9 Most Important Shipping KPIs


The top KPIs are essential in the shipping industry as they provide quantifiable metrics to gauge the performance and efficiency of shipping operations. They enable companies to track the reliability of schedules, the turnaround time of shipping vessels, the accuracy of cargo handling, and the cost-effectiveness of their operations.

Through KPIs, shipping companies can monitor fuel consumption, assess the time spent in port, and measure the utilization rate of their fleet, which are critical factors in an industry where margins are often tight and operational efficiency is paramount.

This article showcases the Most Critical 9 KPIs for Shipping and Associated Benchmarks.

1. Turnaround Time

Turnaround Time (TAT) is a critical KPI that measures the efficiency of operational processes, influencing cash flow and customer satisfaction.

A shorter TAT often correlates with improved financial health and enhanced customer loyalty, while prolonged times can indicate inefficiencies that erode profitability. Organizations that prioritize TAT can expect to see better ROI metrics, as they align resources more effectively to meet demand.

By leveraging data-driven decision-making, companies can pinpoint bottlenecks and implement strategies to enhance performance. Learn more about the Turnaround Time KPI.

View Common Pitfalls
View Improvement Levers

We have 12 benchmarks for this KPI available in our database.

View Turnaround Time Benchmarks

What is the standard formula?
Sum of Individual Ship Turnaround Times / Total Number of Ship Movements


Related KPI Categories

2. Safety Incident Rate

Safety Incident Rate is a critical KPI that measures the frequency of workplace accidents, directly impacting employee well-being and operational efficiency.

High incident rates can lead to increased insurance costs, regulatory scrutiny, and diminished employee morale. Conversely, lower rates indicate effective safety protocols and a culture of care, enhancing organizational reputation.

Companies with strong safety records often experience lower turnover and higher productivity, ultimately improving financial health. Learn more about the Safety Incident Rate KPI.

View Common Pitfalls
View Improvement Levers

We have 4 benchmarks for this KPI available in our database.

View Safety Incident Rate Benchmarks

3. Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR)

Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR) serves as a critical performance indicator for workplace safety, directly influencing employee well-being and operational efficiency.

High LTIFR values indicate potential safety failures, leading to increased costs and decreased productivity. Conversely, low LTIFR reflects a strong safety culture, which can enhance employee morale and retention.

Organizations that prioritize safety often see improved financial health and reduced insurance premiums. Learn more about the Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR) KPI.

View Common Pitfalls
View Improvement Levers

We have 8 benchmarks for this KPI available in our database.

View Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR) Benchmarks

What is the standard formula?
(Number of Lost-Time Injuries * 1,000,000) / Total Man-Hours Worked


Related KPI Categories

4. Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT)

Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) is a critical performance indicator that gauges customer perceptions of service quality.

High CSAT scores correlate with customer loyalty, repeat purchases, and positive word-of-mouth, directly impacting revenue growth. Organizations that prioritize CSAT can enhance operational efficiency and drive strategic alignment across departments.

By embedding CSAT into their KPI framework, executives can make data-driven decisions that improve customer experiences. Learn more about the Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) KPI.

View Common Pitfalls
View Improvement Levers

We have 7 benchmarks for this KPI available in our database.

View Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) Benchmarks

5. Customer Retention Rate

Customer Retention Rate (CRR) is a critical performance indicator that reflects the ability of a business to retain customers over a specific period.

High CRR correlates with increased customer loyalty, reduced churn, and improved profitability. By focusing on this metric, organizations can enhance operational efficiency and drive sustainable growth.

A robust CRR can also lead to better forecasting accuracy and more effective resource allocation. Learn more about the Customer Retention Rate KPI.

View Common Pitfalls
View Improvement Levers

We have 8 benchmarks for this KPI available in our database.

