Governance for port reform: enhancing performance through integration and coordination

Ports are critical nodes in global logistical chains, and their performance is significantly shaped by governance structures. This study investigates how specific governance mechanisms—namely integration and coordination—within port governance reforms influence port performance. While existing literature outlines governance models, it offers limited insight into the concrete mechanisms through which reforms affect performance, especially under conditions of institutional complexity common in the Global South. Addressing this gap, we examine Tanjung Priok Port in Indonesia, focusing on how reforms operationalized integration and coordination. We conducted semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders, analyzed port performance data, and reviewed relevant regulatory documents to trace the evolution and effects of reform over the past two decades. Our findings show that reform processes crystallized around three institutional levers: organizational restructuring, policy interventions, and digitalization. These levers enabled mechanisms of integration and coordination to emerge and function—manifesting in increased comprehensiveness, shared understanding, procedural consistency, and collaboration. The result has been measurable improvements in port performance, including reduced dwelling times and higher throughput. This study advances understanding of how governance reforms work through specific mechanisms and offers a transferable analytical framework for improving port performance in similarly complex institutional settings across the Global South.