BACKGROUND: Freight transport services and international trade are among important factors in pushing economies' transition forward. Malaysia's strategic location along key maritime routes positions it as a vital hub for international shipping and logistics, facilitating efficient trade between Asia, Europe and the Middle East. OBJECTIVES: Despite extensive global studies on freight and trade, little specific research exists from Malaysia's perspective. Thus, this study aims to evaluate how factors such as economic size of trade partners and distance impact Malaysia's freight transport in international trade, using the gravity model, a tool for analysing bilateral trade flows. METHOD: Three types of gravity models are employed to assess the impact of economic scale, infrastructure and demographic factors on freight transport. Then the validity of these relationships is further evaluated. RESULTS: The random effect model (REM) is found to be the best fitted model. The study identifies infrastructure and economic scale as pivotal factors influencing both freight export and import. The result showed the volume of container handled in ports is the main determinant in both export and import of freight, whereas air freight has significant impact to boost the export of freight. Distance is statistically significant, however, with marginally small impact. CONCLUSION: Based on the analysis, we can conclude that the robust port infrastructure and efficient logistical facilities are important in reducing freight costs and enhancing Malaysia's international trade competitiveness. CONTRIBUTION: This study mainly contributes on providing empirical evidence and in-depth insight on Malaysia freight transport services through the application of gravity models.

Abstract Paper aims This paper aims to investigate which sustainability practices are being applied in port terminals in Brazil and to identify the driving forces and obstacles to the implementation of these practices. Originality The research contributes to fill gaps that still remain in the literature, such as the need to identify and analyze sustainability requirements in the port industry in a more tangible way, bringing new evidence to a better understanding of how the port industry perceives and addresses sustainability issues. Research method The paper presents an in-depth multiple case study in the five largest terminals in Brazil, which correspond to approximately 60% of the Brazilian handling of containers. Main findings The results present evidence of the evolution of the commitment to environmental preservation and the progressive dissemination of sustainability practices. The main difficulties are the high costs and lack of support from the port authority to encourage the implementation of some practices. Implications for theory and practice This study aimed to disclose sustainability practices adopted at container terminals in Brazil, as well as provide some content, both for academia and companies, that may assist in developing new research on this theme and implementing these practices in other organizations.

ABSTRACT The assessment of port efficiency through Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) is a valuable tool for ensuring accurate investment decisions in this capital-intensive industry. This study analyses the application of DEA on container ports. It assesses the efficiency of Brazilian container ports by proposing the inclusion of an intangible input related to the management practices of the terminals. In order to verify the effects of this input inclusion, the efficiency of 13 terminals is evaluated through the application of an IDEA-CRS model, which enables an appropriate handling of qualitative variables, with an orientation to the maximization of a single output, the annual container throughput, and inputs related to infrastructure, superstructure, and management unchanged. Model findings stress out the relevance of this intangible variable and the result that only three terminals are assessed as efficient, wherein the ones with the most robust management structure were not necessarily the most efficient.

Abstract Since the starting of the process of commercial opening, initiated in the last decades of the 20th century, ports gradually modified their functions and forms of modal, logistic and territorial articulation to respond to the imperatives of geographical reach and efficiency demanded by increasingly globalized productive chains. In this sense, this work analyzes the position and the role of the container ports at the Mexican Pacific in the context of the formation of a global multimodal transport network that conditions and determines their destination. From a conceptual perspective based on the space of Castellian flows and the territory of Veltz’ networks, it is evaluated the possibility of consolidating concentrating ports at the Mexican Pacific which articulate flows not only to and from Mexico, but also those that have their origin or destination at other countries in the region, thus promoting its relevance as key port nodes connecting multimodal transport chains at national and continental levels.

Resumen A partir del proceso de apertura comercial iniciado en las últimas décadas del siglo XX, los puertos modificaron paulatinamente sus funciones y formas de articulación modal, logística y territorial para responder a los imperativos de alcance geográfico y eficiencia exigidos por cadenas productivas crecientemente globalizadas. En este sentido, en el presente trabajo se analiza la posición y el rol de los puertos de contenedores del Pacífico mexicano en el contexto de la conformación de una red global de transporte multimodal que condiciona y determina su destino. Desde una perspectiva conceptual basada en el espacio de flujos castelliano y el territorio de redes de Veltz, se evalúa la posibilidad de consolidar puertos concentradores en el Pacífico mexicano que articulen flujos no sólo desde y hacia México, sino también aquellos que tienen por origen o destino otros países de la región, potenciando, de esta manera, su relevancia como nodos portuarios clave de conexión de cadenas multimodales de transporte a nivel nacional y continental.

