The commercialization of East European liner shipping: the experience of Poland

This paper will examine the impact of continuous and increasing change in the shipping sector of Eastern Europe with particular reference to the liner sector in Poland one of the more dynamic markets that has emerged since the political, economic and social changes of the late 1980s. Polish Ocean Lines, and in particular POL Levant, a relatively new, commercialized subsidiary operating in the private sector, are taken as case studies to assess the new structures that are emerging in the marketplace.     

Carrier selection in a RO/RO ferry trade Part 2. Conceptual framework for the decision process

The way that users select a shipping service from the range of available options is a complex and poorly understood process. It is difficult, if not impossible, to reduce all the attributes to a single dimesion—such as cost—and in reality no-one tries to do so. Using the results of a survey of shippers, a behavioural framework has been constructed to represent the stages in the decision process and the interaction of factors that influence the shipping manager. Previous models have tended to isolate and examine individual components of the process and have not linked these components together to form an integrated explanation. The proposed framework is a multi-stage process with elements of both compensatory and non-compensatory behaviour and a strong emphasis on risk avoidance.     

逻辑框架法在工程项目后评价中的应用

工程项目后评价是项目周期的1个重要环节。工程项目后评价中的逻辑框架法属于在工程管理专业领域应用的定性分析方法。介绍逻辑框架法的框架结构及逻辑关系、工程项目后评价逻辑框架分析的重点,并以天津市某综合治理工程项目作为实际案例。说明逻辑框架法在工程项目后评价中的应用。     

软件过程改进的动态建模仿真

给出了一种软件过程改进的动态集成框架，将传统的评估模型与软件过程的动态仿真模型结合起来，为软件过程改进和决策提供定性和定量的评估，并依照能力成熟度模型获得更高的软件开发过程能力。     

Analysis of the parasitic copepod species richness among Mediterranean fish

The Mediterranean ichthyofauna is composed of 652 species belonging to 405 genera and 117 families. Among these, 182 were studied for their parasitic copepods. The analysis of all the works conducted on these crustacea yielded 226 species distributed in 88 genera and 20 families. For each fish species we have established a file providing the species name of the fish, its family, its geographical distribution within the Mediterranean and some of its bio-ecological characteristics. Within each file, all the parasitic copepod species reported on each host species were listed. This allowed to know the species richness (SR) of these hosts. We thus produced 182 files within which 226 copepod species are distributed. A program was created under the Hypercard software, in order to analyse our data. Two parameters were studied. The first one is the mean species richness (MSR), which corresponds to the mean of the different SR found on the different host species. The second is the parasite–host ratio (P/H), which is the ratio of the number of copepod species by the number of host species. These parameters are calculated by our program for all the 182 species of Mediterranean fishes retained in our investigation, on the first hand, and, on the second hand, for one particular group of fish species. We used the following variables to investigate their correlations with copepod species richness: taxonomy—fish families, genera and species; biometry—maximal size of the adult fish; eco-ethology—mode of life (benthic, pelagic or nectonic), displacements (sedentary, migratory with environmental change, or migratory without environmental change), behaviour (solitary or gregarious). Other variables (colour, food, reproduction, abundance, distribution area) were also analysed but did not reveal any clear correlation. Providing that our study does not rely on quantitative (prevalence, intensity) but qualitative basis our aim was only to reveal some tendencies. These tendencies are as follows: (1) In many cases, parasite and host phylogeny seem to play an important role. There are fish families with copepods and families with few species of these parasites. The phyletic constraints could be due to the morphological characteristics of the habitat (e.g. structure of the gills) or biological/ecological characteristics that we were unable to identify. (2) It appears that the presence in a same environment of related fish species (e.g. several species of the same genus, or numerous genera of the same family) is correlated with high parasite richness. A likely explanation is that such situations favours alternated processes of lateral transfers and speciation. (3) Some eco-ethological criteria seem to favour the establishment of a large parasite species richness. It should be noted for instance that Mediterranean fishes the most often infected with copepods are generally nectonic or pelagic, migratory, and gregarious species.     

Policy making and planning for the port sector: paradigms in conflict

Policy making is a complex and diverse process—particularly in relation to the provision and location of port and port related infrastructure. The planning stage of port infrastructure, or indeed transport planning more generally, may be finalized only to experience policy failure as implementation of the planned facility cannot be successfully completed. When this occurs planning and implementation failure is invariably perceived to be driven by a political agenda and it is argued that 'politics gets in the way'—that politics 'distorts' a scientifically rational planning process. Is it the case that politics 'gets in the way'? Or that politics distorts a technical and scientific process? Or is it the case that planning constitutes only one part, but an integral one, of the policy process—a process that is inherently political? And if that is the case, can we legitimately separate the planning process from that of policy making? This paper discusses the fundamental differences between the planning and policy-making processes. It argues that transport planning is one element in a broader process of policy making which incorporates political and other social/economic/environmental elements. It will argue that planning is a fundamental part of the policy-making process and, if successful completion is to be achieved, it cannot be divorced from that process. The paper will provide a conceptual framework which will incorporate these apparently conflictual activities. This model, if adopted, is likely to enhance both the planning and policy-making processes.     

