Mitigation or adaptation? Unveiling the temporal scenario-based priorities of port climate resilience strategies using fuzzy Dombi-Bonferroni best-worst method

Purpose This study aims to prioritize Port Climate Resilience Strategies (PCRSs) by integrating a time-horizon perspective (short-term vs. long-term) to distinguish between Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation, addressing the strategic trade-offs often overlooked in existing literature. Design/methodology/approach The Fuzzy Dombi-Bonferroni Best-Worst Method (FDB-BWM) was employed as a flexible aggregation framework to prioritize PCRSs based on the judgments of nine experts from the maritime sector in the Republic of Korea. Findings The results indicate an overall preference for mitigation strategies over adaptation strategies. Long-term mitigation receives the highest priority, followed by short-term mitigation. In contrast, adaptation strategies exhibit a temporal reversal, with short-term adaptation receiving higher priority than long-term adaptation. At the sub-criteria level, long-term emission reduction commitment and future fuel transition rank highest, while contingency planning dominates short-term adaptation priorities. Sensitivity analysis suggests that the prioritization results are generally consistent across parameter settings. Practical implications The findings suggest that port authorities should adopt explicit net-zero pathways to guide long-term infrastructure decisions while enhancing operational readiness through contingency planning for immediate continuity. Policymakers are advised to promote a shift toward long-term structural planning to prevent underinvestment in physical resilience. Furthermore, authorities should maintain strategic flexibility amid dynamic resource constraints by balancing immediate operational expenditures with sustained low-cost pre-investment planning for long-term capital investments. Originality/value This study is among the first to integrate a time-horizon perspective into the prioritization of port climate resilience strategies. It also extends the application of the FDB-BWM to the port resilience and climate strategy domain.