Waste Management for Sustainable Port Development: A Two‐Stage Data Envelopment Analysis

ABSTRACT Environmental efficiency is a pillar of overall sustainable efficiency, where the capacity to regulate carbon dioxide emissions serves as a key constraint on sustainable port development. Consequently, amid the global transition toward sustainable port operations, improving environmental performance alongside environmental governance capabilities is imperative to ensure long‐term operational viability. Applying a two‐stage data envelopment analysis methodology, this paper examines 12 major trading ports in South Korea, delineating the sustainable port development process into a waste management stage and an environmental efficiency stage. The results inform that South Korean ports generally fare well on waste management efficiency, but not on environmental efficiency, leaving room for improvement in overall sustainable efficiency. These findings provide a reference for port decision makers and policymakers in formulating targeted decarbonization and green transition frameworks.