Prioritizing resilience-oriented ESG competencies for port managerial and professional roles: a hybrid MCDM case study of Ningbo-Zhoushan Port

Abstract

Global shipping networks are facing systemic shocks, including climate volatility, decarbonization pressure, geopolitical disruption, and supply-chain volatility. These pressures require port organizations to strengthen resilience-oriented governance while advancing Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) implementation. Rather than measuring employee proficiency or port-level resilience outcomes, this study prioritizes ESG-related competencies considered important for port managerial and professional roles. We developed a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) framework informed by a one-round structured importance-rating survey completed by 44 retained managerial and professional respondents from Ningbo Zhoushan Port Group. A Multidimensional Optimization Model (MDOM) based on the Lagrange Multiplier Method (LMM) was used to combine respondent-derived and entropy-based weights under a stated optimization rule. TOPSIS was used for an illustrative comparison of three author-constructed hypothetical competency scenarios. Systemic risk foresight received the highest final weight among the 20 indicators. The study provides a respondent-prioritized competency framework and demonstrates how the prioritized indicators can inform illustrative decision-support scenarios for port managerial and professional roles.