LAUSR

Abstract China’s 21st Century Maritime Silk Road trade initiative includes investment in international port infrastructure. Comprehensive analysis of port competitiveness is of great significance for effectively guiding the flow of such resources. Conventional models mainly consider statistical indices for port operation, while neglecting the real operational status of these ports and their position in the changing global maritime transport network. To fill this gap in existing research, we designed a comprehensive evaluation CCPE model measuring port competitiveness by 18 factors related to conditions, capacity, potential, and efficiency using big data related to the geographical environment, cargo vessels trajectories, port infrastructure, and regional socioeconomics. This model was then used to evaluate the competitiveness of 99 ports in 51 countries along the Maritime Silk Road, with several important results. First, a port’s status in the global maritime transport network was the most influential of all competitiveness indices. Second, competitive ports were mainly concentrated in the Mediterranean, the Suez Canal, and the Hormuz Strait, with Singapore, Marsaxlokk, and Algeciras ranking as the top three. The least competitive ports were mainly concentrated in East Africa, with Rangoon, Berbera, Lamu, Songkhla, Mtwara, and Sittwe ranking lowest. Third, port competitiveness was clearly polarized in that the most competitive ports stood far above all others due to significant gaps in their network status index.