The perception and image of shipping

The image of the shipping industry plays a vital role in developing maritime transport as a major future, sustainable transport alternative. In particular, it is crucial to understand the image the shipping industry has among young people and the anatomy of the concept in order to be able to effectively promote careers in shipping, to cultivate shipping as an attractive labour market and to develop attractive educational programmes. The focus of this paper is the image of the shipping industry. This study reports on the findings of a large-scale survey of the image of shipping- and image-related concepts among upper secondary school pupils in Sweden, Norway and Greece. We define and analyse empirically by means of multivariate statistical analysis the anatomy of the image concept. We identify various image dimensions, estimate how young people rate the shipping industry along these dimensions and estimate their relative importance to young people who are planning their future careers. The results from this study can be used as a base for describing and explaining the images that young people have of the shipping industry. Such knowledge is fundamental for deriving and developing constructive strategies to promote careers in shipping, to adapt shipping to the expectations of young people and to develop creative and relevant educational programmes. Finally, understanding the image of shipping among young people is important not only for the shipping industry, but for other stakeholders as well, such as ship-owners associations, trade associations, labour unions, transport authorities and administrations and policy makers at the national and supra-national level.     

Management and labour in shipping: A role for co-operatives

The employment and management policies of the shipping industry are in legal and administrative confusion. The shipping industry is struggling with an unworkable global governance based on flag state sovereignty and a sanctionless international regulatory regime. Seafarers suffer most from this state of affairs, but so do the shipping industry’s public image. Few co-operatives of maritime workers exist in national or international shipping. A new employment theory is long overdue. Human centred management policies can only attain their full potential through co-operative or mutual associations. This paper describes the application of enlightened and socially conscious management principles to the shipping industry. Seafarers’ co-operatives are the future organisational building blocks of the shipping industry. Co-operatives can rescue maritime workers from developing countries from exploitation and the debilitating effects of casual labour by providing “all in one” seagoing and shore based professional careers. Seafarers’ co-operatives can solve the shipping industry’s maritime training and education problems. The seven universal principles of co-operative management will guide shipping management in setting human centred objectives that command respect of those who come in contact with the shipping industry.     

Competition in ship handling: a study of market turbulence in North European harbour towage

This paper addresses the issues of an increasingly competitive towage industry in Northern European ports. Enhanced competitiveness reflects the trends in the global mobility of capital, labour, enterprise and management within the context of deregulated port markets. Up until the early 1990s, the long term trend in major North European ports had been towards market concentration. Many small towage firms have been taken-over, bought out or merged. Alternatively, a pattern of consortia has emerged with co-operation and market sharing seen as preferable to ruinous competition. A contrasting trend has occurred in the 1990s, with new entrants into hitherto stable markets. In a number of ports Antwerp, Rotterdam, Bremerhaven, Hamburg, Southampton, Thamesport, Bristol Channel new fleets have brought competitive challenge to the incumbent towage fleets. The process of enhanced competitiveness raises questions of safety, reliability, investment and professionalism. The movement towards an openly competitive shipping industry has been in evidence from the 1960s onwards. The momentum of a dynamic shipping industry, with its competitiveness sharpened by the use of global supply factors, has intensified from that period. The movement in European tonnage towards flags of convenience and global labour supplies began in the tanker and bulk carrier markets; more recently this has spread to deep sea liner, short sea and even cabotage trade shipping. The towage industry is the last North European shipping sector to make this transition, following the trends towards port deregulation in the 1990s. From this perspective, this paper considers the impact on the towage market of global mobility and deregulation in North European towage markets the impact of increased competition on the traditional operators and the likely effect on operational towage standards.     

Competition in ship handling: a study of market turbulence in North European harbour towage

This paper addresses the issues of an increasingly competitive towage industry in Northern European ports. Enhanced competitiveness reflects the trends in the global mobility of capital, labour, enterprise and management within the context of deregulated port markets. Up until the early 1990s, the long term trend in major North European ports had been towards market concentration. Many small towage firms have been taken-over, bought out or merged. Alternatively, a pattern of consortia has emerged with co-operation and market sharing seen as preferable to ruinous competition. A contrasting trend has occurred in the 1990s, with new entrants into hitherto stable markets. In a number of ports—Antwerp, Rotterdam, Bremerhaven, Hamburg, Southampton, Thamesport, Bristol Channel—new fleets have brought competitive challenge to the incumbent towage fleets. The process of enhanced competitiveness raises questions of safety, reliability, investment and professionalism. The movement towards an openly competitive shipping industry has been in evidence from the 1960s onwards. The momentum of a dynamic shipping industry, with its competitiveness sharpened by the use of global supply factors, has intensified from that period. The movement in European tonnage towards flags of convenience and global labour supplies began in the tanker and bulk carrier markets; more recently this has spread to deep sea liner, short sea and even cabotage trade shipping. The towage industry is the last North European shipping sector to make this transition, following the trends towards port deregulation in the 1990s. From this perspective, this paper considers the impact on the towage market of global mobility and deregulation in North European towage markets—the impact of increased competition on the traditional operators and the likely effect on operational towage standards.     

