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Journal of Tropical Oceanography

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Evaluation of Container Port Service Efficiency in the South China Sea Based on AIS Data

WANG Yuehan1, 2, 3, 4, YAN Fengqin1, 2, HE Bin2, 5, SU Fenzhen2, 5   

  1. 1. Faculty of Geomatics, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China;

    2. State Key Laboratory of Resources and Environmental Information System (Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences), Beijing 100101, China;

    3. Key Laboratory of Science and Technology in Surveying & Mapping, Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730070, China;

    4. National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Technologies and Applications for National Geographic State Monitoring, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China;

    5. Collaborative Innovation Center for South China Sea Studies, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China

  • Received:2025-08-22 Revised:2025-10-16 Accepted:2025-10-23
  • Supported by:
    National Key Research and Development Program of China(2022YFB3903604); National Natural Science Foundation of China(42476195); The Chinese Academy of Sciences Youth Innovation Promotion Association Project(2023060)

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Abstract: As critical maritime hubs in global shipping,the ports in the South China Sea and surrounding countries play a vital role in international trade and the global supply chain,owing to their strategic geographic locations and efficient shipping networks.The service efficiency of ports directly impacts the overall fluidity of logistics networks.Traditional port efficiency evaluation methods struggle to capture the complex influencing factors in dynamic environments.This study proposes a framework for evaluating port service efficiency based on ship spatiotemporal trajectory analysis using Automatic Identification System (AIS) data from 2023 in the South China Sea region.The framework employs the sliding window method and ray tracing method to analyze the different operational stages of ships in ports (such as port entry,anchoring,and berth operations) to quantify the service efficiency of the six major container ports in the region:Guangzhou Port,Hong Kong Port,Shenzhen Port,Singapore Port,Ho Chi Minh Port,and Port Klang.The findings reveal:①The berthing operation times generally follow a normal distribution,with times concentrated between 8 to 18 hours,varying across ports.Guangzhou Port has the shortest operation times and the highest efficiency.②Ship types significantly affect berthing operation times,with larger vessels requiring longer times.The size of the vessel is moderately positively correlated with the berthing operation time(correlation coefficient of 0.314).③There are differences in port service efficiency among the four ports,with Port Klang exhibiting the highest efficiency,while Singapore Port faces significant waiting time issues,indicating a strained supply-demand relationship.Ho Chi Minh Port performs consistently but has room for optimization.Through empirical data,this study provides data support for the collaborative scheduling and operational optimization of ports within the "Maritime Silk Road"region,aiming to assist port managers in enhancing service efficiency and scheduling capabilities.④Ship traffic fluctuates significantly throughout the day, with peak periods from 6 AM to 4 PM. February and November experience the highest traffic, influenced by the Spring Festival and "Double Eleven" shopping festival, respectively. The analysis shows a positive correlation between ship traffic and waiting time; the higher the traffic, the longer the waiting time.​

Key words: Port efficiency evaluation, AIS data, Port scheduling optimization, South China Sea, Ship operation time, Sliding window method, Ray Method