A Multicriteria Approach for Ship Bunkering System

Abstract This research aims to enhance maritime fuel supply’s efficiency, safety, and sustainability by advocating for the standardization of bunkering systems in ports. Through the application of Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) and the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), this study assesses three primary bunkering methods: Ship to Ship, Truck to Ship, and Onshore to Ship. The criteria for evaluation encompass safety, economic factors, operational efficiency, technical considerations, and additional relevant aspects. Stakeholder feedback underscores the significance of safety (0.281) and economic (0.274) criteria, eclipsing operational (0.274), technical (0.137), and other factors (0.033) in importance. The findings prominently advocate for the Onshore to Ship method as the superior option for standardization in principal ports, marked by a value of 0.480, with Truck to Ship and Ship to Ship methods trailing in preference. Sensitivity analysis reinforces the stability of this outcome, indicating that adjustments in criteria weightings scarcely affect the overall conclusion, thereby affirming the Onshore to Ship method’s predominance. This method, characterized by a pipeline connecting the jetty to ships, holds considerable potential for both research and practical applications in port logistics.