Tools of Quality in Determining the Characteristics of Services in Maritime Passenger Transport

Abstract

The essential purpose of this paper is to show how the tools of quality traditionally used in production processes can be efficiently applied to determining the characteristics of services in maritime passenger transport. Defining the characteristics of services in maritime passenger transport is the key to shipping company’s performance and raising competitive advantages of the overall sea-borne passenger traffic on maritime markets. The paper is based on the application of the QFD (quality function deployment) method and the Ishikawa diagram as an auxiliary tool in the implementation of the QFD method. The insights achieved in this paper can assist the managers of shipping companies in enhancing the existing and the introduction of new competitive services in maritime passenger transport.