Abstract The objective of this work is to obtain and analyze the economic efficiency of 52 main ports in the international area during the period 2010-2016, using DEA methodology. First, technical efficiency with variable returns to scale is worked, then, allocative efficiency is considered, and, finally, economic efficiency is addressed. In the selection of the variables to be reviewed, the factor analysis was used, carrying out the extraction of common factors; and the matrix of rotated components was obtained using Varimax normalization method. The results show that the economic efficiency of the ports was 38 %, being the technical efficiency that most influenced in economic efficiency determination. Public policies that encourage greater port development are recommended. The limitation found was the availability of information. The originality of the work is that there are minimal studies on economic efficiency, specifically of the port industry. It is concluded that low levels of efficiency demand a better use of their resources and a better combination of their inputs and prices.

Resumen El objetivo de este trabajo es obtener y analizar la eficiencia económica de los 52 principales puertos en el ámbito internacional durante el periodo 2010-2016, utilizando la metodología DEA. Primero, se trabaja la eficiencia técnica con rendimientos variables, enseguida, se considera la eficiencia asignativa, y, finalmente, se aborda la eficiencia económica. En la selección de las variables a revisar se utilizó el análisis factorial, llevándose a efecto la extracción de factores comunes; y se obtuvo la matriz de componentes rotados utilizándose el método de normalización Varimax. Los resultados muestran que la eficiencia económica de los puertos fue del 38 %, siendo la eficiencia técnica la que mayor incidió en la determinación de la eficiencia económica. Se recomiendan políticas públicas que fomenten un mayor desarrollo portuario. La limitación que se encontró fue la de disponibilidad de información. La originalidad del trabajo consiste en que son mínimos los estudios sobre eficiencia económica, específicamente de la industria portuaria. Se concluye que los bajos niveles de eficiencia demandan un mejor aprovechamiento de sus recursos y una mejor combinación de sus insumos y precios.

Abstract: This paper presents a model using the Stochastic Frontier Analysis to measure the efficiency of container terminals in the main ports of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation for the period 2005-2013. Efficiency is calculated through the estimators: JLMS (Jondrow, Lovell, Materov & Schmidt, 1982) and BC (Batesse & Coelli, 1988). It was used as inputs quay length and employed personnel and for output TEUs annually moved. The scores showed that in the period analyzed, any port was efficient on average, while Shanghai was the one who presented the highest results, in contrast to the port of Callao in Peru, whose efficiency levels were the lowest.

Resumen: En este trabajo se presenta un modelo donde se utiliza el análisis de frontera estocástica para medir la eficiencia de las terminales de contenedores de los principales puertos del Foro de Cooperación Económica Asia-Pacífico durante el periodo 2005-2013. La eficiencia es calculada a través de los estimadores: JLMS (Jondrow, Lovell, Materov y Schmidt, 1982) y BC (Batesse y Coelli, 1988). Se utilizan como inputs la longitud del muelle y el personal ocupado, y como output los TEU movilizados anualmente. Los resultados muestran que durante todo el periodo analizado en promedio ningún puerto fue eficiente; sin embargo, Shanghái fue el que tuvo los resultados más altos en contraste con el puerto de Callao en Perú, donde sus niveles de eficiencia fueron los más bajos.

This paper presents an analysis of change in the Total Factor Productivity (TFP) of container terminals in major ports in Mexico in the period 1982-2010. For this, we propose Malmquist Index, which decomposing the change in productivity in two factors: Change in efficiency (catch-up effect) and technological change (shift frontier). The results show that in general there was an increase in productivity over the period analyzed, which is explained by technological change; Manzanillo was the port that had higher growth in productivity, and opposite Tuxpan was the one who had the greatest reduction, it was due mainly for the negative trend in traffic mobilized during containers. These results show the need to develop public policies for ports to operate at maximum capacity.

En este trabajo se presenta un análisis del cambio en la productividad total de los factores (PTF) de las terminales de contenedores de los principales puertos de México en el periodo 1982-2010. Para ello se propone la elaboración del índice Malmquist, el cual descompone el cambio de la productividad en 2 factores: cambio en eficiencia (catch-up effect) y cambio tecnológico (frontier shift). Los resultados muestran que en general hubo un aumento en la productividad durante el periodo analizado, el cual es explicado por el cambio tecnológico; Manzanillo fue el puerto que tuvo un mayor crecimiento en la productividad, y del lado opuesto, Tuxpan fue el que tuvo la mayor reducción, en este último caso debido principalmente a la tendencia negativa en el tráfico de contenedores movilizados en el periodo. Estos resultados muestran la necesidad de formular políticas públicas portuarias para que los puertos puedan operar en su máxima capacidad.