Some aspects of cruise ships

Historically there have been only two groups involved in the conflict that has engulfed the US maritime industry for the past fifty years maritime labour unions and shipping companies. The configuration of these groups at different times in this struggle, has led to distinct periods of conflict in the industry. This paper analyses the basis and continuation of the problem.     

Conflict in the US maritime industry: An account of historical cycles

Historically there have been only two groups involved in the conflict that has engulfed the US maritime industry for the past fifty years maritime labour unions and shipping companies. The configuration of these groups at different times in this struggle, has led to distinct periods of conflict in the industry. This paper analyses the basis and continuation of the problem.     

US shipping policy under conditions of a new world economic and political environment

The maritime policy of the US has evolved over more than 100 years from the support of US shipping through mail and fleet auxiliary contracts before the turn of the century, to the present array of direct and indirect Government aids and regulations based on the assumption that a strong maritime industry composed of both US-flag shipping and US-shipbuilding capacity is essential for the economic well-being and defence of the country. Notwithstanding massive direct and indirect aid to the US merchant marine, amounting to well over a billion dollars a year in recent years, US shipping and shipbuilding has declined dramatically and now comprises less than 3% of world shipping. Only 2.8% of US foreign trade by volume and 6% by value is today carried in US flag ships. Government aids constitute well over 33% of total revenues of US-flag shipping.

The traditional argument for US Government support has been the need for cost parity to permit US-flag shipping to compete effectively in international trade against foreign shipping serving the same routes with presumably lower operating costs. This argument is difficult to sustain today, as vessel costs of many other industrialized nations are now about equal to those of US-flag ships.

In 1970 the US enacted a new, vastly more liberal, maritime act for the support of the US maritime industry. Notwithstanding its even more liberal terms and elimination of the strict cost-parity interpretation, the US maritime industry continues its decline. The recent bankruptcy of two old, established subsidized shipping companies has caused tremors in the industry, yet no new ideas, policies, or plans seem to be forthcoming. It is the objective of this paper to study the development and effects of various historic US Government policies relating to the support of the US maritime industry, and evaluate the positions taken by proponents or opponents of the maritime policy leading to the policy development.

The decision processes are studied by evaluating literature on the evolution of Congressional, administration, industry, and labour interest and positions on the issue of Government aid to the maritime industry. The impact and effectiveness of various elements of past and present US maritime policy is evaluated in relation to the stated objectives. The alternatives to these policies are reviewed in the light of the changing US position in international trade, military strategy, and political objectives. In addition the effectiveness of the present and alternative policies is evaluated as it is and will be affected by changing technology in use, composition of ownership, and operations of US-flag shipping and shipbuilding.     

Accessing the global seafaring labour market

As a global labour market exists for international shipping, a challenging issue facing this industry is to get access to reliable, accurate and timely information of seafarers’ demand and supply. Related to the deregulation environment and great variety in the availability and quality of relevant information, an enquiry into the global seafaring labour market is more complex than a national labour force survey. To cope with the challenge, a novel approach has been developed by the Seafarers International Research Centre (SIRC) at Cardiff University. Viewing capital (ship), labour (seafarers) and services (cargo or passengers) as interconnected and interwoven to each other, it collects and analyses crew lists from main ports world-wide, resulting in the creation of the first global seafarers database. The purpose of this paper is explain its methodological principles, and to illustrate its application potential. Taking the cruise sector as an example, research findings and methodological implications are highlighted.     

Factors affecting tanker safety

The major factors influencing tanker safety are discussed. For the discussion information has been gleaned from maritime labour officials, industry experts and a recent United States Coast Guard study on tanker safety. Results of other tanker safety studies and/or accident reports are also utilized. Some of the factors analysed are the size and age of vessel, licence qualifications for mates and engineers and manning levels. Other factors are those related to or attributed to flags of convenience and the pressure to maintain shipping schedules.     

Developments in UK shipping: the tonnage tax

The new UK Government, elected in May 1997, came to power with a commitment to reverse the decline of the UK shipping industry and enhance the employment prospects of UK seafarers. The Government commissioned Lord Alexander of Weedon to investigate the case for a tonnage tax. In this paper, the economic arguments for supporting the UK shipping industry are reviewed. There is some evidence that the UK holds a comparative advantage in world markets in key sectors of the shipping industry and on-shore maritime related activities, but is being undermined by lower foreign taxes. In the absence of government support, the UK shipping industry is likely to continue to decline, and, by further reducing the supply of qualified UK ex-seafarers, put at risk the successful on-shore activities. Various measures that might be used to support a national shipping industry, e.g. a tonnage tax, are considered. The paper concludes by discussing the likely impact of the tonnage tax on the UK's shipping industry.     

Changing policies in Eastern Europe and their impact on the maritime field: experiences from Eastern Germany

The political changes that occured in Eastern Europe from the late 1980s coincided in the fromer German Democratic Republic (GDR) with the reunification of Germany. The economic result was the existence of a split economy in Germany. Within the maritime field the problem had to be solved by a change over of the former GDR's maritime industry from the centrally-planned command type economy as its failure was evident. Three economic factors were identified as the main causes for the failure which made, together with some other negatives, the collapse inevitable. The transition of the East German maritime industry started immediately after reunification. In the maritime field, two different forms of economic transition have been applied. Using the examples of the main shipping company and the seaports the economic transition process has been analyzed and some basic conclusions regarding the substance and methods of economic transition have been drawn.     

