Analysis of the port sustainability parameters through Bayesian networks

Abstract

European Commission principles included in its European 2020 Strategy (COM:2010) are essential to establish intelligent, sustainable and inclusive transport networks that enhance the social development and territorial cohesion of the Union. Considering the four dimensions of sustainability, port integration into a single system is achieved, allowing their interaction in the changing physical, social and environmental environment in which we live. In this context, ports are called upon to contribute to a more sustainable mobility of goods. The number of variables to be considered in order to carry out the decision making and to make the management of the ports sustainable is very large. However, the strong methodological limitation existing has not allowed the application of this concept, still being a critical aspect. The Bayesian networks are one of the possible methodologies to apply. These networks, allow to obtain the relations between variables graphically in order to determine a posteriori values that quantify their sustainability. Bayesian networks allow the relationships between the variables of port planning and operation related to sustainability to be obtained. These relationships, and especially their relationship through influence diagrams that categorize these relationships by color and flange width, allow them to be used in the decision making of port planners and managers. Adoption of a strategy is not complete without definition of indicators that allow us to assess its level of implementation and its results. Applying these diagrams to the case of Spanish Port System, this article shows the need to incorporate sustainable elements within the tools of the Port Authorities. It is concluded that the most important sustainability category is the institutional category. Behind them are the economic and social categories at the same level, with the environmental category being the last. Considering the influence diagrams, the positive influences obtained show that if the generation of port infrastructure increases, the markets served and the role of the port sector as a revitalizer of port activity increases.