To operate a dry port effectively and efficiently, strengthening the competitiveness of dry ports could be the key to bring notable improvements during operational activities and to increase the attraction of dry ports. This paper aims to discover the prioritization of the influential determinants of dry port competitiveness in the north and the south of Vietnam through an analysis based on expert judgments and customer evaluations. With a comprehensive literature review of previous studies equal to investigation results gained from several intensive interviews, many variables are adopted as potential factors that may enhance the competitiveness of dry ports in Vietnam. Through the AHP and IPA approach, this study sketches several development strategies for dry ports and provides important insights for governments by encouraging and supporting policies for the proper operation of dry ports. In the AHP analysis, cost was found to be the most important factor to improve dry port development in Vietnam, and transportation connectivity and cost are more prioritized in the north, with the remaining important determinants for dry port competitiveness receiving more attention in the south of Vietnam.

Along with the drastic competition among ports, the strive for the vast economic hinterland and the supply of goods have become strategic problems for port operators. At the same time, port enterprises are paying more and more attention to the construction of dry ports. This article establishes the port cooperation performance evaluation index based on the balanced score card method and uses the grey relational degree method to evaluate the cooperation performance between seaports and dry ports. Finally using Qingdao port and Xi'an port as an example, and Zhengzhou port and Lanzhou port as benchmarks, the application of this evaluation method is introduced in detail. The conclusion reveals that cooperation between Qingdao port and Xi'an port has deficiencies in customer satisfaction, financial cooperation and non-market tools. Alongside this, the author proposes related issues about information management in the supply chain, competition position and the scope of hinterland. This article, combined with the related theory of supply chain and performance evaluation, puts forward a set of relatively complete cooperation performance evaluations between seaports and dry ports, which provide scientific theory support for better cooperation.

This analysis was aimed at analyzing the proposed inland dry port projects in Malawi to decide which of them is a priority project. This Analysis used Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) analysis method. It involved four alternatives and five criteria elements. According to this analysis, Nsanje project is the most priority inland dry port project with 31% priority score. The second one is Mbamba Bay project with 25% priority score. Followed by Liwonde project with 24% priority score and finally Chilumba project with 18% priority score. Criteria wise, proximity to major ports is the most priority criterion with a 29% score. Payback period and economic benefit was second important criteria with a 22% score. Bilateral and regional support is the third important criterion with an 18% score. Room for expansion and future demand had a 16% score hence being the fourth important criterion. Environmental considerations had a 15% score being the fifth important criterion. The government of Malawi should prioritize the alternatives and consider the criteria elements in the order of importance as stated and recommended in this analysis. There is also need for partnership with Korean government and companies on financing, design and development of these ports.