Towards a common ports policy? EU-proposals and the ports industry's perceptions

This paper discusses the European Union's (EU) proposals to improve the efficiency and infrastructure of European ports, and investigates the extent to which these proposals are welcomed by the ports industry. On the one hand, the analysis of the recent EU policy developments makes apparent that the EU is increasingly impinging upon the port industry's life. On the other hand, the findings of the semi-structured interviews with the industry's representatives suggest that although port authorities and port operators remain in principle against a coherent common EU ports policy, the industry believes that certain EU initiatives can enhance the competitiveness of the maritime transport system.     

Simulators in bridge operations training and assessment: a systematic review and qualitative synthesis

This article presents a systematic review and qualitative synthesis of the use of simulators in maritime education and training (MET), with a focus on bridge operations during navigation training and assessment. The review found 34 articles published in a wide range of academic journals, displaying a global field of research consisting of three main disciplines: Maritime professionals (n = 15), Human factors (n = 13) and Education (n = 6). An important conclusion made after synthesising the results of the studies is that while the potential of using simulators in training and assessment are clear, little is known about which instructional practices would ensure valid and reliable results of simulator-based education. Since MET institutions train their students for one of the most safety-critical industries in the world, there is a need for empirical studies that explore the use of simulator-based training and assessment further to lay the foundation for an evidence-based educational practice.     

国内集装箱港口的现状与发展趋势

集装箱运输以其高效、便捷、安全等特点,赢得了运输市场,成为现代交通运输工具的重要组成部分,越来越受到世人的瞩目。到目前为止,我国港口己建成几百个专用集装箱泊位,其装卸设备和技术先进,工艺自动化程度不断提高,2004年吞吐量突破了6000万TEU,并将持续高速增长,随着船舶的大型化以及现代物流业的发展,集装箱港口将进一步向深水化、大型化、信息化、多功能化的方向发展,并已初步形成全球集装箱运输中心。     

On—off terminal vessel-to-rail intermodal transfer and the case of Long Beach Port

The vessel-to-rail intermodal transfer of containers can be performed either within the marine terminal, called on-terminal or outside the marine terminals, called off-terminal. The off-terminal is the common way of rail loading, whereby the marine containers are combined with other, non-maritime containers to achieve greater utilization of yard and rail equipment. The non-terminal transfer, a novelty in US ports, is perceived to be advantageous since it saves on drayage (i.e. haulage) and handling of rail-bound boxes. However, on-terminal has many inherent problems the most critical of them being use of scarce waterfront land, ineffectiveness in mixing international and domestic containers, and large investments required to construct yards and rail accesses. The following article presents a discussion of various aspects of the intermodal, on/off terminal rail-to-vessel alternatives, illustrated by a case study taken from the Port of Long Beach, California.     

辞骄"羊"成就辉煌迎新年责任重大--新年伊始谈港口

紧张、忙碌的2003年过去了,水运行业同仁迎来2004年,又开始了新的征程.应<中国远洋航务公告>杂志之约,希望我在这新旧交替之际,通过杂志谈一谈过去的一年和新的一年的中国港口发展.     

闪亮的港口坐标——综观改革开放30年之中国港口

坐标的应用不是局限在数学领域,各行各业都在运用坐标的概念,如世界500强企业,是放在全球市场坐标系里比较得出的;全球20强集装箱船公司,是放在国际航运市场坐标系里比较得出的;那么在港口坐标系里,经历30年改革开放大潮洗礼之后,中国港口是一个什么定位呢？无疑,这是值得探讨的命题。     

The ports of the Russian Far East: a management strategy

The recent breakupof the former Soviet Union and the Russian Republic's movement towards a market economy wil require a considerable improvement and expansion of present port facilities in order to handle increasing cargo throughputs effectively. The Russian Far East is expected to increase trade dramatically through imports of foreign goods, exors of natural resources from Siberia and container traffic traversing teh Trans-Siberian landbridge. The ports of the region will be competing with each other to atract foreing investment and to increase central government assistance in order to facilitate development. This article examines;(1) the more important ports of the Far East and the problems they face as they compete to atract investment; (2) the establishment of a Regional Port Authority as a possible management alternative; (3)advantages of a Port Authority in developing the region' ports and fostering future growth. By analysing these data, a management and development strategy can be formulated for the optimum utilization of present resources and the benefi of reginal modernization and development.     

