An Investigation of Cargo Handling Equipment Performance in Vietnam Container Terminals

Cargo handling equipment (CHE) plays an essential role in ensuring the proficiency and effectiveness of a container terminal. This study aims to examine the performance of CHEs using the overall equipment effectiveness technique (OEE) based on specific data obtained from questionnaires collected from 159 respondents working in container terminals in Vietnam. The findings reveal that the performance of the quay cranes group (HS1) and the performance of the lift on/off vehicles group (HS3) contribute to improving the OEE. In addition, the performance of the lift on/off vehicles group (HS3) acts as a mediator of the potential effects of the performance of the yard cranes group (HS2), while the performance of the quay cranes group (HS1) and the performance of lift on/off vehicles group (HS3) acts as  mediators of the potential effects of the performance of yard tractors group (HS4). The CHEs’ OEE in Vietnam container terminals is generally estimated below design capacity due to their old technologies and poor management mechanism. Therefore, the study findings provide evidence to propose some strategies to improve the CHEs’ performance, thereby enhancing container terminals’ performance in Vietnam.