A multi-criteria decision support framework for assessing seaport sustainability planning: the case of Piraeus

ABSTRACT

Seaports will play a pivotal role in the low-carbon transition of maritime shipping, the policy landscape in which is currently being shaped. In this context, we introduce a multi-criteria decision support framework for seaport sustainability planning, to identify the competitiveness of interventions under uncertainty and evaluate the direction of the sector’s policy context in terms of required actions. The framework, based on the 2-tuple TOPSIS model, heterogeneous variables, and a Monte Carlo robustness analysis, is empirically applied to the port of Piraeus, Greece, to explore the most competitive interventions and their vulnerability to uncertainties. To inform port authorities and policymakers in the sector, we emphasise the added value of selected, inexpensive actions for energy efficiency and hybrid mobility. Furthermore, we find costly and seemingly obligatory actions under current European legislation, like cold ironing and LNG, to be robust and in the right direction if perception of non-financial risks is reduced.

KEYWORDS:

• Seaport sustainability
• maritime shipping
• multiple-criteria decision making
• 2-tuple TOPSIS
• uncertainty
• greenhouse gas emissions

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the H2020 European Commission Project “PARIS REINFORCE”, under grant Agreement No. 820846. The sole responsibility for the content of this paper lies with the authors; the paper does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the European Commission.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. The results of the Monte Carlo iterations are publicly available here: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5120042

2. https://www.elemedproject.eu/

Additional information

Funding

The project, PARIS REINFORCE, is funded by European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No. 820846.