Evaluating the service requirements of dedicated container terminals: a revised IPA model with fuzzy AHP

The purpose of this article is to evaluate the service requirements of dedicated container terminals (DCTs). In this article, the service attributes (SAs) of DCTs were first discussed. A fuzzy analytic hierarchy process model was then constructed to measure the users’ perceived importance and dissatisfaction for each of the SAs. Based on these two measurements, a revised importance-performance analysis model was proposed to identify the SAs that should be improved. To validate the model, the dedicated container terminal of Evergreen Marine Corp. (EMC DCT) at Kaohsiung Port and its users were empirically investigated. With respect to the empirical results, managerial implications of the findings in improving service quality for the EMC DCT are discussed.     

On the beaten track: a view of US West-Coast container port competition

More than a century ago far-sighted railroad builders and steamship operators were seeking the shortest intermodal itineraries between the eastern United States and the Orient. A combination of locational fact and the factual outcomes of 19th century railroad building left Chicago roughly equidistant in railway mileage from what became the four great US West-Coast port complexes in the Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland and Seattle regions. Their nearly equivalent rail access to Chicago and points east has renewed significance in the container era.

This paper concerns the efforts of US Pacific seaboard ports to stay 'on the beaten track' with respect to container shipments between Asia and the eastern United States. The West-Coast ports are transit points dividing the transcontinental and transoceanic segments of long intercontinental journeys. From origins to destinations there are, in fact, many possibly feasible itineraries, including all-water routes.

The West-Coast ports have considerable control over their own site improvements. On the other hand, with respect to transiting container traffic, the ports may influence, but are unlikely to control, their own situations. Since the major container port facilities are very often on long-term lease to large intermodal carriers, the latter are making the important shipping and routeing decisions. The carriers tend in fact to set the tone and level of port competition.

What is the nature of the competition between container ports? Is it a figment of the publicist's imagination and perpetuated by irrelevant statistical boasting? Is it perhaps something forced on the ports by carriers eager to play one port off against another in a 'lowest bid' game? At what geographical scale might port competition be most useful or, maybe, least wasteful?     

A break-even model for evaluating the cost of container ships waiting times and berth unproductive times in automated quayside operations

The planning, design and development of a container terminal with optimum size and capacity and with a minimum capital cost is fundamentally dependent upon the loading and discharging operations at the quayside. The quayside function of container terminals is dependent basically on the number of berths available to service the incoming container ships. The objective of the container terminals dealing and admitting the ongoing ship calls is to provide immediate berth and loading and discharging services to the container ships with a minimum costly waiting time and a maximum efficiency. Previously terminal planners used to build extra berths to provide service. During the last two decades the terminal operators have adopted automation technologies in loading and discharging operation of the container ships as an alternative to designing extra berths. Ship owners naturally expect least waiting times for their container ships. On the other hand, it is also natural for port operators in a container terminal with costly facilities to see a high berth occupancy and productivity at the quayside. This study uses queuing theory to find a break-even point as a way of evaluating the cost of container ship waiting times and the cost of berth unproductive service times for container terminals aiming to automate their quayside operation. The analysis illustrates that automation devices installed on conventional Quayside Cranes (QSCs) significantly reduce the turnaround time of the container ships calling at the ports. It argues, however, that there should be a balance between the cost of berth unproductive service times and the cost of vessel waiting times. The study introduces a break-even point to be considered as a benchmark for calculating such a balance. The analysis in this study can be used as a decision tool for the operators of container terminals in the medium to small ports to appraise the feasibility of an investment in automation or expansion of the quayside facilities.     

Impact of scale increase of container ships on the generalised chain cost

In recent years, an increase in the size of the container ships could be observed. The question is how these larger ships will influence the total generalised costs from a port of loading to a destination in the European hinterland. The second question is whether a scale increase of the container ships on other loops, such as a loop from the United States to Europe, has the same impact on the generalised chain costs as on the loop from Asia to Europe. A derived question is which element of the total chain has the highest importance, and whether this balance varies as the ship size changes. In this article, a model is developed that allows answering the above research questions. The model is designed to simulate the cost of a complete loop of a container ship and of a chain that uses that same loop. For the chain cost simulation, the maritime part is determined by the loop. From the ports of loading and unloading, the port container handling and the hinterland transportation costs are also integrated. The model also allows calculating the total chain cost from a point of origin (either a hinterland region or a port) to a destination point (also a port or a hinterland region). An actual container loop of a container shipping company can be introduced in the model. An application is made to two existing container loops, namely from Asia respectively the United States to Europe. It turns out that changing ship does indeed lead to economies of scale, but also that the impact is larger on the Asia–Europe connection than on the US–Europe connection. Furthermore, the maritime component has the biggest share in the total chain cost, but as ship size increases, the shares start getting closer to each other. This research contributes to the existing literature in two ways. First of all, it quantifies the impact of the scale increase of container ships throughout the total chain. Second, this is done from a bottom-up engineering modelling approach.     

