Port data marketization under digital transformation in China

Port data possesses public attributes as a form of enterprise data, and its market-oriented development requires balancing public and commercial interests. Using document analysis and text mining, this study systematically identifies key policy features, traces their evolution, and highlights current regulatory priorities. It further identifies major challenges in port data marketisation, such as unclear classification standards, security and compliance risks, circulation barriers, ambiguous ownership, and difficulties in asset accounting and valuation. Based on China’s legal and policy frameworks, this paper proposes an institutional design tailored to the port industry to support data marketisation. The framework includes clarifying the legal nature of port data, establishing security mechanisms, enabling data sharing and circulation, defining rights and benefit distribution, and facilitating data asset accounting and trading. This research addresses a gap in institutional studies on port data marketisation and offers clear guidance for its development.