• Journal of Navigation and Port Research
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.110-120
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• 2022

Spain is Europe's second-largest country with total throughput reaching 16.7 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) by 2020. The purpose of this study was to measure and compare the efficiency of 17 container terminals. As a study method, the DEA-CCR model, undesirable variable, and Malmquist Index (MI) were used for data envelopment analysis (DEA). The study results are as follow: (1) DEA-CCR is used to evaluate basic efficiency. The most efficient terminals are decision-making units DMU 1 (APM Terminals (Algeciras Port)), DMU 2 (Total Terminal International Algeciras (Algeciras Port)) and DMU 5 (Barcelona Europe South Terminal (Barcelona Port)). (2) Undesirable DEA was conducted to suggest inefficiency from the undesirable output. Overall, the efficiency scores were reduced. However, DMU 1, DMU 2, and DMU 5 maintained efficiency scores regardless of the finish factor. (3) Malmquist Index was used to observe technology and efficiency changes dynamically. The changes in TCI affected Spanish container terminals more than the Technical Efficiency Change Index (TECI) in 2018-2019. However, in 2019-2020, the TECI was 2.706, higher than the TCI value, indicating that the change in TECI had more influence on the increase in productivity. This study offers a broader understanding of Spanish container terminals.