Analysis of Competition and Portfolio Structure: A Case Study of Arabian Sea Container Ports

China being the largest exporter of goods is striving to find shorter routes. Belt and road initiative (BRI) is the prime example of China’s endeavors to adopt sustainable passage for its exports to Europe, Eurasia and the Middle East. The BRI prefers Hormuz strait as an alternative to Malacca strait for economic efficiency. Therefore, current study generates valuable insights for the understanding of key points in business patterns of the Arabian Sea ports including United Arab Emirates (UAE), Iran, Oman and Pakistan. For this purpose, current study collects and analyzes imports and exports data from ten ports for the period of ten years 2008 to 2017. This study employs Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) and Boston consulting group matrix (BCG) approach to analyze and compare different ports. The results indicate that Oligopoly in the market is decreasing with the time. In addition, the findings of BCG matrix reveal that ports of UAE are more stable than ports in Oman, Iran and Pakistan. This study has profound values for the port authorities, liner companies and the concerned governments.