To capitalize on yachting tourism, countries must develop an efficient network of marinas with broad spatial coverage and high-quality infrastructure and services. A key challenge is marina spatial planning-i.e, identifying optimal locations to create an attractive and functional network for yacht owners and users. Despite its importance, research on tourist ports, particularly marinas, remains limited, with most studies focusing on environmental concerns. This study contributes by identifying and evaluating criteria for selecting marina locations. The research addresses two key questions: (a) Which criteria should be considered when choosing a marina site? And (b) what is the importance of each potential criterion for such selection? Based on a literature review, brainstorming Delphi sessions with industry experts, and field research based on applying an Analytic Hierarchy Process, the study concludes on a hierarchy of the potentially critical criteria based on significance.