Location Selection of an LNG Bunkering Port in Korea

Purpose - The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has promulgated strict regulations on emissions in the maritime shipping industry. LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) is, therefore, recognized as the optimal fuel alternative solution. The aim of this study is to select the most suitable location for an LNG bunkering port. This is formulated as a multiple-criteria ranking problem regarding four candidate ports in South Korea: the ports of Busan, Gwangyang, Incheon, and Ulsan. Design/Methodology/approach - An analysis employing the Consistent Fuzzy Preference Relation (CFPR) methodology is carried out, and the multiple-criteria evaluation of various factors influencing the location selection, such as the average loading speed of LNG, the number of total ships, the distance of the bunkering shuttle, and the degree of safety is performed. Then, based on the combination of both the collected real data and experts’ preferences, the final ranking of the four ports is formulated. Findings - The port of Busan ranks first, followed by the ports of Gwangyang and Ulsan, with the port of Incheon last on the list. Originality/value - The Korean government could proceed with a clear vision of the candidate ports’ ranking in terms of the LNG bunkering terminal selection problem.