面向任务的海军油料装备备件保障方法研究

提出面向任务的海军油料装备备件配置思想,建立备件保障模型。明确了油料保障任务中的关键装备、关键部件。运用面向任务的油料装备备件配置方法对某泵机组仪表和控制装置进行备件配置,结果表明,该方法既能满足要求的任务成功概率,又能节省备件配置费用,较好的解决了海军油料装备备件保障问题。     

高功率微波武器

高功率微波武器是新概念武器中的一种定向能武器,是正在研究发展的高新技术武器之一,它不仅有可能给21世纪的武器系统带来质的变化,而且有可能控制21世纪的战场,并对未来战争作战方式带来革命性的影响,成为核威慑条件下信息化战争的杀手锏。     

An analysis of the pricing system in the Greek-Italian coastal routes

Price discrimination is practiced by oligopolistic coastal shipping companies in the 'unregulated' Greece-Italy routes in the year 2002. Investigation has been carried out 'per route'—in a doctoral thesis—instead of 'per market' which was the so-far erroneous approach of shipping economists. This is so for a host of differentiating factors play a considerable and non-negligible role (like geography, distance, demand, seasonality and others). Service—and price-discrimination—in coastal shipping is affected also by the predetermined ship design which thus is a special feature—but not exclusively—in coastal shipping. Companies in the Adriatic Sea try to extract the greater possible value of the user's willingness to pay, peak and off-peak, group and ungrouped, for social groups (clubs, families and students). Marketing and economics interfere in a complicated—far from the nice world of theory—situation, where maximization of revenue and profit, capacity utilization, intense seasonality and high fixed cost (common and joint costs as well) are a few of the factors that interplay. This paper can be considered as a case study for applied pricing. Excess capacity is also a strategic factor affecting pricing. It is our opinion that the analysis here gives for the first time a complete theoretical and practical account—based on the price lists of the companies—of the pricing policy of the ferry boats running in the Adriatic Sea belonging to coastal shipping companies connecting Italy with Greece and Greece with the European Union (EU). We believe this work to be useful for maritime Europe.     

青岛市物流公共信息平台的构建

结合物流信息平台规划的最新理论方法与青岛的现状和发展，探讨了青岛物流公共信息平台的构 建；采用定性和定量的方法对平台进行信息化现状分析和需求分析；在此基础上，提出了以港口为龙头的物流公共 信息平台的系统框架，并就平台的目标定位、建设步骤、运营机制以及政府的作用等关键问题进行了论述。     

Integrating natural and socio-economic science in coastal management

The future more sustainable management of coastal resources is an important policy goal for all governments of countries with coastlines. Coastal areas are under intense environmental change pressure with extensive feedback effects between the natural systems and the human systems. It could be argued that there is just one jointly determined and coevolving system that needs to be studied and managed. Understanding the interactions between the coastal zone and environmental change cannot be achieved by observational studies alone. Modelling of key environmental and socio-economic processes is a vital tool, required to buttress coastal management institutions and practice. Three overlapping procedural stages can be identified in the coastal resource assessment process. The scoping and auditing stage, implemented via a ‘pressure–state–impact–response’ framework, details, among other thing, problems, system boundaries and value conflicts. The framework is itself based on a conceptual model, which lays stress on functional value diversity and the links between ecosystem processes, functions and outputs of goods and services which are deemed ‘valuable’ by society. The two subsequent stages are integrated modelling, combining natural and social science methodologies, and evaluation of management options and related gains and losses. An overview of a research project, which utilised the pressure–state–impacts–response (P–S–I–R) framework and supporting concepts and methods, is presented in the last section of the paper, together with some generic ‘lessons’ for interdisciplinary research.     

Methodological solutions for increased efficiency of modelling and simulation of seaports and inland freight terminals

The paper outlines the results of research aimed at developing an efficient simulation modelling capability for seaports and inland freight terminals. By providing the domain-oriented process of simulation modelling with a uniform and coherent methodological basis and integrating it with artificial intelligence concepts, it was possible to construct a powerful tool—Transnode. This is a decision-support expert system which enables efficient and fast modelling and simulation of any seaport or inland freight terminal, or a group of terminals, large or small, multipurpose or specialized, at optional scale. It produces simulation results which enable a comprehensive analysis of the port or inland terminal to be made as an element of the total transportation framework. Both methodological aspects of the developed solutions and practical features of the Transnode system are discussed in the paper.     

