Use of the Fuzzy AHP Method to Evaluate Key Factors Influencing New Cross-Strait Shuttle Shipping Routes

Abstract

AbstractSince the volume of trade between second- and third-line cities and ports in China and Taiwan is growing steadily, ensuring the availability of shuttle shipping service within the current hub-and-spoke system has become the shared goal of government, carriers, and cargo owners. In the form of an increasingly competitive cross-strait shipping market, what key factors should carriers consider when developing a new shuttle shipping route? Hence, the main purpose of this paper was to apply the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) approach to evaluate key factors influencing new cross-strait shuttle shipping routes. Based on the literature and experts’ opinions, a hierarchical structure with 4 assessment aspects and 15 assessment factors was first constructed, and a FAHP algorithm model was then proposed. Finally, based on the AHP experts’ questionnaires, we used the FAHP approach to evaluate the key factors. The results showed that (1) competitive port features is the most important aspect influencing new cross-strait shuttle shipping routes for ocean carriers and (2) in order of relative importance, the top five key factors influencing new cross-strait shuttle shipping routes for ocean carriers are wharf service facilities, convenient customs clearance and administrative procedures, superior natural geographical location, computer software and hardware facilities, and adequate hinterland and cargo sources, respectively. Furthermore, some discussions and recommendations are provided in this article.