Title: Application of extended Pythagorean fuzzy TOPSIS method for evaluating smart containers

Authors: Sujan Mondal; Ankita Ray; Sourav Das

Addresses: Department of Management Studies, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600036, India ' Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology, West Bengal, Nadia, 741249, India ' Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology, West Bengal, Nadia, 741249, India

Abstract: Industry 5.0 introduces 'Society 5.0' along with the concept of Industry 4.0 which engages customisation with smart systems and provides smart logistics and supply chain management. As a significant component of smart logistic systems smart containers have gained global attention from academia and industry due to their flexible and traceable features to optimise logistic networks. However, the value-driven complexities of Industry 5.0 make it challenging for users to identify the best smart container. This study addresses this issue by applying an extended Pythagorean fuzzy TOPSIS (PF-TOPSIS) method, an advanced multi-criteria decision-making approach that integrates Pythagorean fuzzy sets to handle uncertainty in evaluating complex criteria. In the application section, five different smart containers are examined based on nine different diverging criteria. PF-TOPSIS method enhances the selection approach by incorporating membership, non-membership and degree of hesitation allowing for a more nuanced evaluation. The outcome shows that the usability and adaptation of decision-making approaches can help the logistics manager make informed choices. Finally, sensitivity analysis is performed to define the robustness of the experimental results. Notably, this study is the first in literature to evaluate smart containers based on Industry 5.0 criteria using extended PF-TOPSIS method.

Keywords: multi-criteria decision-making; MCDM; Industry 5.0; smart container; extended PF-TOPSIS; sensitivity analysis.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSTL.2025.148487

International Journal of Shipping and Transport Logistics, 2025 Vol.21 No.2, pp.261 - 294

Received: 08 Apr 2024
Accepted: 09 Dec 2024
Published online: 08 Sep 2025 *

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