Rail and multi-modal transport

This paper elaborates on the definitions of inter and multi-modal transport, as well as their differences in terms of performance. A survey of the barriers, both internal and external, to an efficient intermodal transport is included followed by an analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of combining rail transport with the other transport modes. Transhipment technologies for efficient freight service and some examples of freight rail corridors between sea and inland terminals are presented. The integration between air and rail transport is discussed and the potential synergies between air and high-speed rail services are emphasised. The paper concludes with a discussion on energy use for sustainable rail performance.     

The role of inland terminal development in the hinterland access strategies of Spanish ports

The aim of this paper is to understand how inland terminals are developed in relation both to ports and to other inland terminals within a national system.The paper builds on previous work developing inland terminal taxonomies and applies them to the Spanish case, with supplementary focus on the relations between the “dry port” and “extended gate” concepts. Theoretical contributions include both the importance of development direction (land-driven vs sea-driven) and the identification of an emerging spatial disparity in port development strategies between coastal and inland nodes.In Spain, ports retain an interest in inland terminals through minority shareholdings but they are not the primary investors. The principal ports using Spanish inland terminals are Barcelona and Valencia, both of which are also developing logistics zones within their ports. Furthermore, while the ports are developing closer IT links with these inland locations, this does not necessarily indicate greater than normal levels of cooperation. A study of the Spanish system thus raises questions about whether the increasing academic focus on “dry ports” actually signals any change in strategies of port development or intermodal terminal operation. Therefore the final aim of this paper is to question the use of the “dry port” terminology.     

The relations between dry port characteristics and regional port-hinterland settings: findings for a global sample of dry ports

This paper aims at defining generic characteristics of dry ports by carrying out an analysis using a large sample of dry ports from around the world. The dataset includes details on 107 inland terminals worldwide. All dry ports in the database have been selected from studies in the extant literature before being shortlisted to fit our research scope. Data collected include terminologies used, actors driving the development, terminal throughput, total area, services provided and the relation with the corresponding seaport(s). Using statistical analysis, the paper examines how dry port parameters are influenced by (1) a different terminal set up, like sea-driven and land-driven development, developed and developing system, dry port functions; (2) specifications of the seaport with which the dry port is connected, i.e. seaport traffic, connectivity, utilization, etc. and (3) the transport leg linking dry ports and seaports. The findings could be applied to the planning and development of inland nodes from the perspectives of different stakeholders.     

Foreland-based regionalization: Integrating intermediate hubs with port hinterlands

Development and changes in port hinterlands have received considerable attention as they represent substantial opportunities to improve the efficiency of global freight distributions. Port regionalization was a concept brought forward by Notteboom and Rodrigue (2005) to articulate the emerging port hinterland dynamics in light of containerization, supply chain management and the setting of inland terminals. This paper expands this concept by focusing on a particular dimension of the regionalization paradigm concerning the evolving role of intermediate hubs. It is argued that, in addition to hinterland-based regionalization, there is also a foreland-based regionalization where intermediate hubs capture a maritime hinterland. This intensity and viability of processes of foreland-based regionalization depend on multiple geographical, technical and market-related factors, and this paper identifies and analyzes these underlying parameters. By doing so, it assesses whether foreland-based regionalization is simply a transitional phase in port development or, alternatively, represents emerging functional characteristics of contemporary freight distributions.     

The impact of dry port operations on container seaports competitiveness

The concepts of intermodal logistics and distribution networks have made integration of the inland freight distribution system essential for an efficient container seaport system. Inland components, such as dry ports, which exist within the seaport system, have become important in shaping the performance and competitive strategies of container seaports. Owing to the importance of interdependence between dry ports and container seaports, this paper aims to investigate the impact of dry port operations on container seaport competitiveness. It conducted an empirical study in Malaysia through 120 online surveys to key stakeholders of dry ports, including freight forwarders, shippers, seaports, rail operator, shipping lines, and haulers. The data collected were analysed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA). The results from EFA show that Malaysian dry port operations have impacts on seaport competitiveness. These include enhancing seaport performance, increasing service variations for seaports, improving seaport-hinterland proximity, increasing seaport trade volume, and enhancing seaport capacity.     

A nested logit model of mode choice for inland movement of export shipments: A case study of containerised export cargo from India

Predominance of containerised mode of transport for export of general cargo has influenced the mode choices on the inland segment. Prior to containerisation the general cargo for export moved to ports invariably on road in break bulk form. Growth of containerisation led to development of inland terminals enabling an exporter to obtain export clearance at the inland points. This process facilitated an exporter to move cargo either in break bulk or in containerised form, and as inland terminals facilitated aggregation an exporter could move cargo either by road or rail. Thus containerisation increased the inland transport options for an exporter from one to three. The paper develops discrete choice models in the Indian context for inland movement of containerised export cargo. Primary data was collected from 124 export firms through a structured questionnaire. This data is supplemented with data from transport firms and terminal operators. Using the above data, a nested logit model with rail container and road truck in one branch was found to predict the mode choice behaviour best. Amongst the transport attributes, total cost and total transit time were found to be influencing the mode choices significantly. The study however did not find the effect of reliability and loss and damage significant. In addition, the model also predicts that non transport attributes - like the percentage of letters of credit that materialise with inland way bills and the value of export benefits that materialise after export - are important in the mode choice decision.     

