Selecting optimal humanitarian logistics hub sites under uncertainty: a novel hybrid fuzzy decision-making approach

Purpose This study aims to select the optimal humanitarian logistics hub sites under uncertainty. Design/methodology/approach This study presents a hybrid decision-making framework that integrates the Intuitionistic Fuzzy Step-Wise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (IF-SWARA) and Intuitionistic Fuzzy Measurement Alternatives and Ranking according to Compromise Solution (IF-MARCOS) methods to address this multifaceted problem. The criteria hierarchy was established through a thorough literature review and expert consultation, resulting in 5 main criteria and 20 subcriteria. Among the most influential subcriteria were annual operational cost, proximity to dangerous areas, earthquake risk level and distance to major transportation infrastructure. Expert assessments, captured using linguistic terms within a fuzzy logic environment, enabled nuanced weighting of criteria and objective evaluation of alternatives. Findings The findings highlight that safety and economic considerations overwhelmingly shape optimal site selection, while aspects such as accessibility and infrastructure also play a significant but secondary role. A sensitivity analysis shows stable rankings under weight perturbations. The framework codifies dispersed expert knowledge as machine-readable linguistic information and produces auditable weights, traceable rankings and scenario libraries for enterprise decision support. Research limitations/implications While this study provides a guide to the current decision-making literature and site selection process for cross-border humanitarian logistics hubs, it includes some limitations. Primarily, the evaluation and selection process is based only on expert team opinions, which may introduce subjectivity and limit the objectivity of the outcomes. Thus, this expert team may affect the strength and generalizability of the results to various socio-economic or local contexts. However, this study offers a comprehensive and robust selection process; the application is based on only five alternative locations and does not contain the full range of cross-border humanitarian logistics hubs. Moreover, growing the set of alternative sites or the criteria set will further advance the framework and support more holistic selection in different governments or country backgrounds. Nevertheless, despite these limitations, this study provides a comprehensive and systematic methodology and offers significant insights into the selection process. Originality/value For the first time in the current literature, this study focuses on site selection for cross-border humanitarian logistics hubs. This study selects the most suitable location for cross-border humanitarian logistics hubs using a novel hybrid MCDM approach. A vital and comprehensive criteria set was determined for the assessment of alternative sites. Different from the current literature, this study employs the Intuitionistic Fuzzy Step-Wise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (IF-SWARA) method to calculate the weights of the criteria and integrates it with the Intuitionistic Fuzzy Measurement Alternatives and Ranking according to COmpromise Solution (IF-MARCOS) method to rank the alternative sites. The integration of IF-SWARA and IF-MARCOS methods within a fuzzy framework allows for a more nuanced assessment by effectively addressing uncertainties and difficulties in the decision-making process, setting an effective technique in this investigation extent. The criteria set and linguistic evaluations foreground human needs and institutional realities, thereby aligning the decision model with human-centered AI principles in land use policy. The results are presented in an interpretable, auditable form for public-sector use, supporting transparent policy dialogue with communities and stakeholders.