Port selection factors by shipping lines: Different perspectives between trunk liners and feeder service providers

The objective is to identify the factors affecting shipping companies’ port choice based on a survey to a sample of shipping companies. Six factors were considered relatively important: local cargo volume; terminal handling charge; berth availability; port location; transshipment volume and feeder network. Exploratory factor and confirmatory factor analyses identified five port choice categories, i.e. advancement/convenience of port; physical/operational ability of port; operational condition of shipping lines; marketability; and port charge. A comparison between the main trunk and feeder service providers indicated that the former face more intense competition than the latter. Moreover, the main haul shipping lines are more sensitive to port cost factors.