Enhancing Container Terminal Performance through Lean Six Sigma: A Case study from a Moroccan Mediterranean Port

Abstract

This case study explores the application of Lean Six Sigma (LSS) as a structured framework for diagnosing operational inefficiencies and designing performance improvement initiatives in container-handling operations at a Moroccan Mediterranean port. The research adopts a pragmatic abductive single case design based on the DMAIC framework and draws on evidence from all 54 consecutive calls of container vessels recorded during 2023 and 2024, complemented by operational documents, direct observations, and Kaizen workshops involving key port operators and managers. Data analysis was conducted using Microsoft Excel and Minitab. The findings indicate that only 31.48% of vessel calls met the target productivity, defined as a range of 14 to 18 containers per hour, in accordance with the port’s operational performance standards. This suggests that the process exhibited substantial variability and was incapable of consistently meeting the performance targets, as evidenced by the very low Cp (0.13) and Cpk (−0.01) values, indicating inadequate process capability and poor process centering relative to the specified performance limits. While five main stoppage categories accounted for nearly 80% of total downtime. The analysis phase of the DMAIC framework further revealed that equipment reliability, inter-organizational coordination, and deficiencies in operational control and organizational learning constituted the principal mechanisms explaining performance variability. The Define, Measure, and Analyze phases were fully completed, whereas the Improve and Control phases were partially completed; instead, the study culminated in the development and participants validation of an action and monitoring plan for future implementation and performance monitoring. These findings provide both theoretical and managerial contributions by showing that sustainable performance improvement in container terminals requires integrating Lean Six Sigma tools with effective coordination among multiple organizational actors, while offering a transferable framework that can support improvement initiatives in comparable port environments.

JEL Classification: M11; L91; R41

Paper type: Case study