Performance evaluation of major world container ports in the post-pandemic era: The 6th generation ports model with smart ports

The port sector faces both challenges and opportunities in digital transformation and decarbonization in the post-pandemic era. To address these issues, the Sixth Generation Port (6 GP) model with smart ports comprising six aspects and 14 criteria was proposed, iteratively refined, and validated. In order to extend the test scope and assess the applicability of the 6 GP model, this study aims to evaluate the performance of major world container ports, namely the Port of Singapore, Shanghai, Busan, Hong Kong, and Rotterdam, by applying the 6 GP model with smart ports. An innovative hybrid methodology integrating CFPR, MOORA, and VIKOR was employed to explore the business needs and development priorities of port stakeholders and to assess each port's performance with reference to the 6 GP model. The test results indicate that the Port of Singapore, Rotterdam, and Shanghai performanc, with Asian container ports achieved better performance in "service" and "smart port governance system and policy". Specifically, Shanghai has emphasized automation optimization to facilitate the seamless cargo and vessel flows, while Rotterdam achieved significant performance in digitalization and decarbonization by fostering a smart port–city symbiosis. The contribution of this study lies in theoretical, methodological, and empirical aspects. i) Theoretically, it validates the applicability of the 6 GP model, enriching the existing literature on Port Devolution Theory by integrating digitalization and decarbonization into the 6 GP model; ii) Methodologically, it applies a novel hybrid CFPR–MOORA–VIKOR framework to enhance multi-criteria decision-making in port studies; iii) Empirically, it offers a comparative evaluation of container ports in both Asia and Europe, providing actionable insights for policymakers and port managers, and advocates collaborative action among different stakeholders.