Sailing through digital tides: assimilation of port community systems for just-in-time arrival

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore how the fit between port community systems (PCS) assimilation and just-in-time (JIT) implementation co-evolves over time. Design/methodology/approach A longitudinal and process-based multiple case-study design focusing on two Swedish ports was employed. Data were collected through 33 interviews, 17 observations and 12 archival documents during 2020–2025. Findings The realization of JIT's environmental and operational outcomes is contingent on the fit between PCS assimilation and JIT implementation. However, their fit was jointly constrained by the PCS governance structure, digital immaturity, regulatory frameworks, and commercial and operational dependencies, leading to inconsistent JIT implementation. These sources of misfit do not stem from port-level PCS decisions alone, but also from actions, constraints and incentives of other port call actors. Research limitations/implications This study is based on two Swedish ports that can be characterized as early adopters of PCS supporting JIT implementation. While context-specific, the findings offer insights for ports seeking to assimilate PCS. Practical implications The study provides managerial insights for ports and maritime actors adopting a PCS to support JIT port calls. It shows that realizing JIT's outcomes requires manager to treat the assimilation process as collaborative and iterative. To assimilate PCS and scale-up JIT's implementation, interoperability should be prioritized by addressing regulatory constraints and uneven digital maturity among actors to reduce reliance on parallel systems. Furthermore, effective JIT implementation requires governance designs that prioritize system-level coordination by configuring berth windows, commitment rules and clearly assigned responsibilities to dominant operational and commercial conditions in the port call system. Originality/value The study conceptualizes PCS assimilation and JIT implementation as two interrelated process streams and argues that fit/misfit can either originate from one process stream to influence the other or result from the interaction between the two processes.