## 4 Results and Discussion
### Phase 1: Analysis of the current situation
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{p{113.8 pt} p{113.8 pt} p{113.8 pt} p{113.8 pt}} \hline \hline
**Variable Type** & **Name** & **Definition** & **Units** & **Impact** \\ \hline \multirow{7}{*}{Dependent Variables} & & Average time a vehicle takes to wait before being processed. & & Measures the impact of IoV on efficiency. Reduction in times reflects operational improvement. \\ \cline{2-5}  & & & Vehicles per hour (veh/h) & Key productivity indicator. It reflects the efficient use of infrastructure and automation. \\ \cline{2-5}  & & Carbon dioxide emissions generated during the waiting time. & & & Associated with operational sustainability and compliance with environmental regulations. \\ \cline{2-5}  & & & & & \\ \cline{2-5}  & & & & & \\ \cline{2-5}  & & & & & \\ \cline{2-5}  & & & & & \\ \cline{2-5}  & & & & & \\ \hline \multirow{7}{*}{Independent Variables} & & Expense associated with operations for one hour. & Euros per hour (EUR/h) & It reflects economic efficiency, including labor, fuel, and maintenance. \\ \cline{2-5}  & & Average time it takes for a vehicle to be processed manually or automatically. & Minutes per vehicle (min/veh) & Monitors process efficiency and compare manual and automated systems. \\ \cline{2-5}  & & & & & \\ \cline{2-5}  & & & & & \\ \cline{2-5}  & & & & & \\ \cline{2-5}  & & & & & \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 1: Defining variables. To ensure the robustness of the results obtained, the data used in this study come from various sources, including information provided directly by the analyzed terminals, reports from international organizations, and open databases specialized in transport and port logistics. In cases where specific values were not available for all terminals, estimates were made based on verified references, including previous studies on comparable terminals and values established by organizations such as the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the European Sea Ports Organization (ESPO). This methodological approach allows for a reliable representation of Ro-Ro terminal operations, ensuring that comparisons between manual and automated scenarios are realistic and grounded in validated references and industry standards. The performance metrics of the selected terminals were visualized through radar charts, which allow for an intuitive comparison of key parameters across terminals. Each chart represents a specific metric:  
1. Vehicles Processed Manually per Hour: This chart highlights the efficiency of manual operations in terms of vehicle throughput. 2. Vehicles Processed Automatically per Hour: This chart focuses on the performance of automated systems, illustrating their capacity for higher throughput under similar conditions. 3. Average Manual Processing Time (min/vehicle): This metric reflects the time required to manually process a vehicle, providing insights into the relative speed and efficiency of human-driven operations. 4. Average Automated Processing Time (min/vehicle): This chart demonstrates the time efficiency of automated processing, which is critical in optimizing terminal operations. The radar charts illustrate the relative performance of each terminal for the selected metrics. Terminals that show higher throughput or lower processing times indicate better  
Figure 3: Comparison between terminals. Source: own elaboration. operational efficiency. By analyzing these metrics, we aim to identify patterns, bottlenecks, and areas for improvement in Ro-Ro terminal operations. This approach underscores the importance of selecting homogeneous terminals for comparative studies, as operational diversity within the Spanish port system can obscure meaningful insights. By focusing on a subset of terminals with comparable characteristics, this research ensures that the analysis is both robust and actionable, paving the way for targeted recommendations to enhance terminal performance. **Phase 2: Establishing the Baseline**  
* Calculation of the average time per operation, vehicular flow, and costs for both systems (manual and automated).