Productivity and returns to scale of container ports

This is an empirical analysis of the performance of the five major container ports of the East Coast of the United States: Boston, New York-New Jersey, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Hampton Roads. The data through 1978 indicate wide disparities in the productivity of these facilities. They also suggest that container ports exhibit significant returns to scale throughout the range of observation, that is up to 15 Mt a Year. These findings indicate that a national policy of developing small ports is not economically attractive, and that specific investments should be made most carefully.     

Canadian container ports: how have they fared? How will they do?

Between 1980 and 1989 container TEUs handled at all world ports increased by a factor of 2.11. On the East Coast of North America, the growth factor was only 1.69; on the West Coast, 2.23. These growth factors, when multiplied by the 1980 TEU volume at individual North American ports, give 1989 expected performance levels for the ports. Comparing the expected performance to the actual, it is found in the Canadian context that the big winner is Vancouver; the big loser is Saint John. Halifax and Montreal have outperformed their nearest US East Coast rivals but have not performed as well as southern ports on the Altantic Seaboard. These and other comparisons are made in order to describe how Canadian container ports have performed in the decade of the 1980s. The paper then speculates on how the ports will do in the future, based on a discussion of five factors: port facilities; inland transportation connections; shipping lines serving the ports; demand for container shipping; and legal arrangements between the United States and Canada.     

船舶航行计划

介绍了制订船舶航行计划的现行法规,特别是IMO．A．893（21）号决议的主要内容,并汇总了中远集远公司三年多来推行船舶航行计划的经验和体会。     

集装箱航运服务组合拍卖模型研究

根据运输的“范围经济性”原理,阐述了集装箱航运服务组合拍卖的适用性,围绕价值因素和价值评价因素,分析了集装箱航运服务组合拍卖的比较优势,结合集装箱航运服务的特点,以拍卖者效用最大化和投标者总估值最大化平衡为目标,设计出了组合拍卖的机制和运作程序;针对组合拍卖中的竟胜标问题,建立了集装箱航运服务组合拍卖的一般优化模型,并通过引入集装箱航运服务质量属性参数和运量限制等约束条件,对其进行了改进。从而为实现集装箱航运服务在线拍卖提供理论支持和计算平台。     

Examining the influence of firm performance on business risk-taking and the mediation effect of scale of operations in the container terminal industry

Container shipping and its related service sectors help accelerate globalization of the world economy. This industry has been experiencing rapid growth, prompting container terminal operators to increase their handling capacity in response. Providing container terminal services requires substantial capital investment in physical assets such as cargo handling facilities and information systems. On the other hand, operating container terminals is a long-term investment that typically spans several business cycles. Hence prudent asset management using appropriate tools is critical for container terminal operators to sustain their businesses. Generally, due to risk-adverseness, investors are unwilling to take more risk in their investment unless they can reap a higher return. Contrary to this argument, this study finds no direct influence of better firm performance as a proxy of higher return on business risk-taking by container terminal operators. Instead, scale of operations is positively associated with business risk-taking, suggesting that container terminal operators with a larger scale of operations are willing to take more business risk.     

“The Geography of Maritime Transport–Space as a Perspective in Maritime Research and Development”

Emissions from commercial shipping are currently the subject of intense scrutiny. Among the top fuel-consuming categories of ships and hence air polluters are container vessels. The main reason is their high service speed. Lately, speed reduction has become a very popular operational measure to reduce fuel consumption and can obviously be used to curb emissions. This paper examines such an operational scenario. Since time at sea increases with slow steaming, there is a parallel and strong interest to investigate possible ways to decrease time in port. One way to do so is to reduce port service time. Another possible way to minimize disruption and maximize efficiency is the prompt berthing of vessels upon arrival. To that effect, a related berthing policy is investigated as a measure to reduce waiting time. The objective of reducing emissions along the maritime intermodal container chain is investigated vis-à-vis reduction in operational costs and other service attributes. Some illustrative examples are presented.     

Historical review of research on brittle crack propagation arresting technology for large welded steel structures developed in Japan with the application of Kca parameters