基于分析方法和实证方法的ECDIS可用性评估

为了有效改进ECDIS界面设计并全面提升其可用性,构建基于分析方法和实证方法的ECDIS可用性评估框架。从可用性的概念和内涵出发,定义ECDIS的可用性标准;然后选择6种分析方法预测ECDIS的可用性,进而通过实证方法验证预测结果的准确性。针对目前最流行的2种ECDIS进行实例研究得到定量数据和定性描述,比较分析二者的可用性。基于分析方法和实证方法的评估框架对于ECDIS可用性评估是有效可行的,有助于系统界面可用性的改进和提升。     

面向对象的船舶机舱监控框架设计

针对国内外机舱监控系统发展现状,提出一种分布式的机舱监控软件框架结构并进行了框架的设计,改变传统的机舱监控系统软件设计的方法,解决原有系统软件复用性差的问题,通过软件框架的各个组成部分及功能直接体现了系统的软件结构,对同类系统的设计开发有一定的借鉴意义。     

Development of a Model for Enhancing Justice in MPA Designation and Zoning and its Application to Taiwan’s South Penghu Marine National Park

Abstract

Multi-purpose marine protected areas (MPAs) are prevalent world-wide as institutional mechanisms deployed in the marine environment to manage multiple uses, conserve resources and protect ecosystems. Yet some people may experience disadvantage following the implementation of new MPAs. One understudied aspect of MPAs is the distribution of advantages and disadvantages and how best to address the “justice” concerns that they raise. This article identifies a framework of principles, methods and tools to address these concerns. It devises a “MPA justice model” and demonstrates its applicability to a Taiwanese case study. In 2014, Taiwan proclaimed its first multiple-purpose MPA, the South Penghu Marine National Park and the case study shows ways that the MPA’s socio-economic sustainability could have been better accomplished. The article focuses on future MPA establishment that incorporates distributional fairness and procedural legitimacy into MPA site designation and zoning design - but might also be adapted to use retrospectively in MPA review processes.     

Impact of proposed federal limits on US bagged food aid shipments: reduction in MSF carrier profits—a risk assessment 1

This paper is a stochastic risk simulation of the impact of proposed federal tonnage limits on US Maritime Security Fleet (MSF) bagged food aid shipments. Only MSF (i.e. federally subsidized carriers/vessels for war, or emergencies) and non-MSF US carriers (therefore, at competitive disadvantage) can compete for such shipments—representing an indirect subsidy to both groups. To compensate, US Congress proposed a financial penalty (loss of voyage subsidy) on MSF carriers for food aid above a certain limit. Accordingly, certain carriers will be policy 'winners' (non-MSF—larger food aid shipments), and others 'losers' (MSF). By simulating loss-minimizing economic behaviour by MSF carriers—using five stochastic factors—I obtain losses substantially below those claimed by the MSF owners.

Simulated annual-average MSF profits reduction is $3.5 million—within a large confidence interval; if no carriers surrender their subsidies (as claimed by MSF owners), a reduction of $6.0 million. Only 16% of annual MSF voyages are affected by a 2,500-ton limit (3%; 5,000-ton limit). Minimizing losses, 25 (of 41 affected) annual MSF voyages replace 38,000 tons of food aid with 23,000 tons of other cargo—forgoing $2.1 million in yearly direct subsidies. Two assumptions explain most of this simulated loss reduction.     

Climate change and the future Maritime Policy for the EU

A cross-cutting Maritime Policy can ensure that climate change threats and challenges in regards to seas and oceans are dealt with in a wide policy framework that takes into account the impacts that climate change may have on other sectors and vice versa.     

The economics of port pricing

This short paper is concerned with the problem of improving the methods currently used to price port facilities. It presents a simple economic model of how an optimal pricing policy may be arrived at, employing an adaptation of an interactive supply-demand framework initially developed in the context of allocating car-parking places in urban areas. The model demonstrates the basic economic tenet that charges should be set equal to the full marginal social opportunity cost (M.S.O.C.) of facilities used, with premiums added where capacity restrictions would otherwise lead to excessive queueing. The use of a probability demand curve shows that one of the main fears of the anti-pricing school, namely excessive resource misallocation due to miscalcuations of the marginal cost, tends to be exaggerated. Further, it is argued that many of the other arguments set out against marginal cost pricing of ports are either ill-founded or unlikely to be of practical importance—ports are little different to other goods and services consumed in the economy and standard economic policies apply to them.     

Risk and reward in public transport contracting

This paper synthesizes evidence from the workshop on risk and reward in public transport contracting. It broadens the usual risk/reward framework to encompass strategic/tactical level issues, identifying high level community goals as the ultimate risk/reward pay-off. The evolution of tactical level public transport planning is reviewed, noting considerable change in functional roles between purchaser and provider in some jurisdictions. No single “best” approach is evident but an emerging interest in relational contracting founded on trust is apparent. Risk allocation between purchaser and provider is considered, a key debate concerning the extent to which providers should be exposed to revenue risk.     

四面六边透水框架护滩结构效果水槽试验研究

通过水槽试验,研究四面六边透水框架护滩结构效果.试验结果表明,实施四面六边透水框架防护后,河底流速有明显减小,四面六边透水框架具有透水、消能、减小近底流速、局部改善水流流态的作用,从而有可能将近底流速降至不冲流速以下,甚至于使河床产生淤积.与传统护滩工程相比,四面六边透水框架能有效地避免实体护岸工程基础容易被淘刷而影响自身稳定问题,且适应河床地形变化能力强,不需要地基处理,不需要护底,直接抛投于床面,自身稳定,施工简单,成本低,是一种值得大力推广的新技术.