From best practices to port competitiveness: An assessment of Latin America and Caribbean port logistics communities

Ports are critical hubs where diverse stakeholders interact to facilitate international and domestic maritime freight transport. Nearshoring represents an opportunity for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) ports to become strategic nodes but demands efficient transfer services and streamlined processes. This article aims to build a composite index comprising management practices that can enhance port competitiveness. While extant research on port competitiveness primarily focuses on geographical, infrastructure, and cost-related factors, the proposed index is developed from a strategic management perspective. Six port competitiveness components were identified after a literature review and a qualitative study. Then, specific management practices associated with each index's component were outlined to propose a measurement framework. Survey data from fifteen LAC ports were statistically analyzed to validate this framework and design a port competitiveness and management index with the support of port experts. Managerial insights and policy recommendations for participant ports are presented based on the index scores.