上海内河货运量的组合预测

内河航运是综合交通运输系统中不可缺少的运输方式,存在着很大的潜在优势.定量地把握未来内河运输的发展趋势,具有重大的现实意义.通过利用时间序列模型、logistic曲线与自回归模型等,对2010-2015年的上海内河货运量进行预测.在此基础上,对不同模型赋予不同的权重,建立了组合预测模型.研究表明:未来上海内河货运量将持续稳定地增长.为提高预测的精度,有必要综合地使用多个预测方法.     

Impact of container chassis management practices in the United States on terminal operational efficiency: An operations and mitigation policy analysis

Existing policies designed to mitigate the environmental and social impacts of truck queuing at maritime terminals often focus on congestion problems outside of the terminal gate, targeting a reduction in the waiting and turn time of trucks as the measure of success. This paper evaluates the impact that intra-terminal truck and equipment movements have on the terminal’s overall performance and the implications that these movements have on the effectiveness of current mitigation policies. Through a simulation of terminal processes occurring at Southern California ports it is shown that measures driving reductions in truck turn times impose greater operational loads on terminal equipment, essentially transferring savings in truck turn time rather than eliminating it in terms of the overall system. Consequently, the paper finds that total truck and cargo handling equipment movement and operational time constitutes a more accurate measure of the effectiveness of policies seeking to mitigate the impacts of truck operations at marine terminals.     

多智能体仿真在LNG码头选址及港口规划中的应用

液化天然气(LNG)船舶进出港进行的严格交通管制会影响港口的运营,因此在港口规划阶段须审慎决策LNG码头选址及布局问题。应用自主开发的《基于多智能体信息交互的港口运营系统仿真软件(简称:APSS)V1.0》,建立可模拟涵盖LNG船舶通航影响机制的港口运营系统仿真模型;以实际工程为例,系统探讨LNG船舶通航对近、远期港口运营影响问题的思路和方法;结合水域通航环境特点提出远期优化措施。研究结果可辅助港口规划制定。     

Traffic impact analysis of inspection area site selection at a foreign trade container terminal

ABSTRACT

To improve the security and efficiency of terminal operations, a key issue for land area layout at a foreign trade container terminal is to plan and design an inspection area. Since it directly affects terminal traffic, while determining inspection area site selection, we should pay a great attention to operations and management of terminal traffic as well as container inspection. This paper employs a system decomposition technique to develop an integrated simulation framework, which enables us to flexibly obtain the whole picture of terminal traffic conditions and evaluate traffic impacts of inspection area site selection. A real-world terminal with typical patterns of land area layout is chosen to carry out a case study, which shows that traffic flow is unevenly distributed on the terminal road network and that the distribution is influenced by truck streams at the terminal. New findings also include: (1) traffic volume at the terminal apron is rather unbalanced in association with the non-continuous utilization of berths; (2) a proper inspection area should be located near the gate if the terminal conditions permit from the perspective of terminal traffic. This work may provide a decision-making reference for the planning and construction of foreign trade container terminals.     

虚拟仿真优化技术在外高桥五期工程总体设计中的应用

基于离散事件动态系统和系统仿真理论,文章在专用仿真语言witness的平台上,研究开发了集装箱码头装卸系统的仿真模型,对外高桥五期集装箱码头的水平运输、前沿宽度、泊位系统等初步设计方案做了深入的仿真分析,做出了最优设计选择。模型动态显示整个码头运行过程,可分析码头装卸系统中各种性能参数。模型的成功应用说明虚拟仿真优化技术将在今后的码头设计中发挥更大的作用。     

基于Petri网的散货码头出口工艺系统建模与仿真

基于Petri-Net理论,研究了散货码头工艺系统的建模方法,在Witness平台上实现了系统仿真.该建模仿真主要用来确定散货码头的堆存策略,评估码头的运作效果,识别物流系统瓶颈,提出改进策略.     