In response to the concern of increased risk of brittle fracture accompanying the recent enlargement of container ships, experimental research is being conducted to investigate brittle crack propagation arrest properties in Japan. The objective is to obtain the required toughness of the material to arrest brittle crack propagation in a 100-mm thick plate, which is considered to be the maximum thickness used in such applications. The use of K_ca as a method for determining arrest toughness is a main difference with respect to methodologies employed in Europe and the United States. In this review, we compare the approaches for determining brittle crack propagation arrest properties that are used in Japan with those used in Europe and the United States. Moreover, we review recent research trends, particularly with respect to the background and development of K_ca parameters.With regard to the industrial application techniques concerning arrestability of brittle crack propagation in steel plates, studies in the ship and storage tank research fields date back to after World War II, while some attention is also seen for nuclear power and line pipes. These research procedures were initially established in Europe and the United States, but was first adopted by Japan. However, soon after, Japan and the time when the research fell downward due to progress of steel manufacturing technology and defect management technology. Since then, research has actively resumed, and original contributions are being realised. The background of this work in Japan, and the creation of the K_ca concept will be explained herein. Further, the background of research on brittle crack propagation arrest properties in very large container ships, determination philosophy for deriving demand values, and ultrawide brittle crack propagation tests in the study of 75-mm thick material and their results are described. In both of the scenarios considered, i.e. one in which cracks are generated from the top of the hatch side coaming and arrested on the upper deck, and the other wherein brittle cracks occur at the upper deck end and are arrested in the hatch side coaming, the required K_ca was found to be 6000 N/mm^3/2.     

航运提单标准电子报文研究及开发

通过研究EDI、EDIFACT标准和现行使用的航运提单，按照EDIFACT标准开发了航运提单的标准电子报文，并以一个具体实例，解释开发的标准航运提单电子报文的应用。     

基于混沌优化的港口集装箱运输网络优化

随着集装箱船舶大型化的发展,航运公司势必会尽可能的选择科学、合理的航线,以实现大型集装箱船的规模效益,降低单箱运输成本,从而获得更大的效益。这样集装箱港口出现了枢纽港与支线港的分离。本文以体现大型集装箱船的规模效益为前提,尝试将混沌优化这一理论应用到港口运输网络的优化中,寻找合理的港口集装箱运输线路及服务频率,为我国港口集装箱运输提供决策依据。     

Positional change in the Polish liner shipping market: a framework approach

This paper examines the changing position of Polish Ocean Lines (POL) container shipping activities in the North Atlantic, in the light of social, political and economic changes occurring in Poland. An analysis is made of alternative ways of assessing company position—ranging from the qualitative to the quantitative—and that of a qualitative framework approach is selected. Application of this framework using POL as a case study provides an indication of positional change between 1988 and 1993 reflecting the period of major change in Eastern Europe.     

门式辐射检测装置对于集装箱码头安全的影响

“9·11”事件后,美国加强国内安全,同时为了防范可能利用港口设施对美国本土的恐怖袭击,在全世界范围内的大型港口积极推行“大港计划”等港口安全倡议,在相关港口安装辐射检测系统,阻止核和其他放射性材料的非法偷运到美国。本文根据门式辐射检测装置在斯里兰卡科伦坡南港的实施情况,介绍其系统组成,分析码头安全设施对于港口安全管理及运营的影响,对于我国大型集装箱码头提供参考及借鉴意义。     

2500TEU内贸集装箱船船型开发设计

针对内贸箱船货运近海航行,重箱化及散货集装箱化的需求,对2500TEU级内贸箱船船型的开发思路与各方面的特点作了介绍。该船型具有低航速、大载重吨、高装箱率、快捷牢靠堆装系统的特点,目前已成功升级了第二代2500TEU船型。     

超巴拿马型岸桥的发展趋势

集装箱运输船大型化、高速化发展方兴未艾,装载量为9 600 TEU 和10 000 TEU 的超巴拿马型巨轮 已相继出现。如何迎接这些巨轮的到来成为港口码头和集装箱起重机制造商共同的课题。本文主要通过 ZPMC 2005年面向全球供货的188台(占世界市场50%的份额)大型岸桥的各种参数统计,分析岸桥的发展趋势。     

集装箱物流全程实时在线监控系统

随着集装箱运输的蓬勃发展,其运输的信息化水平以及安全性引起了各界的广泛关注。介绍上海港开展的"集装箱物流全程实时在线监控系统"及其在中美集装箱航线上的应用示范。这一阶段性的研究成果为增强集装箱运输过程中的安全性和透明性提供了一种解决方案,真正做到了实时采集、实时追踪和实时管理。     

Opportunities for increased profit and reduced cost and emissions by service differentiation within container liner shipping

This paper investigates opportunities for increased profit and reduced emissions and cost by service differentiation within container shipping. Traditionally the strategy among the container lines has been profit maximization by utilizing economies of scale through the building of larger and faster vessels. In 2008, the financial crisis in combination with higher fuel prices put an end to this progress and in today’s market operators are basically trying to survive by providing standardized services at the lowest possible cost. This study investigates alternative strategies and the results indicate that container lines should provide two different services instead of one standardized service. A fast service to be more competitive versus air freight for fast-moving goods and a slow service to be more competitive versus traditional shipping types for transport of minor bulk, break bulk, liquid bulk and project cargo.     

中外运加大公路集装箱运输力度

In order to gain momentus in its road container transport sinotrans has recently set up a truck transport corporation with the aim to strenghen its container service in particular.