Authors : Salwa Saleh Ismail Elghazaly; Akram Soliman Elselmy; Dr. May Salah- Eldin Mohamed Elsayed

Volume/Issue : Volume 11 - 2026, Issue 8 - August

Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/2a2k48j2

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/26aug731

Note : A published paper may take 4-5 working days from the publication date to appear in PlumX Metrics, Semantic Scholar, and ResearchGate.

Abstract : What makes a container terminal competitive in a fast-growing emerging economy? Conventional wisdom emphasises physical assets such as quay length, berth depth, crane capacity and yard area. This study challenges that view by examining the Alexandria Container and Cargo Handling Company (ACCHCO) in Egypt. Using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, the research combines PLS-SEM on survey data from 366 stakeholders, output-oriented VRS DEA with 2020-2025 operational data, and Fuzzy AHP to elicit stakeholder priorities, together with semi-structured interviews of ten executives and academic experts. The findings reveal that Institutional and Strategic Enablers are the strongest determinant of terminal competitiveness (beta = 0.482, f-squared = 0.626) and significantly moderate the infrastructure-competitiveness relationship. The newer Dekheila Terminal consistently underperforms the older Alexandria Terminal, with unrealised throughput reaching 963,805 TEUs in 2022 despite superior physical assets. Stakeholder priorities assign the highest weights to Landside Logistics (0.34) and ISE (0.33), compared with Infrastructure (0.14). The structural model explains 87.7 percent of the variance in perceived competitiveness (R-squared = 0.877). The paper provides a validated strategic roadmap centred on a Unified Operational Control Center and demonstrates that governance reform can yield higher returns than infrastructure investment in emerging-economy ports.

Keywords : Container Terminal Competitiveness; Institutional Enablers; Port Governance; PLS-SEM; DEA; Fuzzy AHP; Egypt.

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