Is outsourcing the Panacea? a discourse on the sustainability of Indian ports a case of Jawaharlal Nehru port trust

Abstract

The discourse on sustainable transportation illuminates the fact that port competitiveness and efficiency gains are two major pillars of blue economy in a world which is much integrated than in the past. However, most literature on port efficiency measurement undermine the very eco system of a port. Port eco system is complex interconnected web of network which requires collaborative involvement of spate of stakeholders such as CFS, Agents, ICDs, Transportation companies, to mention a few. Understanding such network and their holistic potential impact on the efficiency of port performance is scarcely addressed in the context of larger dialogue on port efficiency. Such an analysis is paramount when deeper levels of economic integration and spatially competitive ports are considered to be co joint twins. Further, efficiency gains of ports have received much academic attention in view of total quality management which focuses on customer delight and thus customer retention. It is this regard; the present paper tries to make an infant endeavour in terms of measuring terminal efficiency with respect to the turnaround time which would include export cycle time and import cycle time of CFS (a potential outsourcing activity of a port). Such a step in efficiency measurement of ports is scanty in Indian scenario. A case of Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust is referred as a case in point.