ABSTRACT Yards are precious resource in container terminals. Not only can they provide space for keeping containers, but also directly support the shipside operation. There are lots of factors that influence the selection of yard operation models. For example, capacity related factors have been concerned for terminals that handle huge container traffics. However, terminals that think highly of the punctuality of vessels prefer to use efficient operation models. In addition, how to reduce the pollution while handling containers has also become a hot issue of modern terminals. The aim of this research is to identify these factors by factor analysis. The results of our empirical study reveals that safety, environment protection, cost, efficiency and capacity were identified as five critical factors for selecting yard operation models.