A model for investigating the coordination between low carbon and resilience performance in container terminals

In the process of coping with climate change and sustainable development, it is necessary for container terminals to coordinate the relationship between the long-term demand for low carbon and the short-term demand for resilience. However, low carbon or resilience performance of container terminals only has been separately investigated. Under such a circumstance, understanding the low carbon and resilience levels of container terminals, and the coupling relationship between the two dimensions are of primary importance. To realize this purpose, this paper for the first time bridges low carbon and resilience that used to be considered in isolation. By considering the impact of ports and cities on the resilience of container terminals, and subdividing carbon emission sources to assess low carbon, the proposed index system can quantify resilience and low carbon more comprehensively and accurately. Then, the factor analysis and coupling coordination degree models are adopted to determine the weights and analyze the coordination between low carbon and resilience performance. The results indicated that the coupling coordination degree of low carbon and resilience performance in Chinese container terminals is slightly coordinated, but the development of resilience lags behind that of low carbon. To improve the coupling coordination degree, it is important for container terminals to set appropriate development objectives based on the evaluation of low carbon and resilience performance, and choose suitable improvement strategies based on the characteristics of container terminals. •A comparable low carbon and resilience index system is proposed at the container terminal level.•A coupling coordination model is established to estimate the balance between low carbon and resilience performance.•The development of resilience lags behind that of low carbon for container terminals in China.•The coordination of low carbon and resilience in Chinese container terminals is basically satisfied.