This paper selects length of berth, area of yard, unloading capacity and number of berth as the input indexes, and cargo turnover as output index to research the source of turnover growth of 22 main ports in Korea. We gains the following results: in general, the trade ports in Korea are the stage of expansion period, the sources of turnover growth depends on the growth of factor inputs and could not be supported by TFP and technical progress. Especially in the west and east coast, TFP and technical progress is the block to the turnover growth. Four major factors to the increase of TFP are following: competition between ports, reform of property system, harbor-hinterland economic and international trade, modeling, imitation and innovation in management, technology and system.

This paper selects length of berth, area of yard, unloading capacity and number of berth as the input indexes, and cargo turnover as output index to research the source of TFP(Total Factor Productivity) growth of 23 main ports in Korea. The major conclusions are as follows. The TFP of the trade ports in Korea is at the fluctuating stage, but it generally displays a rising trend, and it’s growth originate from the growth of technical efficiency. The Growth rates of TFP of trade ports in the different areas are different, and the sources of growth are also different, but the changing trends are basically the same. Four major factors to the increase of TFP are following: competition between ports, reform of property system, harbor-hinterland economic and international trade, modeling, imitation and innovation in management, technology and system.