## 2 Materials and Methods
A total of 11 experts participated in each focus group, and an additional 15 responses were obtained through participatory observation. This approach ensured representation from multiple shipping regions, including the Baltic Sea, Atlantic Ocean, North Sea, and Adriatic Sea, thereby capturing diverse climatic and geographical conditions. However, it is important to note that the primary focus of this research was on managerial problem-solving, which is typically less sensitive to climatic and geographical factors, but more influenced by port size. Consequently, experts were selected from medium-sized ports, such as the Port of Klaipeda, as port size plays a critical role in shaping the functions and roles within the organizational ecosystem. For the participant selection process, a combination of purposeful sampling and stratified sampling was used. Purposeful sampling [36] was used for the selection of participants who could be deliberately chosen for their expertise and relevance to the research from specific countries. Stratified sampling [36] was used for the representation of different groups within the POE, such as primary port service providers, management companies, government and non-government organizations, and others. According to the methodology of stratified sampling of the structure of POE stakeholders, each expert focus group comprised key stakeholders from the POE. Previous research [37; 38; 39] identified the typical stakeholder distribution as follows: primary port service and operations providers--44%; management companies and organizations--15%; governmental and non-governmental organizations--15%; hinterland logistics service providers and other entities invested in supply chain connectivity through maritime transport--15%; and scientists and researchers--1%. Reflecting the described stakeholder structure, the selected proportion closely aligned, with most experts coming from primary port activity sectors. In the port governance domain, experts were chosen from various governance structures: a state-owned limited company in Klaipeda, a municipally owned limited company in Koper, and a consortium of three ports in France managed by the state-owned limited liability company Haropa. It is noteworthy that, considering the inclusion of Klaipeda, a middle-sized seaport, the research also engaged other port authorities from middle-sized or smaller ports due to their complex investment scenarios and ecosystem resilience challenges, as identified in previous studies [13; 40; 41; 42]. The biggest stakeholder group consisted of five experts in each group. The Lithuanian expert group included representatives from Lithuanian stevedoring company associations, shipowners' associations, and agents' and forwarders' associations, as well as representatives of the biggest port warehouses' services providers and container terminals (codes S1 EL1,..., S1 EL5). The international group included representatives of the Central Association of Germany Port Operators, the Gdansk port container terminal, the Association of Polish Maritime Industries, the Estonian Logistics and Freight Forwarding Association, and the Latvian Ship Suppliers Association (codes S1 EI1,..., S1 EI5). Experts from other types of stakeholders were also invited: representatives of the Lithuanian Transport Safety Administration and towage services providing company (codes S3 EL8, S3 EL9), of the Slovenian Maritime Administration, of the German Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (codes S3 EI8, S3 EI9), of the Lithuanian National Road Carriers' Association \"LINAVA\" (code S4 EL10), and of the German Port Technology Association (code S4 EI10), as well as a Klaipeda University researcher (code S5 EL11) and a researcher from the University of Normandy in Le Havre (code S5 EI11). The structured agenda addresses the challenges of enhancing resilience within the POE and their manageability. The main questions guiding the agenda are as follows. 1. What challenges within the POE resilience framework can be identified, and what are their factors and impacts?