Environmental Performance Evaluation of Intermodal Supply Chains Using the EDAS Method
摘要
Sustainable transport has become the key priority in logistics systems due to growing global concerns about greenhouse gas emissions. This study analyses four intermodal transport alternatives that combine road transport with rail and inland waterways, recognised as the most environmentally friendly modes. The alternatives are evaluated using the multi-criteria decision-making method Evaluation Based on Distance from Average Solution (EDAS), with criteria weights determined by the fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (fuzzy AHP) to address uncertainty in decision-maker preferences. Six sustainability criteria are considered: direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption, noise levels, vibrations, and decarbonisation achieved through adopting electric vehicles and more efficient fuels. The results show that the alternative combining road and rail transport is the most ecologically sustainable, followed by integrating road and inland waterways. The sensitivity analysis confirmed that the rankings remain stable even when accounting for the environmental impact of transshipment operations. These findings support optimisation of intermodal networks, helping freight operators, policymakers, and planners prioritise the most environmentally beneficial mode shifts.