View Customer Retention Rate Benchmarks

What is the standard formula?
((Number of Customers at End of Period - New Customers) / Number of Customers at Start of Period) * 100


Related KPI Categories

Accounts Receivable Advertising Advertising & Marketing Services Aerospace & Defense Alcoholic Beverages Art & Collectibles View All

6. Regulatory Compliance Rate

Regulatory Compliance Rate is a critical KPI that reflects an organization's adherence to laws and regulations, impacting financial health and operational efficiency.

High compliance rates can lead to reduced legal risks, improved brand reputation, and enhanced customer trust. Conversely, low rates may indicate potential liabilities and operational weaknesses.

Organizations that prioritize compliance often see better strategic alignment and improved business outcomes. Learn more about the Regulatory Compliance Rate KPI.

View Common Pitfalls
View Improvement Levers

We have 1 benchmark for this KPI available in our database.

View Regulatory Compliance Rate Benchmarks

7. Supplier Performance Index

The Supplier Performance Index (SPI) is a critical KPI that assesses supplier efficiency and reliability, directly impacting operational efficiency and cost control metrics.

High SPI values correlate with timely deliveries and quality products, fostering stronger supplier relationships. Conversely, low SPI values can indicate potential disruptions in the supply chain, leading to increased costs and project delays.

Companies leveraging SPI effectively can enhance their strategic alignment with suppliers, ultimately driving better financial health and ROI metrics. Learn more about the Supplier Performance Index KPI.

View Common Pitfalls
View Improvement Levers

We have 1 benchmark for this KPI available in our database.

View Supplier Performance Index Benchmarks

What is the standard formula?
Average Score from Supplier Performance Metrics


Related KPI Categories

8. Channel Partner Satisfaction

Channel Partner Satisfaction serves as a critical performance indicator for assessing the health of business relationships.

High satisfaction levels correlate with increased loyalty, repeat business, and improved financial health. Conversely, low satisfaction can lead to churn and negatively impact revenue streams.

Organizations leveraging this KPI can make data-driven decisions to enhance partner engagement and streamline operations. Learn more about the Channel Partner Satisfaction KPI.

View Common Pitfalls
View Improvement Levers

We have 4 benchmarks for this KPI available in our database.

View Channel Partner Satisfaction Benchmarks

What is the standard formula?
Average Satisfaction Score from Partner Surveys


Related KPI Categories

9. Supply Chain Resilience

Supply Chain Resilience is crucial for maintaining operational efficiency and ensuring business continuity during disruptions.

It directly influences inventory management, customer satisfaction, and overall financial health. A resilient supply chain allows organizations to adapt quickly to market changes, minimizing risks associated with delays or shortages.

Companies that excel in this KPI often achieve better forecasting accuracy and improved ROI metrics. Learn more about the Supply Chain Resilience KPI.

View Common Pitfalls
View Improvement Levers

We have 7 benchmarks for this KPI available in our database.

View Supply Chain Resilience Benchmarks


These 9 Shipping KPIs were selected to provide a balanced view of operational efficiency, safety, customer experience, and compliance. They span leading indicators like Safety Incident Rate and Supplier Performance Index, alongside lagging metrics such as Customer Retention Rate and Regulatory Compliance Rate. This set captures both internal process health and external stakeholder satisfaction, ensuring comprehensive performance management for the Shipping group.

Track Turnaround Time alongside Supply Chain Resilience to identify bottlenecks—rising Turnaround Time with increasing Recovery Time signals fragile operations. Monitor Safety Incident Rate in parallel with Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR); divergence between these indicates underreporting or inconsistent safety protocols. Compare Customer Satisfaction Score with Customer Retention Rate—declining retention despite stable satisfaction suggests issues beyond frontline service, such as pricing or contract terms.

Prioritize implementing Turnaround Time and Safety Incident Rate first, as these metrics rely on readily available operational data and reveal immediate risks to efficiency and workforce safety. Follow with Customer Satisfaction Score to capture external feedback and then Customer Retention Rate to measure long-term impact. The full Shipping KPI set, with detailed formulas and benchmarks, is available in the KPI Depot database.

