The identification of key success factors for interstate Ro-Ro short sea shipping in Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines: a Delphi approach

Abstract

This paper aims to identify key success factors for interstate roll-on-roll-off (Ro-Ro) short sea shipping (SSS) operations in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA). Although the literature has addressed a plethora of important factors, the identification of the key success factors for SSS operations is expected to inform respective stakeholders to focus their limited resources on several key determinants. The initial step in this research design involved the identification of relevant factors that have contributed towards a viable SSS operation through a literature review. However, the breath of literature on SSS outside Europe and North America, which may differ in the required variables for a successful SSS operation, is still limited. Hence, a Delphi survey has been conducted with sub-regional SSS experts to identify any new factors and assess their opinions on the relative importance of all the factors involved. This study concludes with the identification of eight key success factors peculiar to the sub-region. Due to the limited number of SSS research outside Europe and North America, this study is expected to contribute to the development of new knowledge in the realm of SSS and stimulate similar research in other corridors.