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Title: Shipping to a landlocked country: maritime port choice decision from a consignee's perspective

Authors: Andrew Thomas Mlepo; Jianfeng Zheng

Addresses: Transportation Engineering College, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian, 116026, China ' Transportation Engineering College, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian, 116026, China

Abstract: For consignees in resource-constrained landlocked countries, selecting the ideal gateway port for their shipments is an important decision in getting their goods delivered efficiently. Using an example of Malawi, the gateway port selection decision-making process is studied in this paper. Five decision-making criteria are identified and analysed using the analytical hierarchy process (AHP). Besides the initial criteria, other factors supporting the consignees' preference for Dar es Salaam Port are also identified. This study can contribute to stakeholders' decision-making in improving port efficiency, infrastructure development planning, streamlining policies, and service delivery, among others to effectively improve the attractiveness of their ports against existing competition.

Keywords: port selection; analytical hierarchy process; AHP; transportation challenges; group decision-making; landlocked transportation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSTL.2023.128570

International Journal of Shipping and Transport Logistics, 2023 Vol.16 No.1/2, pp.194 - 209

Received: 26 Mar 2022
Accepted: 26 Jul 2022
Published online: 26 Jan 2023 *