investigating the impact of safety and quality standards on the competitiveness of iranian ports in international corridors

The strategic positioning of iranian ports, such as shahid rajaee, chabahar, and bandar imam khomeini, within international transport corridors presents a significant economic opportunity. however, their potential to capture transit traffic and become regional logistics hubs depends on competitiveness, defined by adherence to international safety and quality standards. this study empirically investigates how implementing these standards affects iranian ports competitiveness. a mixed-methods design was used, combining a qualitative review with a quantitative survey of 200 stakeholders, including shipping line managers, freight forwarders, port authorities, and customs officials. a competitive port model was developed, measuring performance through kpis: vessel turnaround time, cargo handling efficiency, safety incident rate, and customer satisfaction. the implementation level of standards like the international ship and port facility security (isps) code, iso-28000, and iso-9001 was assessed. structural equation modeling (sem) was used to analyze the relationships. the results demonstrate a statistically significant positive impact (p < 0.01) of safety and quality standards adoption on all measured kpis. the model explains 58% of the variance in overall port competitiveness. specifically, a one-standard-deviation increase in standards implementation led to a 0.45 standard-deviation increase in customer satisfaction and a 30% reduction in vessel turnaround time. the study concludes that for iranian ports to transcend their current role as local gateways and become integral nodes in global supply chains, a strategic, enforced, and continuous commitment to international safety and quality standards is not merely beneficial but imperative. policy recommendations focus on creating a national port standards framework and incentivizing certification.