Ulsan port which is one of four major liquid port in the world, has had an important role in national economy, yet comparing with other ports, it lacks its competitiveness since inconvenience of using port's facilities and higher maintenance cost of t...
Ulsan port which is one of four major liquid port in the world, has had an important role in national economy, yet comparing with other ports, it lacks its competitiveness since inconvenience of using port's facilities and higher maintenance cost of the facilities than others. However, considering the movement of the world economic center area to Northeast Asia by high growth of Chinese economy and factors of global circumstance which include geographical advantage of the shortest distance, allows Ulsan port is necessarily considered the direction of development which can improve it to a competitive distribution base for Northeast Asia.
The purpose of this study is to suggest the strategic development plan for Ulsan port through identifying 20 detailed evaluation attributes both from previous studies and brainstorming professionals in the port industry. These attributes have been classified into 3 levels of hierarchial structure. By utilizing the SWOT/AHP techniques, the structure has been analyzed, which in turn was used as the basis for assigning the relative importance of each level and the final order of priority on the detailed attributes of SWOT groups. AHP method identified the relative weight of SWOT level as strength(0.332), opportunity(0.262), threat(0.257) and weakness(0.150), also the most important factors are the advantage of handling of Chinese goods (0.271) in Strength Factor, the ineffectiveness of port management with enclosed dock method(0.265) in Weakness Factor, the contiguity of North China region(0.236) in Opportunity Factor and the competition with Pyeongtaek Port(0.256) in Threat Factor. AHP the result of total importance of evaluation factors and details, the overall inconsistency index of hierarchical structure is lower than 0.1 that proves the result has relative consistency.
As a result, the study suggests S/O strategy, S/T strategy, W/O strategy, W/T strategy as a strategic development plan of Ulsan Port. First of all, S/T strategy is stable growth which includes strengthening cooperation between adjacent harbors, tightening up the function of the harbor and the reinforcement of marketing. S/O strategy can be an enlargement plan by attraction global distribution business, energizing of Sea & Air modalism and vitalizing the coastal transportation. Besides, W/T strategy is minimizing measure which contains improvement of clusters of harbor distribution industry, promotion the training of experts and quality of port service. Lastly, W/O strategy is supplementation of harbor infrastructure which insists establishing of logistics infrastructures, expansion of transportation links and setting up feeder network. In summary, from forward measures, this study concludes the differentiation strategy is required for future Ulsan Port.