Evaluating Iberian seaport competitiveness using an alternative DEA approach

Abstract

Purpose: This paper aims to evaluate the competitiveness of Iberian seaports through efficiency using an alternative DEA approach (Data Envelopment Analysis) and identifies explicit causes of inefficiency. Methods: This paper applying an alternative DEA approach (three stage DEA model) to provide a more useful insight about the cause of efficiency or inefficiency of the seaports. Results and conclusions: The average efficiency score under CCR equal to 83.74 meaning that, on average, the seaports analysed could operate at 83.74 % of their current levels while still returning the same output value. Unlike the ranking in terms of cargo throughput, the most efficient Portuguese seaports are Leixões and Setubal and their Spanish peers are Algeciras, Barcelona and Tarragona. This has proven what has been reported in other studies: that seaport efficiency is not necessary influenced by its cargo throughput.