AHP MODEL FOR THE CONTAINER PORT CHOICE IN THE MULTIPLE-PORTS REGION

The port choice in the multiple-ports region is one of important issues in the international trade container transportation system. In order to reduce the total transportation cost, it is very important for shipping carriers to choose an optimal port for callings. The aim of this paper is to construct an Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) model for simulating the behaviors of carriers' port choice and identifying the importance weight of every influential factor influencing carriers' port choices in the multiple-ports region. Finally, the utilization of this proposed AHP model is demonstrated with a case of five shipping companies. By the AHP model, we can obtain the importance weight of every factor influencing the decision-making of carriers' port choices. The findings might be of interest to port managers and government departments of marine transportation. Based on these findings, port managers can further make some useful operation strategies and government departments of marine transportation also can make some important port policies to improve the competitiveness of ports and to attract more containership' callings.

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