A competitive analysis of Chinese container ports using the analytic hierarchy process

Over 20% of the world’s container traffic occurs from Asian ports. China’s entry into the market has significantly stimulated this process. Since China adopted its liberalised economic policy in the 1970s, its economy has grown at an average rate of 10% or more per annum. In particular, the efforts and investments that have been poured into its container ports are conspicuous, since approximately 90% of the country’s international trade (in volume terms) is handled through maritime transport. Chinese ports (especially container ports), however, have a number of problems, such as bureaucratic administration, insufficient facilities, the lack of service and commercial orientation and inefficient operations. This paper aims to identify the competitiveness of container ports in China including Hong Kong from the outsiders’ perspective, using the framework of the Analytic Hierarchy Process, and to provide managerial and strategic implications. As expected, the findings reveal that, in terms of competitiveness, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Yantian rank first, second and third, respectively. © 2004 Palgrave Macmillan Ltd. All rights reserved.