Journal of Optimization and Supply Chain Management

Journal of Optimization and Supply Chain Management

Managing Environmental Risks in Maritime Transport: A Picture Fuzzy FMEA-Based Approach

Document Type : ODSIE 2025

Authors
Department of Industrial Engineering, Engineering Faculty, Karadeniz Technical University, Turkey
Abstract
Objective: Marine pollution caused by ships poses a serious challenge to environmental sustainability, making the prioritization of pollution-related risks under uncertainty critically important. This study aims to systematically prioritize potential environmental risks defined under the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) and to support risk-based decision-making in maritime transport by identifying key operational and safety-related risks.
Methods: MARPOL-related risks were structured using the Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) approach with Occurrence, Severity, and Detectability as evaluation criteria. Expert judgment uncertainty was modeled using Picture Fuzzy sets (PiFSs). Criteria weights were calculated via Picture Fuzzy Stepwise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (PiF-SWARA), and risks were prioritized using Picture Fuzzy Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (PiF-TOPSIS) based on evaluations from five maritime safety and environmental management experts.
Results: The findings show that Severity is the most dominant criterion (0.3431), followed by Detectability (0.3300) and Occurrence (0.3269). The highest-priority risks were identified as marine oil spills, flammability and explosion, documentation deficiencies, ventilation failures, and human-factor–related risks.
Conclusion: The findings demonstrate that integrating FMEA with PiF-SWARA and PiF-TOPSIS enables more reliable prioritization of MARPOL-related environmental risks under uncertainty. The proposed framework provides an effective decision support tool for risk-based auditing, maintenance planning, and policy development, while enhancing proactive environmental risk management and regulatory compliance in the maritime sector.
Keywords
Subjects

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