基于公共无线网络的内河船舶管理与信息服务系统研究

文中提出了一种利用公共无线网络实现AIS、VHF、VTMIS功能的内河船舶管理与信息服务系统的总体架构,对实现原理、终端和服务器系统的设计进行了详细描述,就实现系统功能的关键技术问题进行了初步探讨,并通过天津港小型船舶管理系统的应用进行了实例说明这种系统的应用,将能够实现内河船舶避碰、安全通信、船舶调度和综合信息服务的多种功能,大大降低多种系统并行的建设、维护成本,并可以为内河航运信息化、智能化提供综合应用公用平台     

Developing a conceptual model for sharing container terminal resources: a case study of the Gamman container terminal

It is an important matter closely connected with saving logistics costs, as well as encouraging national competitive power, to improve the productivity of container terminals by efficient utilization of container terminal resources. In this respect, this paper tries to suggest a conceptual model for sharing container terminal resources, taking as a case study the Gamman Container Terminal (GCT) in the port of Pusan. In so doing, it identifies what kinds of resources can be systematically shared from the viewpoint of their common use and draws some problems resulting from terminal operation by four operators at GCT. The model does not imply the conception that each terminal has its own resources individually, but recommends that tentatively-called Container Terminal Resource Management Center (CTRMC) should be established and operated in order to save operation and investment costs and improve operational efficiency. In addition, the continuous acquisition and life-cycle support (CALS) concept is imbedded in the model so that it can control the supply and demand of resources efficiently by sharing the database, through which the CTRMC can automatically identify the status of the excess or deficit of a certain resource in each berth at GCT.     

Developing a conceptual model for sharing container terminal resources: a case study of the Gamman container terminal

It is an important matter closely connected with saving logistics costs, as well as encouraging national competitive power, to improve the productivity of container terminals by efficient utilization of container terminal resources. In this respect, this paper tries to suggest a conceptual model for sharing container terminal resources, taking as a case study the Gamman Container Terminal (GCT) in the port of Pusan. In so doing, it identifies what kinds of resources can be systematically shared from the viewpoint of their common use and draws some problems resulting from terminal operation by four operators at GCT. The model does not imply the conception that each terminal has its own resources individually, but recommends that tentatively-called Container Terminal Resource Management Center (CTRMC) should be established and operated in order to save operation and investment costs and improve operational efficiency. In addition, the continuous acquisition and life-cycle support (CALS) concept is imbedded in the model so that it can control the supply and demand of resources efficiently by sharing the database, through which the CTRMC can automatically identify the status of the excess or deficit of a certain resource in each berth at GCT.     

Market efficiency in the bulk freight market revisited

Given that the freight rate is the price of a transportation service that cannot be traded or stored; the traditional form of the efficient market hypothesis (EMH) does not apply to the freight rate price process. However, the notion of market efficiency still applies in the freight market. In particular, under the hypothesis that the market is semi-strong-form efficient, it should not be possible to make excess profit by taking chartering positions in the freight market based on public information such as past levels of the spot freight rate or the shape of the term structure of freight rates. This paper contributes to the literature by proposing an alternative test of market efficiency in the bulk freight market. We utilize technical analysis based on the history of spot freight rates and investigate the profitability of such chartering strategies for a tanker operator. The chartering decisions are based on identification of the peaks and troughs in the freight market cycles using kernel smoothing of the spot freight rate history. The empirical results suggest that a large tanker operator (e.g. a pool) could have achieved significant profits without investing in ships by trading on such information, although this does not hold in the most recent subset of the sample.     

基于二维数值仿真的集装箱码头规划设计虚拟现实系统

基于二维数值仿真与虚拟现实技术,研究了集装箱码头规划设计的虚拟现实系统.在该系统下可以快速搭建集装箱码头三维动画场景,并通过集装箱码头装卸生产过程的数值分析与三维动画视景,分析码头平面与装卸工艺设计的合理性,揭示码头物流系统的潜在瓶颈,进一步完善和丰富集装箱码头的设计内容.     

内河航道工程财务效益探讨

以杭嘉湖航道网改造工程为实例,采用敏感性分析和概率分析的方法,分别按改扩建项目和新建项目,探讨不同收费方式下内河航道工程的财务效益。研究结果表明,运量大的长湖申线有一定的财务效益,项目自身具有生存能力,但运量小的六平申线,财务效益差,投资决策应注重其社会效益。     

建设合肥集装箱码头发展内河多式联运

通过对合肥港腹地经济、集装箱运输现状、集装箱生成量、合肥-上海航线价格竞争力的分析，论述了合肥港开展集装箱运输的总体条件、集装箱码头建设的必要性和可行性,为合肥港开展集装箱内支线多式联运和集装箱码头的建设提供依据。     

进口原油运输船型经济性分析

石油是世界海上运量最大的货种之一,约占海上总运输量的三分之一。加入WTO后,中国石油海上运输量,特别是进口原油运输量将大幅度地增加。针对这一现实情况,本文对世界原油运输船队的技术经济作了概括性分析,对原油进口航线作了介绍。建立了单船运输经济性测算模型。基于实船经济指标测算结果,以必要运费率为主,通过比较选出了优良船型。并定量测算出不同类型船舶在同一航线上营运的必要运费率及其差异。研究结果指出,随着进口原油量的大幅度增加,中国应大力发展VLCC和Suezmax船队,重点建设大型深水油轮码头。