Este trabalho apresenta uma heurística baseada no Simulated Annealing para resolver o Problema de Alocação de Berços. Esse problema aborda a programação e a alocação de navios às áreas de atracação ao longo de um cais. O problema é modelado como um Problema de Roteamento de Veículos com Múltiplas Garagens e Janelas de Tempo. Para aplicação do Simulated Annealing foi desenvolvido um software, possibilitando realizar cenários mais próximos das atividades praticadas nos portos. Os resultados computacionais são obtidos através de problemas testes com dados reais do Terminal de Contêineres Tecon Rio Grande.

This work presents a Simulated Annealing based heuristic to solve the Berth Allocation Problem. This problem approaches the programming and allocation of ships to mooring areas along a quay. The problem is modeled as a Multi-Depot Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows. For application of Simulated Annealing, software was developed, enabling scenarios closest to perform activities practiced in ports. The computational results are obtained through test problems with real data from the Container Terminal Tecon Rio Grande.

O processo de desenvolvimento de contêineres e o desenvolvimento de redes de transporte intermodal têm provocado crescente competição no setor portuário e vêm, no mundo inteiro, interferindo nas zonas de influência dos portos (hinterlands). Essas hinterlands estão deixando de ser cativas de um determinado porto para serem de múltipla influência de dois ou mais portos. O presente trabalho apresenta um estudo cujo objetivo é caracterizar a dinâmica portuária à luz da desenvolvimento de contêineres, mapear a discussão acerca do conceito de hinterlands e apresentar metodologias para sua delimitação. Essa contextualização conceitual e metodológica encontra-se ilustrada com sua aplicação ao caso do terminal de contêineres do porto de Rio Grande com apoio de Sistemas de Informação Geográfica (SIG). Como resultado, os autores concluem que a delimitação de hinterlands é essencial para auxiliar o planejamento do desenvolvimento portuário por parte de Autoridades Portuárias e Terminais Privativos num cenário de crescente competição.

The containerization process and the development of intermodal transport networks have lead to a competitive scenario in the port sector and have modified their hinterlands all over the world. Those hinterlands are no longer captive areas of one port but competitive areas among two or more ports. The objectives of the present study are to characterize the port development due to the containerization process, to map the discussion on the concept of ports' hinterlands, and to present methodologies for their delimitation. Using Geographical Information Systems (GIS), this conceptual and methodological context allows the application of a methodology in a case study that embraces the container terminal of the port of Rio Grande. As a result, the authors conclude that the delimitation of hinterlands, in a growing competitive scenario, is essential to assist the port planning and development by Port Authorities or by private terminals.

O objetivo desta pesquisa é avaliar as percepções de diferentes segmentos de exportadores sobre a qualidade da infraestrutura logística de exportação. Para isto, foram definidas e operacionalizadas, com base na revisão de literatura, as principais dimensões de segmentação de exportadores: tipo de carga (contêiner ou granel) e criticidade da operação portuária. Foram enviados questionários para os 250 maiores exportadores brasileiros do ranking da AEB (Associação de Exportadores Brasileiros). A partir dos 101 questionários recebidos foi possível identificar que exportadores de carga a granel tendem a considerar o escoamento e o acesso aos portos uma dificuldade logística mais crítica que os exportadores de cargas em contêineres. Já com relação à criticidade da operação porto-a-porto, os exportadores do setor de insumos industriais percebem a piora da qualidade da infraestrutura física do modal marítimo e da burocracia para exportação como reflexo de limitações na sua capacidade de produção.

The objective of this research is to evaluate the perceptions of different trading firms about the quality of the logistics infrastructure for the foreign trade. Based on the literature review, the major dimensions regarding these firms were defined and operationalized: type of load (container or bulk) and criticality of port operation. A survey was conducted with the 250 largest Brazilian firms ranked at the AEB list (Brazilian Foreign Trade Firms Association). Based on the 101 questionnaires returned, it was identified that the bulk traders tend to consider the access to ports a bigger logistical shortcoming than the container traders. With regard to the criticality of port operation, firms of the intermediate goods industry perceive the decay of the physical infrastructure and the foreign trade bureaucracy as a consequence of their limited production capacity

A Internet tem sido reconhecida como uma fonte de vantagem competitiva. Em países emergentes, como o Brasil, a Internet representa novas possibilidades para empresas e para inserção da economia nacional em mercados globais. A presente pesquisa objetiva entender como uma empresa atuando no setor portuário no Brasil pode obter vantagens competitivas através de aplicações baseadas em Internet. Para isto, algumas questões devem ser respondidas: (i) Como uma empresa brasileira pode usar aplicações baseadas em Internet para estabelecer diferenciais frente à concorrência no setor portuário? (ii) Como as características do cenário brasileiro - instabilidade econômica, legislação, impostos, mão-de-obra, criatividade - afetaram as estratégias de aplicações on-line baseadas em Internet dessa empresa? Para tanto, foram utilizados diversos elementos presentes na bibliografia sobre estratégia e tecnologia da informação. O método aplicado foi o estudo de caso, realizado em um terminal de contêineres do Porto de Santos que tem usado intensamente a Internet em suas operações.

