Port Community Systems (PCS) are inter-organizational information systems that can be utilized by maritime actors to manage problems and enhance maritime service quality. There are two problems exist in the current PCS literature. First, there is a lack of frameworks that characterize PCS from a supply chain management perspective. Such frameworks are relevant to better understand the implications of PCS on a supply chain level rather than a port. Second, the effects of PCS depend on the context of the supply chain in which it is deployed. Characterizing the PCS from a supply chain perspective allows for further contextualization to better understand the effects of PCS. Such contextualization is currently lacking.

The purpose is to identify structural and management dimensions that characterize PCS and analyzes their effects on maritime service quality. A multiple case-study approach is deployed. Three ports, Gävle, Gothenburg, and Umeå are selected due to their implementations of PCS. For Gävle, the data was collected using a longitudinal study from 2020-2023. The Gävle study included 20 interviews, 10 observations, and 5 archival documents.

The framework consists of three structural dimensions and four management dimensions. The structural dimensions are: the involved actors, location and spatial characteristics of the port, services and capabilities enabled by the PCS, and the level of customization of the PCS. The management dimensions are: business environment, PCS purpose, technical aspects, and performance evaluation.

Various relationships are identified and analyzed between the dimensions. The horizontal relationships between shipping companies and terminals at times lead to prioritizing some information content due to confidentiality over accepting their systems to be interoperable with the PCS. Another example is current regulation does not allow PCSs to operate as a reporting mechanism, leading to dependency on Maritime Single Window. These examples hinder effective utilization of the PCS from different actors’ perspectives. The framework enables actors to adopt PCS more effectively.