## 2 Materials and Methods
### Data Description  
The specific data used for this research were obtained from official documents and bulletins of the Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLAC), the World Bank (WB), and of the web pages of Port Authorities. These data encompass the main operational characteristics of a total of 23 ports in Latin America and the Caribbean and their container terminals (41 analyzed in Figure 1). The selection of terminals has been made on both the Pacific, Caribbean, and Atlantic sides, and in total, they add up to a volume of 46,145,468 TEUs by 2023, 85% of the traffic in the entire Latin American system and 5.6% of the world. The container throughput was selected as the research output due to the relevance of this indicator for the assessment of the container terminal around the world and its operational quality [18]. A selection of 23 ports has been made based on two important criteria. Firstly, the average total container traffic over the past ten years must exceed one million TEUs per year. Secondly, the port's significance to the national economy was considered. Accordingly, seven ports from the Pacific coast and sixteen from the Caribbean and Atlantic coasts were chosen. The Pacific ports handle 35% of the total container volume in LAC. Santa Marta and Barranquilla in Colombia are included (as a cluster), considering the interests of the researchers, as well as the port of Paranagua near the city of Curitiba, which has doubled its performance in just 10 years due to significant investment by its main operator, China Merchants Port Holdings (CM-Ports). The selection of ports and their geographical context can be seen in Figure 1.  
The top 5 ports analyzed have remained consistent since 2018, with Panama benefiting the most. The top 10 has not changed significantly since 2014, primarily because the variable under study has been the volume of containers moved annually (TEUs/year), as shown in Table 3. However, a classification that considers other operational and logistical criteria is necessary for a comprehensive evaluation of the terminals. This is essential for making informed decisions regarding investments, operations, or the loading and unloading of goods. Additionally, it provides the opportunity to identify the operational advantages of many ports, enabling future optimization, specialization, or their use as hubs--seapports that serve as central points in a regional or global shipping network where cargo is transferred between different shipping routes or modes of transportation. Figure 1: Geographical reference of the selected ports in LAC. There is not much published regarding the history, investments, and logistical development of ports in LAC, except for those found in reports by The Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLAC) and the World Bank (WBG), which have advanced research and provided technical assistance in maritime activity and transportation in LAC. It is presumed from readings that the significant investments made by various Port Authorities, by major shipping lines and operators worldwide (such as Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd, Cosco, DP World Group, CP Ports, etc. ), particularly in container terminals, are aimed at transforming them into major hubs in some cases, such as Lima, Colon, Cartagena, or Kingston. Based on the data, a mixed reality can be observed, especially in short-term performance. Over 75% show a positive variation, with fifteen of these terminals experiencing double-digit growth, while at the other end, two ports also see double-digit declines, as depicted in Figure 2. In recent years, Lazaro Cardenas, Freeport, and Paranagua have exhibited the best performances with changes exceeding 30% (coincidentally, one in the Pacific, one in the Caribbean, and the other in the Atlantic). Simultaneously, Cartagena, Kingston, and Montevideo have surpassed 20% growth. Buenaventura, Buenos Aires, and San Antonio have recorded poor results in terms of comparative growth, likely overshadowed by the performance of Callao and Guayaquli.