Subscribe for Full Access to KPI Depot
Unlock smarter decisions with instant access to 20,000+ KPIs and 30,000+ benchmarks. Only $499/year.


Subscribe Today for Only $499


Related Best Practices


These best practice documents below are available for individual purchase from Flevy , the largest knowledge base of business frameworks, templates, and financial models available online.


KPI Depot takes you from KPI intelligence to finished deliverable. Consultants, strategy teams, FP&A leaders, and analytics teams use it to answer the two hardest questions in performance management, what to measure and what the target should be, and then to produce the scorecard itself.

The difference is intelligence, not just data. Anyone can list metrics. Every KPI in KPI Depot carries 13 practical attributes, from formula and measurement approach to diagnostic questions, risk warnings, and Balanced Scorecard perspective, across 15 corporate functions and 153 industries. And every target you set is grounded in our database of 34,304 source-attributed benchmarks, each detailing metric value, company size, time period, industry, geography, sample size, and source. Benchmark data at this scale is otherwise the domain of research services costing thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars per year.

When your metrics are selected, KPI Depot finishes the job: export an interactive Strategy Map, a Balanced Scorecard with formulas and tracking columns, or a CSV KPI pack, and go from research to working deliverable in hours instead of weeks.

Formerly the Flevy KPI Library, KPI Depot is trusted by teams at organizations including Accenture, EY, IBM, PepsiCo, Samsung, and Vodafone.

Got a question? Email us at [email protected].



Each KPI in our knowledge base includes 13 attributes.

KPI Definition

A clear explanation of what the KPI measures

Potential Business Insights

The typical business insights we expect to gain through the tracking of this KPI

Measurement Approach

An outline of the approach or process followed to measure this KPI

Standard Formula

The standard formula organizations use to calculate this KPI

Trend Analysis

Insights into how the KPI tends to evolve over time and what trends could indicate positive or negative performance shifts

Diagnostic Questions

Questions to ask to better understand your current position is for the KPI and how it can improve

Actionable Tips

Practical, actionable tips for improving the KPI, which might involve operational changes, strategic shifts, or tactical actions

Visualization Suggestions

Recommended charts or graphs that best represent the trends and patterns around the KPI for more effective reporting and decision-making

Risk Warnings

Potential risks or warnings signs that could indicate underlying issues that require immediate attention

Tools & Technologies

Suggested tools, technologies, and software that can help in tracking and analyzing the KPI more effectively

Integration Points

How the KPI can be integrated with other business systems and processes for holistic strategic performance management

Change Impact

Explanation of how changes in the KPI can impact other KPIs and what kind of changes can be expected

BSC Perspective

NEW Mapping to a Balanced Scorecard perspective (financial, customer, internal process, learning & growth)


Compare Our Plans


FAQs about KPI Depot


What does unlimited web access mean?

Our complete KPI and benchmark database is viewable online. Unlimited web access means you can browse as much of our online KPI and benchmark database as you'd like, with no limitations or restrictions (e.g. certain number of views per month). You are only restricted on the quantity of CSV downloads (see questions below).

What's the difference between the Basic and Pro plans?

Both plans include unlimited web access to the full KPI database and benchmark database, interactive Strategy Maps for every KPI group, and 2,000+ OKR examples.

The Basic plan includes 5 CSV downloads per month and is designed for individual research use.

The Pro plan includes 20 CSV downloads per month and unlocks the full deliverable workflow: save your customized Strategy Maps and export them as Balanced Scorecard CSV templates, complete with KPI names, formulas, monthly tracking columns, and links to benchmark data. Open the export in Excel and start tracking immediately.

Can I try the interactive Strategy Map before subscribing?

Yes. Every KPI group includes an interactive Strategy Map that anyone can open, no subscription required. You can add, remove, and rearrange KPIs across the 4 Balanced Scorecard perspectives (Financial, Customer, Internal Process, and Learning & Growth) to build a map tailored to your organization.

