The container shipping industry plays a vital role in the world’s economy. World container throughput reached 171 million TEUs in 2014 accounting for more than 85 per cent of total world trade output (UNCTAD, 2015). It helps to facilitate the seamless movement of containerized cargoes on regularly scheduled service routes connecting countries, markets, businesses and people on a global scale. As nations become more interdependent on each other for goods and services, the container shipping industry is a crucial link generating choices, improving economies and creating employment. However, container shipping companies compete aggressively to survive in a highly volatile environment through a lowcost pricing structure with good service quality with little distinction in the types of services it provides (Lu et al., 2009). As a result, companies constantly look for ways to differentiate itself from their competitors through operations management and strategy, organizational management and human resources management. Developing a well-structured motivation system is crucial for organizations to retain talent and to enable employees to produce the maximum benefits for the organizations (Al-Alawi, 2005). An organization’s motivation system will directly affect employees’ efficiency, morale and job satisfaction (Parsons and Broadbridge, 2006). In addition, a developed motivation system to improve employees’ job satisfaction has a positive impact on organizational performance (Analoui, 1999). In container shipping, shore-based personnel perform a variety of important functions, especially sales and marketing, which contributes to overall organizational performance. These tasks require employees to be motivated to achieve intended targets. To the author’s knowledge, few empirical studies have discussed the relationships between organizational motivation on job satisfaction and organizational performance in the shipping industry. Talley (2013) summarized the different topics that has been research in the maritime academic field. Much focused has been placed on shipping performance/management with a growing emphasis on environmental protection. Accordingly, the objectives of this research are to examine the effect of organizational motivation on job satisfaction and their effects on organizational performance in container shipping firms in Taiwan. The following section provides a theoretical background on, organizational motivation, job satisfaction and organizational performance and suggests three hypotheses. It then describes the methodological approach to the research issues. The fourth section presents the results and findings of the survey. Conclusions are drawn from the analyses and strategic implications for container shipping companies are discussed in the final section.