Chapter 2
The Determinants for Successful Ferry
Operation: A Delphi Study at Penang
Port, Malaysia
Amayrol Zakaria, Aminuddin Md Arof, and Ain Nur Najwa Nor Sabinja
Abstract Ferry passenger vessels have been used as a sea transportation that were
designed to carry passengers from one place to another place. The focus of this
research is on the Penang port. This transportation system is an alternative conveyance
to transport people to both sides, i.e., mainland and the island. The dissatisfaction
of passengers with the service had been immense, and no sign of improvements
by the ferry organization at Penang port has been discovered. Thus, this research
aims to investigate the key for a successful operation of the ferry passenger vessel at
Penang port and to determine the relationship between key factors toward a successful
ferry operation at Penang port. The purposive sampling method is used, and seven
competent expertise and experienced respondents in the maritime sector at the Penang
port have been contributed to this research. A Delphi survey has been conducted for
this research to identify any key factors and access their opinion on the relationship
of all key factors involved. Two rounds of the Delphi questionnaire survey have been
used as a research instrument with the Likert scale. In conclusion, the finding revealed
that the key factors that have been analyzed play an important role in realizing the
successful ferry operation at the Penang port.
Keywords Sea transportation · Ferry passenger vessel · Research instrument ·
Likert scale · Delphi
A. Zakaria (B) · A. M. Arof · A. N. N. N. Sabinja
Malaysian Institute of Marine Engineering Technology,
Universiti Kuala Lumpur, Lumut, Perak, Malaysia
e-mail: amayrol@unikl.edu.my
A. M. Arof
e-mail: aminuddin@unikl.edu.my
A. N. N. N. Sabinja
e-mail: ainnajwa5a@gmail.com
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
A. Ismail et al. (eds.), Advanced Engineering for Processes and Technologies II,
Advanced Structured Materials 147,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-67307-9_2
13
The Determinants for Successful Ferry
Operation: A Delphi Study at Penang
Port, Malaysia
Amayrol Zakaria, Aminuddin Md Arof, and Ain Nur Najwa Nor Sabinja
Abstract Ferry passenger vessels have been used as a sea transportation that were
designed to carry passengers from one place to another place. The focus of this
research is on the Penang port. This transportation system is an alternative conveyance
to transport people to both sides, i.e., mainland and the island. The dissatisfaction
of passengers with the service had been immense, and no sign of improvements
by the ferry organization at Penang port has been discovered. Thus, this research
aims to investigate the key for a successful operation of the ferry passenger vessel at
Penang port and to determine the relationship between key factors toward a successful
ferry operation at Penang port. The purposive sampling method is used, and seven
competent expertise and experienced respondents in the maritime sector at the Penang
port have been contributed to this research. A Delphi survey has been conducted for
this research to identify any key factors and access their opinion on the relationship
of all key factors involved. Two rounds of the Delphi questionnaire survey have been
used as a research instrument with the Likert scale. In conclusion, the finding revealed
that the key factors that have been analyzed play an important role in realizing the
successful ferry operation at the Penang port.
Keywords Sea transportation · Ferry passenger vessel · Research instrument ·
Likert scale · Delphi
A. Zakaria (B) · A. M. Arof · A. N. N. N. Sabinja
Malaysian Institute of Marine Engineering Technology,
Universiti Kuala Lumpur, Lumut, Perak, Malaysia
e-mail: amayrol@unikl.edu.my
A. M. Arof
e-mail: aminuddin@unikl.edu.my
A. N. N. N. Sabinja
e-mail: ainnajwa5a@gmail.com
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
A. Ismail et al. (eds.), Advanced Engineering for Processes and Technologies II,
Advanced Structured Materials 147,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-67307-9_2
13