Internet has been acknowledged as a source of competitive advantage. For development countries as Brazil, the Net can bring new possibilities for companies and for national economy insertion in global markets. For this reason, Internet strategic use was analysed in a Brazilian Port. This research aims to understand how a company of the ports industry in Brazil can obtain competitive advantages through Internet-based applications. For this purpose, the following questions should be answered: (i) How a Brazilian company can use Internet-based applications to establish differentials from its competitors in ports industry?(ii) How the characteristics of the Brazilian environment like economic instability, laws, taxes, workforce, creativity biased on-line strategies of this company? In order to clarify these points, concepts about strategy and information technology were analysed. The applied method was case study, performed in a container terminal in the Brazilian Port in Santos, which had used Internet intensively in its operations.

Ports that have good geographical location, efficient management and value-added services have potential for international leadership, as is the case with the Valencia Port Authority, which figures prominently in the international ranking of container ports. Information systems should stimulate the curiosity of organizations, facilitate the process of participatory decision-making and enhance the ability of the organization to cope with changes in the environment. Changes occurring in the environment fully affect the organization and therefore its computer systems. Through the study of the Business Intelligence Systems at the Valencia Port Authority, we seek to reaffirm the assumptions of the various authors analyzed. In summary, we would like to highlight that for accounting information, in both financial accounting and management accounting, to add value to the strategic processes of firms, it must successfully contribute to the strategic processes of the organization, selecting those aspects of accounting management that are relevant to the strategy of the organization (Álvarez-Dardet et al., 1999). The evolution and transformation undergone by firms in recent decades, with regard to technological progress and variation in production methods, suggests the possible obsolescence of so-called conventional cost systems. These traditional systems do not take into account the impact of the production process automation and the changes occurring in the relative importance of the different components of the cost of the product. Organizations have to develop accounting information towards a strategic orientation in order to provide support for the strategic business processes, evolving the current information supply of financial accounting and incorporating the information provided by management accounting. In this way the accounting information available to organizations will support their strategic processes more efficiently.

Los puertos que disponen de una buena localización geográfica, gestión eficiente y servicios de valor añadido, tienen posibilidades de obtener un liderazgo a nivel internacional; como es el caso de la Autoridad Portuaria de Valencia, que ocupa un lugar destacado en el ranking internacional de puertos de contenedores. Los sistemas de información deben estimular la curiosidad de las organizaciones, deben facilitar el proceso de la toma de decisiones participativas y deben incrementar la habilidad de la organización para hacer frente a los cambios en el entorno. Los cambios que se están produciendo en el entorno afectan plenamente a la organización y por lo tanto a sus sistemas de informáticos. A través del estudio de los Sistemas de Business Intelligence en la Autoridad Portuaria de Valencia, se busca reafirmar estas presunciones de los diversos autores analizados. Para finalizar se debe resaltar que para que la información contable, tanto de la contabilidad financiera como de la contabilidad de gestión, el aporte del valor al proceso estratégico de las empresas, deberá contribuir con éxito en los procesos estratégicos de las organizaciones, seleccionando aquellos aspectos de la gestión contable que son relevantes para la estrategia de las organizaciones (Álvarez-Dardet et al., 1999). La evolución y la transformación que han sufrido las empresas en las últimas décadas en cuanto al progreso tecnológico y la variación en los métodos de producción, plantea la posible obsolescencia de los sistemas de costes llamados convencionales. Estos sistemas tradicionales no tienen en cuenta el impacto que supone la automatización de los procesos productivos y el cambio sufrido en el peso específico de los diferentes componentes del coste del producto. Las organizaciones tienen que ir evolucionando la información contable hacia una orientación estratégica, para proporcionar apoyo al proceso estratégico empresarial, evolucionando el suministro actual de información de la contabilidad financiera e incorporando información que proporciona la contabilidad de gestión, de esta forma la información contable de las organizaciones apoyarán más eficientemente los procesos estratégicos de las mismas.