Saving your customized map and exporting it as a Balanced Scorecard CSV template are Pro plan features. To help you turn that CSV into a polished, ready-to-track scorecard, we also offer 5 free Balanced Scorecard Excel templates that pair with your export.

Can I download KPI group data as a CSV?

Yes. You can download a complete KPI group (which includes all inclusive KPIs and respective attribute data) as a CSV file. To gain a better sense of the KPI data included, you can download a sample CSV file here.

Can I download benchmark data as a CSV?

Yes. On individual KPI pages, you can download all available benchmarks for that KPI as a CSV file. To gain a better sense of the benchmark data included, you can download a sample CSV file here.

Each CSV download, whether for a KPI group or for benchmarks, consumes 1 of your monthly CSV download credits.

What if I need more CSV downloads in a month?

You can purchase additional download credits at any time: $8 each on the Basic plan, $5 each on the Pro plan. Credits never interrupt your workflow, so you'll never be locked out of a download you need mid-project.

How does KPI Depot pricing compare to other benchmark data sources?

Benchmark data is traditionally expensive. Subscription research and advisory services typically run $2,400 to $70,000+ per year, and a single benchmarking assessment can cost $5,000 at nonmember rates. Compiling benchmarks yourself from public sources takes weeks of analyst time per project.

KPI Depot includes unlimited web access to all 35,625 source-attributed benchmarks on every plan, starting at $499 per year. Each benchmark documents its source, company size, time period, industry, geography, and sample size, so your targets hold up under scrutiny.

Can I cancel at any time?

Yes. You can cancel your subscription at any time. After cancellation, your KPI Depot subscription will remain active until the end of the current billing period.

Do you offer a free trial?

While we don't offer a traditional free trial, we give you plenty of ways to evaluate KPI Depot before subscribing.

You can freely browse all 400+ KPI groups across 15 corporate functions and 150+ industries. For each group, the first 3 KPIs are visible, including KPI documentation attributes (definition, formula, business insights, trend analysis, diagnostics, and more) for the first 2. The remaining KPIs in the group are tabulated on the page as well. This gives you a clear sense of the depth and quality of our KPI data.

You can also open the interactive Strategy Map for any KPI group and customize it yourself: add, remove, and rearrange KPIs across the 4 Balanced Scorecard perspectives. This is the same mapping tool subscribers use, so you can experience the full workflow before deciding (saving and exporting your map requires a Pro subscription).

You can also preview benchmark data on individual KPI pages, where you'll see how benchmarks are structured, including dimensions like geography, company size, industry, and time period.

To see what a subscriber download looks like, you can download a sample KPI group CSV file and a sample benchmark CSV file (see questions above).

Once you subscribe, you unlock full access to the entire KPI database and benchmark database with no viewing limits. We encourage you to explore the platform and see the breadth of coverage firsthand.

What if I can't find a particular set of KPIs?

Please email us at [email protected] if you can't find what you need. Since our database is so vast, sometimes it may be difficult to find what you need. If we discover we don't have what you need, our research team will work on incorporating the missing KPIs. Turnaround time for these situations is typically 1 business week.

Where do you source your benchmark data?

We compile benchmarks from multiple high-quality sources and document the provenance for each metric. Our inputs include:

Each benchmark lists its source attribution and last-updated date where available. We are constantly refreshing our database with new and updated data points.

Do you provide citations or references for the original benchmark source?

Yes. Every benchmark data point includes a full citation and structured context. Where available, we display:

We cite the original publisher and link directly to the source (or an archived link) when possible. Many KPIs have multiple independent benchmarks; each appears as its own entry with its own citation.

What payment methods do you accept?

We accept a comprehensive range of payment methods, including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and various region-specific options, all through Stripe's secure platform. Stripe is our payment processor and is also used by Amazon, Walmart, Target, Apple, and Samsung, reflecting its reliability and widespread trust in the industry.

Are multi-user corporate plans available?

Yes. Please contact us at [email protected] with your specific needs.