As crucial international trade and global logistics players, container terminals worldwide handle more than 80% of the global merchandise trade. After analyzing and summarizing the previous studies, we use container terminal companies as the research object to fill the gap left by previous studies. Based on the above research status, this study analyzes the operational efficiency and total factor productivity of 32 container terminal companies in China using the super -efficiency DEA–SBM model and the Malmquist index method. The results show that (1) the operational efficiency level of 32 container terminals in China from 2017 to 2020 has a huge gap, and 15 container terminal companies have operational efficiency below 0.6, which indicates that most container terminals have excess inputs and a waste of resources. (2) The container terminals in the Bohai Rim, Pearl River Delta and Yangtze River Delta regions have higher operational efficiency. This shows that the development of container terminals cannot be separated from the economic hinterland of the cities where the ports are located. (3) The Malmquist index analysis shows a 2.8% decrease in total factor productivity, a 3.2% increase in the composite technical efficiency index and a 5.8% decrease in the technological progress index, which indicates that most container terminal companies have imperfect management practices and decision making. Based on the study’s results, this research provides relevant and feasible recommendations for policymakers who formulate policies for the development of the shipping industry to promote high quality and sustainable development of the shipping industry and the economy.

The sustainable development of the transportation industry has always been a major concern after China’s reform and opening up. Existing studies only examine the transportation efficiency of a single mode of transportation or a certain region without considering the overall efficiency of the national transportation industry. Furthermore, most studies do not consider the impact of transportation structure on transportation efficiency and economic development. Moreover, the correlations and interactions between transportation efficiency, transportation structure, and regional economic development have not been considered. Based on the research status, this study uses a panel vector autoregressive model to analyze the relationship between the three. The results show that the transportation efficiency value is the highest in the eastern region, followed by the central region, and it is the lowest in the western region. The equilibrium degree of transportation structure has a slight difference in the national transportation structure from 2011 to 2020, and the proportion of major transportation modes in each province is unchanged. The correlation of the three variables is as follows: (1) transportation efficiency and transportation structure have a mutually reinforcing effect in the short term; (2) regional economic development has a long-term contribution to transportation efficiency and structure improvement; and (3) the level of transportation efficiency plays a leading role in regional economic development. According to the empirical analysis results, this study puts forward relevant feasible suggestions for the decision makers who formulate the development policies of the transportation industry in order to optimize the structure, reduce resource waste, improve the service quality of various transportation modes, and promote the high-quality, sustainable development of the transportation industry and economy.