加快福州港口建设带动临港产业发展

在分析福州港30年来取得的成就,指出目前存在的问题后,提出了大力发展临港工业、港口现代物流业和港口现代服务业的主张,并提出了实现福州港跨越式发展的建议。     

Modelling with joint choice of ports and countries of origin and destination: application to Colombian ports

Literature has focused on studying port choice independently or as an element of a supply chain without considering the joint selection with the country of origin/destination of the imports/exports. However, the characteristics and location of a port may make it more attractive to mobilise more freight from/to some particular countries rather than others, making the port choice decision dependent on the country of origin/destination of the cargo. This article proposes advanced econometric models to evaluate simultaneously port choice and the country of origin/destination choice for Colombian imports and exports. Findings suggest that for imports and exports domestic freight rate is the most important variable for the joint choice process. Also, for exports, maritime transit time is more relevant than for imports, while for the frequency of shipping lines the opposite is true. The existence of a trade agreement and the gross domestic product per capita also have a significant influence on the election of a country for exports/imports.     

The Potential of a Legislative Approach to Managing Beach Use: The Case of Beach Bylaws in the Republic of Ireland

This article examines the use of inland mined sand and offshore dredged sand for beach nourishment projects in North Carolina, focusing on the question of whether inland mined sand is economically preferential for hot‐spot erosion control. Excavation, processing, and transport costs are presented, and cost efficiencies of hypothetical beach nourishment projects are compared. Cost analyses indicate that inland mined sand is economical for small projects (10,000–50,000 cubic yards), given that a clean sand source can be located within 15 miles of the nourishment site. The two factors primarily influencing per cubic yard costs of inland sand are overland transportation expenses and processing costs. The use of dredged offshore sand is less expensive for large projects (> 100,000 cubic yards) due to the economies of scale affecting dredge mobilization. Large beach nourishment projects in North Carolina will most likely continue to utilize offshore dredged sand.     

Marine and coastal protected areas in Latin America: A preliminary assessment

Abstract

One approach to the management of coastal and marine areas is the establishment of protected areas (e.g., reserves, parks, sanctuaries). Under the general rubric of “marine reserves,”; this paper examines the Latin American experience with this strategy. A comprehensive table lists most, if not all, national or state declared parks or reserves. The table is organized by country. All Latin American nations have, to a varying extent, declared marine parks and protected areas. The authors review the sources or uses which have been “managed”; by marine reserves, the management approaches, uses, and problem which have been identified in achieving management objectives. The authors conclude with observations about the potential future utility of marine reserves as a management approach for areas and resources of the coastal and littoral zones of Latin America.     

Concepts of strategic commercial location: the case of container ports

A World that shrinks with progressive improvements in transportation and communications is a fact of 20th century life. The shrinking process can produce new patterns and perceptions of strategic location. In this paper we are looking specifically at nodes in transportaion system. In the ligth of transportation progress, we re-consider some of the time-worn ideas about centrality, accessibility, gateway locaations, junction, transit points, and the like. Do some of these notions become irrelevant in the modern transport age? Is it a questions f shifting geographical scale? Do we need more sophisticated concepts of strategic location? We suggest the answer 'yes' to all three questions. Our illustrations come from an examination of the world's top-ranked container ports. We give primary emphasis to the external geographical relationships of the ports, that is to situational aspects (not to say, however, that sitefeatures are inconsequetial). We are interested in the seaports users' —i.e., carriers and shippers—perceptions of strategic location. Readily available container throughput data provide and initial platform for empirical research but also give proof that some commercial interests find these ports strategically important to their system.     

波流共同作用下滩海人工岛工程周边冲淤分析

滩海地区人工岛工程等构筑物的修建,使工程区域的流场发生变化,影响构筑物周边的泥沙运移,进而将影响到周边海底地形的变化。文章通过建立研究区潮流计算数学模型,计算分析南堡油田#^1人工岛工程建设后对周边流场的影响。在此基础上,分析因流场改变而导致泥沙运移路径的改变,进而分析构筑物周边引起的冲淤情况。数值计算结果表明工程建设对周边水域的水流流态影响较小。泥沙冲淤分析结果表明,在人工岛的西、南侧由于流速增加,出现明显的冲刷;在人工岛北侧、东侧和引桥的西侧受水流动力减弱的影响,出现淤积现象;护岛潜堤的修建对减少人工岛地基冲刷具有明显的效果。施工期和工后现场冲淤测量结果验证了上述结论。     

共同创造港口科技进步更美好的明天——写于《港口科技动态》更名为《港口科技》之际

<港口科技>完成了更名的各项准备工作,今天正式面世了.从<港口科技动态>到<港口科技>,尽管只有两个字的删改,但这表明,我们这份港航界的科技刊物内涵在提升,外延在延伸.这更从一个角度验证了:港口在发展,科技在进步,时代在前进!     

