This empirical paper identifies the critical factors influencing ocean container carriers' selection and examines the impact of the influential factors on the competitiveness of ocean carriers from the freight forwarders' perspectives. Data for the study was collected from 105 freight forwarding organisations. The significant factors influencing the competitiveness of ocean carriers were identified using structural equation modelling. Results indicated that the factors affecting the competitiveness of ocean carriers are schedule reliability, document accuracy, service quality, freight rate, door-to-door service and environment. This paper also proposes a model that shows the direct effects of the influential factors on the competitiveness of the ocean carriers. The model validates the competitiveness of ocean carriers from the freight forwarders' perspective. The understanding of these factors is paramount to the liner shipping companies because it shall enable the liner shipping companies to formulate relevant strategies to attract freight forwarders in patronising their shipping services.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Keywords:	competitiveness; ocean container carriers; freight forwarders; influential factors; liner shipping; schedule reliability; document accuracy; service quality; freight rate; door-to-door service; environment; transport logistics; perspective
Research Division:	Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services
Research Group:	Transportation and Freight Services
Research Field:	Transportation and Freight Services not elsewhere classified
Objective Division:	Transport
Objective Group:	Water Transport
Objective Field:	Water Transport not elsewhere classified
UTAS Author:	Fanam, PD (Dr Peter Fanam)
UTAS Author:	Nguyen, H-O (Associate Professor Oanh Nguyen)
UTAS Author:	Cahoon, S (Associate Professor Stephen Cahoon)
ID Code:	131126
Year Published:	2018
Deposited By:	Maritime and Logistics Management
Deposited On:	2019-03-04
Last Modified:	2019-06-20
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