From sustainability signals to customer loyalty: Examining cognitive–affective pathways at Hai Phong Port, Vietnam

Abstract

Port authorities increasingly invest in operational improvements and green initiatives, yet limited evidence explains how these dimensions jointly relate to customer loyalty in specific port contexts. This study examines how port service performance and green port initiatives relate to customer loyalty, with perceived port image and customer satisfaction as mediators and environmental awareness as a moderator. Survey data from 386 port users at Hai Phong Port, Vietnam, were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results indicate that port service performance is positively associated with customer satisfaction and loyalty, whereas green port initiatives are positively associated with perceived port image and show significant indirect associations with loyalty through perceived port image and customer satisfaction. Environmental awareness moderates the relationship between green port initiatives and perceived port image but not that with customer satisfaction. These findings suggest that, within Hai Phong Port, operational performance and sustainability are associated with customer evaluations through distinct pathways, with environmental initiatives more strongly associated with customer perceptions than direct service evaluations. The study provides context-specific implications for port operators and policymakers in Vietnam, suggesting that operational improvements may be complemented by visible and credible sustainability initiatives to strengthen long-term customer loyalty.

The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Research in Transportation Economics, 2026 · DOI ↗