Formal safety assessment and application of the navigation simulators for preventing human error in ship operations

The International Maritime Organization （IMO） has encouraged its member countries to introduce Formal Safety Assessment （FSA） for ship operations since the end of the last century. FSA can be used through certain formal assessing steps to generate effective recommendations and cautions to control marine risks and improve the safety of ships. On the basis of the brief introduction of FSA, this paper describes the ideas of applying FSA to the prevention of human error in ship operations. It especially discusses the investigation and analysis of the information and data using navigation simulators and puts forward some suggestions for the introduction and development of the FSA research work for safer ship operations.     

Disaster prevention and strategic investment for multiple ports in a region: cooperation or not

With the growth of maritime transportation, seaports have become critical to the world economy as linking nodes between shipping and inland transport. However, the port system is fragile under certain unconventional emergency events. This study addresses the issue of investment on disaster prevention within the port competition context. The present model discusses and compares four situations of different relationships and strategies of pre-disaster prevention between two adjacent ports. Results indicate that both ports increase the disaster prevention investment under the cooperation scenario compared with that in the case of non-cooperation wherein they are complementary ports. Meanwhile, a numerical simulation is conducted to examine the collective and individual rationality of both ports. Although cooperation strategy decreases the total risk cost of two ports, one of the two ports may profit, whereas the other may suffer losses.     

Effective corporatization of ports is a function of effective legislation: legal issues in the existing paradigm

Almost a decade since port corporatization was introduced in Australia it is becoming clear that initial objectives are not being realized. This paper explores some of the legal and legislative causes, the effect on port operation and investigates what necessary conditions are required to deliver an effective corporatized port business. The paper argues that effective corporatization is a product of effective legislation—one which, while emulating private sector business practices—can deliver a business model that is innovative, entrepreneurial, commercially oriented and free from self-serving political constraints.

The legislation and corporatized artifacts in Australian mainland ports have failed, in general, to deliver this. Arguably, the legislation has, in fact, created a model with inherent flaws and serious contradictions. The legislation enacted is such that while it has set in place a model that articulates commercial objectives, the model created is in fact one in which political objectives may override commercial ones; where strategy may be determined by a bureaucratic elite without the requisite skills and insights, and the resultant strategy appears ad hoc; and a corporate culture that frequently has failed to transcend that of the statutory authority and public utility model. This paper will test these assertions against the developments in the port of Melbourne.     

Environmental trends of ports and harbours: Implications for planning and management

The traditional view of ports as evolving from human settlements to distribution centres is re-examined in an ecological context. The discussion is essential because of the persisting traditional approach to 'global' port development, i.e. directed primarily by technological optimization related to cargo transfer and ocean trasportation. Growing environmental concerns and realities indicate the need for a broader environmental view in which the port is recognized as part of a larger interactive coastal ecosystem, with environmental pressures by the port on the surrounding environment, as well as by the environment on the port. The paper argues for an ecological basis for coastal port development, analyses the environment implications of riverine linkages between port and hinterland, and details some environmental consequnces of changing industrialization and chemical practices. It also identifies initiatives for relevant planning and future port management.     

Rates and mechanisms of climate change: Implications for ports and harbours

The paper explores some of the key ocean-atmosphere processes relevant to the themes of ‘global warming“ and ‘sea level rise“ addressing some of issues that form the basis of the science. It is shown that both processes as well as the data used to characterise such processes demonstrate that a) there is no such thing as a single global sea level and b) changes in extreme storminess are not uniform worldwide. Instead, trends in storminess (including Asian typoon and Atlantic hurricane activity) exhibit marked regional variability with strong regional signature linked to episodes of major El Niño and La Niña activity. Similarly, satellite data demonstrates that whereas some ocean areas have recently experienced sea level rise caused principally by thermal expansion effects, other ocean areas have been subject to cooling and sea level lowering. This account provides an introductory account that discusses the rationale for understanding the regional variability in the nature of coastal flood risk to the world’s ports and harbours.