Bearing in mind the strategic importance of ports, adequate monitoring and measurement of their performance is crucial when aiming to improve trade competitiveness, reduce maritime transport costs, increase port user satisfaction, and enable sustainable and resilient maritime transportation systems. The proposed index is articulated around quantitative and qualitative factors and is designed to be simple and user-friendly. It is intended as a research tool and a port management instrument that can help governments, ports and other relevant stakeholders refine their understanding of port performance and ways in which it can be upgraded to enhance competitiveness. Source: UNCTAD