Stakeholder Contributions to Container Port Capacity: A Survey of Port Authorities

Abstract

Given recent concerns about North American port congestion, this paper examines stakeholder involvement in expanding port capacity to meet significant volume growth. North American container port authorities were surveyed to identify key capacity factors and subsequent participation requirements by stakeholders such as terminal operators, longshore labor, railroads, steamship lines, truckers, and government. The resulting analysis indicates port frustration with participation currently offered by all stakeholders, especially the federal government and railroads. Such results further validate the requirement for a multi-stakeholder approach to port capacity expansion and suggest the need for national freight policy and planning leadership.