ABSTRACT

Digital transformation (DTx) has become a key driver of competitiveness, sustainability, and operational performance in modern ports, where increasingly complex supply chains require resilient information management. Among emerging digital technologies, the Digital Twin (DT) has gained attention as a cyber-physical solution that strengthens information flow resilience and supports smarter port operations. In line with Portugal’s Ports 5+ Strategy, which promotes digitalization and automation as pillars of port modernization, this study examines the potential of DT solutions in Portuguese core ports within the Atlantic Corridor of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), recognizing information as a strategic operational asset. The study adopts an exploratory qualitative design based on semi-structured interviews with ten key stakeholders from a core Atlantic Corridor port. The interview protocol focused on two dimensions: (i) information flow resilience and (ii) the continuity and sustainability of port and logistics operations. The findings indicate that stakeholders perceive DT solutions as having significant potential to improve logistics resilience by reducing vulnerabilities, anticipating disruptions, and maintaining operational continuity during technological failures, congestion, and other unexpected events. However, the study also identifies important research gaps. Existing literature lacks an integrated framework connecting DT with port resilience, interoperability, and logistics continuity, while empirical evidence remains largely limited to major high-tech terminals, with insufficient attention to medium-sized ports and their regional and organizational contexts, such as those in Portugal.