The Nigerian shipping industry and indigenous shipping companies

The shipping industry in Nigeria since the early 1990s has been experiencing a continuous disastrous downturn. Nigerian shipping companies' participation in international shipping has continued to be very limited. Their presence and impact is hardly felt in the world's shipping industry. Both the national carriers (that is shipping companies with national carrier status) and other indigenous private shipping companies have vessel as well as management problems. These problems have led to the poor performance of the Nigerian shipping industry for over a decade now. The carriers in the industry are not attaining for the country the gains that are supposed to emanate from shipping. This paper points out the importance of shipping to a nation, identifies the problems the country's shipping companies are facing and proffers solutions that include merging of the companies to have strong financial standing and a competitive edge.     

Developments in UK shipping: the tonnage tax

The new UK Government, elected in May 1997, came to power with a commitment to reverse the decline of the UK shipping industry and enhance the employment prospects of UK seafarers. The Government commissioned Lord Alexander of Weedon to investigate the case for a tonnage tax. In this paper, the economic arguments for supporting the UK shipping industry are reviewed. There is some evidence that the UK holds a comparative advantage in world markets in key sectors of the shipping industry and on-shore maritime related activities, but is being undermined by lower foreign taxes. In the absence of government support, the UK shipping industry is likely to continue to decline, and, by further reducing the supply of qualified UK ex-seafarers, put at risk the successful on-shore activities. Various measures that might be used to support a national shipping industry, e.g. a tonnage tax, are considered. The paper concludes by discussing the likely impact of the tonnage tax on the UK's shipping industry.     

轮船招商局的创立及其在中国近代史中的积极作用

招商局是中国创办最早、历史悠久的航运企业，至今已经渡过了１２５个春秋。招商局的成立使中国的水上运输业从木帆船时代走向机器船时代，实现了中国航海史上的一次重大变革。招商局的成立还打破了帝国主义对中国航运业的垄断，带头在中国走出了一条以招商集股方式，创办大型交通企业的路子。另外，招商局在创办的过程中积极吸收和引进西方先进的管理技术，注重培养中国自己的航运经营管理人才，为提高中国航运事业的技术和管理水平起到了一定的积极作用。     

产业关联度视角下上海港航运业增值税改革研究

在国务院扩大交通运输业营业税改征增值税试点范围之际,对上海港航运业增值税改革进行探讨。分析港航业产业与配套产业关联度,阐述上海港航运业增值税改革的效应。在此基础上提出相关政策建议。     

积极应对全球金融危机的中国海运业现状和发展趋势

回顾了此次金融危机对航运业的巨大影响,重点分析了中国航运业应对危机所采取的措施,探讨了未来航运业的发展趋势。     

后危机时代南通船舶产业发展战略研究

文章分析了在金融危机对我国船舶工业带来巨大冲击的背景下,作为南通市支柱产业的船舶工业的发展现状.重点论述了后危机时代,南通船舶工业保持和提高竞争力,持续发展的具体对策.     

"长三角"区域船舶工业的结构优化研究

随着世界船舶工业的东移,针对目前“长三角”的船舶工业结构中投资规模过大及重复投资,资本密集的大型修造船坞、硬件设施缺乏,低水平的行业内部恶性竞争,结构优化不合理,专业化、特色化的产业链发展格局有待进一步优化,船舶检验质量有待提高等问题,提出“长三角”区域船舶工业合理发展的结构优化建议。     

我国货运保险业的发展策略

大力发展民族航运业、金融业的外部环境已经赋予了货运保险业广阔的发展前景,应充分利用现有资源,抓住机遇,发挥自身优势,迎接挑战,提升民族航运保险业的综合实力,为国家航运、金融业的稳步发展保驾护航。作为连接航运和金融业的服务平台,太平洋财险以其在航运保险方面的雄厚实力率先在业内成立了航运保险事业总部。     

Risk perception affecting the performance of shipping companies: the moderating effect of China and Korea

Risks in the shipping industry have been highlighted and have attracted significant attention, especially following the bankruptcy of Hanjin in 2017. Due to the decrease in container volume, the business environment for large shipping companies in China has deteriorated. Therefore, major large shipping companies have implemented mixed ownership reform, which provides more opportunities for large Korean shipping companies to enter the Chinese shipping industry. This study first identifies risk perception, specifically focusing on the moderating effect of Chinese and Korean shipping companies, and then demonstrates the impact of these risks on shipping company performance. The results show that market, operational, and technical risks have a negative influence on Chinese shipping companies, whereas market, policy, financial, operations, and technical risks have a negative influence on Korean shipping companies. This study contributes to the fundamental understanding of the effect of risk perception on performance among shipping companies in both countries and calls for further research on risk management plans based on the risk factors identified herein. On a practical level, this study provides an important reference for operators and investors who seek to enter strategic alliances or joint venture in Chinese shipping industry.