Port Performance Analysis Using Extent Fuzzy AHP Approach

Many methods have been adopted by shipping operators to evaluate, analyze and select ports of calls. Majority of these methods are generally based on evaluating different port performance criteria involved. The ports performance criteria are interrelated and are of a complex nature. Comparison of ports by different evaluation methods provides a basis for implementing operating strategies for port and shipping operators. However, the analyses of qualitative parameters together with quantitative attributes have been under-valued or even neglected in many of the previous studies. An Extent Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (E-Fuzzy AHP) proposed by this study allows multiple integrated criteria to be analyzed and evaluated. The study also provides a decision support tool based on the principles of E-Fuzzy AHP to rank and introduce the most determining operational attributes for port selection through incorporating the quantitative and the qualitative integrated attributes into three main criteria including port ownership, port connections and relevant data factors for analysis. The concrete basis provided in E-Fuzzy AHP environment has shown that amongst three alternatives nominated, notably, financial, customer, and operation perspectives, the operation perspectives has obtained the highest priority with a ratio of 41%.