ABSTRACT

Smart ports increasingly rely on secure, interoperable, and scalable digital infrastructures to manage complex flows of cargo, vehicles, people, and information. Access management has therefore evolved from an operational security function into a strategic component of governance, cybersecurity, regulatory compliance, and logistics efficiency. This study proposes a cloud-enabled access management framework for smart port ecosystems. It adopts an exploratory, design-oriented methodology combining a Scopus-based literature review, benchmarking of 22 cloud-based access control systems, consultations with nine stakeholders, and value proposition analysis. The findings identify key technological, organizational, and regulatory requirements, including modular integration, multi-factor authentication, role-and zone-based access controls, interoperability with existing port systems, auditability, and compliance with data protection and information security standards. Stakeholder consultations further reveal recurring challenges, such as biometric reliability, entry delays, fragmented access control, high staff turnover, and continued reliance on manual procedures. The proposed framework links these challenges to value-creating mechanisms, including automated scheduling, remote management, API integration, alternative authentication methods, real-time monitoring, and non-compliance management. The study contributes to smart port research by conceptualizing cloud-enabled access management as both a governance and business model innovation capable of strengthening security, operational efficiency, and resilience across port ecosystems.