Evaluating the Competitiveness of Container Terminals in Northern Vietnam from perspective of shipping lines

Evaluating the Competitiveness of Container Terminals in Northern Vietnam from perspective of shipping lines

Purpose : Through an empirical analysis of container terminals in Northern Vietnam, the research aims to provide insights into the competitiveness of container terminals from perspective of shipping lines which are strategically important customers that are increasing bargaining power to decide for a specific a port or terminal of call. Research design, data, methodology : To achieve the study’s objective, surveys relating to shipping lines’perception was conducted in Northern Vietnam and a hybrid of Delphi-Fuzzy-Importance Performance Analysis (IPA) methodology was applied. Results : The results demonstrated that as making decision for terminal selection, shipping lines pay more attention to “natural factors” and “berth depth”, followed by “max L.O.A restriction at berth”, “maximum size of vessel accepted”, “congestion”, and “customs regulation”. Cost considerations are the least concerned in the criteria. Conclusions : Acknowledging the competiveness of container terminals from shipping lines’ perspective to satisfy customers is paramount importance. Basing on findings of the paper, some important implications for both academic and managerial viewpoints are suggested.