PortEconomics associated member Mary Brooks chaired the UNCTAD discussions on possible ways to measure and compare the performance of seaports, during an Ad Hoc Expert Meeting on Assessing Port Performance that was held in Geneva on December 12, 20012.
Mary also delivered a presentation on the measurement of port effectiveness in port service delivery.
More than 80 per cent of merchandise trade by volume is seaborne, and the share is even higher for most developing countries. In many cases, over 95 per cent of a developing country’s international trade passes through one main seaport. Increased port performance can lead to lower transport costs and help boost a country’s competitiveness.
There is presently no global comparison of port performance allowing ports and their clients to benchmark against other ports. Identifying standardized indicators that would allow stakeholders to gain a better understand of their ports’ efficiency could be an important first step towards encouraging further port reforms, leading to improved port efficiency and country competitiveness.
Experts from governments and port authorities, as well as academics and stakeholders from the private sector, had an opportunity to share information on recent and ongoing research in this area, and discussed potential future collaborations, including UNCTAD’s role in the process. Experts also analysed whether and how indicators could be developed that would help increase transparency.
The PortEconomics team shaped discussions, while its members develop further studies, publications and contract research in the field – stay tuned for the latest developments.
More about the meeting@ UNCTAD Ad Hoc Expert Meeting on Assessing Port Performance
Download freely Mary’s presentation: 2012-UNCTAD-Measuring Effectiveness in Port Service Delivery
