Int. J. Shipping and Transport Logistics, Vol. 10, No. 4, 2018 377 Copyright © 2018 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd. Benchmarking container port security risks by applying a FIS methodology Dimitrios I. Stavrou* and Nikolaos P. Ventikos National Technical University of Athens, 9 Iroon Polytechniou str., Zografou 15773, Greece Email: dstaurou@gmail.com Email: niven@deslab.ntua.gr *Corresponding author Zaili L. Yang Liverpool Logistics, Offshore and Marine Research Institute, Liverpool John Moores University, James Parsons Building, Byrom Street, Liverpool, L3 3AF, UK Email: Z.Yang@ljmu.ac.uk Abstract: This paper presents a fuzzy inference approach to estimate the security level of a port in a manner that it provides essential information to the stakeholders when evaluating security risks under uncertainty. A fuzzy inference system (FIS) methodology is developed on account to four predefined security factors. A team of experts is used to rank and survey potential port security risks whereas the experts’ ordinal preferences were combined using the Cook and Seiford method to come up with a consensus risks’ ranking. To validate the model, results are compared with those from an established fuzzy evidential reasoning approach given the same security risk inputs. The verified FIS can provide useful insights for security analysts to conduct security risk quantification under high uncertainty in data in the maritime sector as well as a wider range of other industries (e.g., aerospace and process) facing high terrorism threats with appropriate tailor and adaptation. Keywords: maritime; port safety; port security; fuzzy inference system; FIS; International Ship and Port Facility Security; ISPS; risk assessment. Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Stavrou, D.I., Ventikos, N.P. and Yang, Z.L. (2018) ‘Benchmarking container port security risks by applying a FIS methodology’, Int. J. Shipping and Transport Logistics, Vol. 10, No. 4, pp.377–405. Biographical notes: Dimitrios I. Stavrou is currently a Superintendent Engineer in a shipping company. He has been retired from the Hellenic Navy as a Lieut. Commander Officer after serving for approximately 23 years. He is also a Naval Architecture and Marine Engineer by the NTUA, Greece. He has published more than 20 technical papers on safety and risk analysis/assessment of maritime activities, human factor, multi-criteria analysis and decision support systems. He also has study STS transfer of cargo operations and associated issues. During his PhD studies, he was supported by the ‘IKY fellowships of excellence for postgraduate studies in Greece-Siemens program’.