$1.$ Background:

In the global trade context, a large percentage of costs is experienced with inland logistics and transportation activities which also have significant impacts on environment. To be more competitive and sustainable, supply chain operations are increasingly integrated with sea ports which have transformed the role of simple transhipment hubs into important logistics nodes $[1]$ as key supply chain integrators and logistics service providers. As the enabler of this transformation, port$-$centric logistics $($PCL$)$ approaches have been widely adopted. $$Port$-$centric logistics refers to freight transportation and distribution activities that are directly related to port terminals$[2].$ Through value added services

and integrated logistics chains, the PCL strategy can contribute to enhancing sustainable supply chain performance.

Liverpool City Region Freeport $($LCRF$)$ is an initiative of the city of Liverpool to set up Customs and Tax Zones with special tariffs and tax benefits in a geographic local area where the Port of Liverpool is the primary customs site connecting other multimodal transport and logistics services as well as manufacturing capabilities $[4].$ The LCRF naturally facilitates formation of a logistics cluster in which businesses collaboratively offer logistics services $[5].$

With the potential benefits of the concentrated economic and logistics resources and capacities, facilitated collaboration and networking with this logistics cluster at LCRF$,$ the PCL strategy is expected to be more efficiently implemented with the support and synergy in the LCFR$.$ The LCRF supported PCL is therefore expected to provide more value added and efficient logistics and transport services at and around Port of Liverpool in the city region $[4][5]$ to contribute to the sustainability performance improvement.

However, the PCL approaches may also create problems to the logistics and supply chain operations $[3].$ How to best implement the PCL strategy in different business context considering whole hinterland logistics chain and supply chain operations connecting the Port of Liverpool is a critical question to the sustainable inland logistics and supply chain management.