Evaluation of liquefied natural gas bunkering port selection

Given environment regulations on emissions from ships, shipping companies have sought alternative fuel ships, such as LNG-powered vessels, which may give rise to growth in liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering ports. Because demand for LNG-powered vessels is expected to increase, it is worth assessing the factors that lead to the selection of LNG bunkering ports in LNG bunkering industries. However, a lack of academic research exists in the field of LNG bunkering port selection. This paper employs a second-stage empirical analysis approach that selects criteria for shipping companies’ selection of a LNG bunkering port through a literature review and interviews, and then adopts a fuzzy-AHP methodology to reveal the priority of the LNG bunkering port selection criteria in LNG bunkering decision making. The results indicate that most shipping companies decide on a LNG bunkering port with a stronger emphasis on safety/security or port services rather than port reputation. This paper offers invaluable policy implications for governments and port authorities that plan to build and operate LNG bunkering ports in the near future.