Detecting and Managing Coastal Fisheries and Aquaculture Gear Using Satellite Radar Imagery

Fishing and shellfish aquaculture are important sources of income for coastal communities in Thailand and other parts of tropical Asia, but environmental impacts associated with these small-scale activities can effect water quality, nearshore habitats, and fish populations. The management of coastal fisheries and aquaculture has, therefore, become a major concern for government fisheries officials who are searching for cost effective measures to improve the regulation of these sectors. Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images from the RADARSAT-1 satellite were acquired to determine if stationary fishing and aquaculture gears within a coastal study site in the Upper Gulf of Thailand could be identified, and if automatic signature separation of gear types was possible. The use of SAR imagery for a coastal monitoring application was also evaluated and the potential of this technology to improve resource management outcomes considered.     

Passenger route guidance system for multi‐modal transit networks

In many public transport oriented cities in the world, especially Asian cities, the public transport system has been developed extensively, to the extent that it has become increasingly difficult to navigate. Although inter‐modal transfers are common and often necessary, a complete set of the routes across transport modes is generally not presented in a form that is accessible to travelers, as each operator would only publish its own routes. Moreover, the common nonlinear fare tables together with inter‐modal fare discounts pose challenges to travelers in deciding their best routes. This study develops a multi‐modal passenger route guidance system, called eFinder, to aid travelers with their combined mode‐route choices. We discuss the architecture and features of this system in this study. This system forms a platform for disseminating public transit information and should complement further development and use of the public transport network by enabling travelers to make informed choices.     

全球集装箱航运业发展趋势权威性预测

集装箱航运业遭遇种种难题可以理解船东和集装箱航运公司担心舱位运力的增长的速度将远远超出人们最乐观的需求预测。但是为何许多托运人也在担心这种情况呢?     

Regional governance of port development in China: a case study of Shanghai International Shipping Center

When China enters the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and becomes more involved in the global economy, her major seaports will be pivotal places where the international shipping and terminal operators interact, conflict and co-operate with the local and the central governments. To demonstrate and understand these interactions, this article analyzes the case of the Yangtze River Delta (YRD), where the competition, co-operation and governance of Shanghai and Ningbo, the two largest ports on Chinese mainland, concern all stakeholders from the central and local governments of China to the container terminal operators and shipping lines overseas.

This paper first develops a conceptual framework for analyzing port development in a regional context. The article then introduces the case of the Shanghai International Shipping Center with a focus on the efforts of the Shanghai Government to establish a regional hub port, which also involves two nearby provinces. This case study reveals the course of the decision-making processes and the power networks currently governing the port development in the YRD. Two domains of port governance are discussed: the role of port authorities in port internal governance, and the crucial influences of local and central governments on the port external governance. It provides evidence that the power of shipping lines and international terminal operators are not as prevalent as in many ports in western countries. It is suggested that the lack of good regional port governance in the region is due to structural problems in administration.     

Strategic alliances in the container shipping industry: a global perspective

This paper examines developments in container shipping in light of the formation of strategic alliances by many of the leading companies. It focuses on three features: the transformation of services, the evolution of the fleet, and the adjustments made to the ports of call. These elements are analysed on a global basis for 3 years: 1989, 1994 and 1999. Some of the changes wrought by the alliances are identified, including the spread and intensification of services, and the deployment of the largest vessels on alliance routes. While the individual companies that have come together in alliances are serving many more ports than before, it is also demonstrated that the total number of ports served by the industry has remained constant. The results are interpreted in the context of globalization that is tending to impose greater standardization on the container shipping industry.     

Time use,mobility and expenditure: an innovative survey design for understanding individuals’ trade-off processes

A large amount of information is required to model the complex trade-off processes between travel activities, non-travel activities and budget assignment at the individual level. This paper describes the development of a new survey design, which incorporates components of travel surveys, time use surveys and consumer expenditure surveys in an integrated format, which is expected to deliver a richer data set allowing deeper insights into individuals’ activity and consumption patterns. The survey procedure and the incentives paid, which were necessary to obtain acceptable response rates, are also described. Results from two pilot studies using a trip-based and an activity-based diary format are presented. The paper examines to which extent the diaries have been capable of collecting the required data with high quality and response rates. The innovative “Mobility–Activity–Expenditure-Diary” is introduced and results of the main survey using this design are presented. Travel behaviour and non-travel activities were reported at high quality. Expenditures would require longer observation periods (and preferably not only telephone but also personal support in the survey process) to reduce unsystematic variations and to better capture individuals’ long term equilibrium.

     

Waterfront redevelopment in Canadian port cities: some viewpoints on issues involved

This paper reports on a component of a research project on Canadian Dimensions of Waterfront Revitalization wherein forty-five interviews were held in Canadian port cities with port authority representatives, urban planners and developers. Respondents were asked to fill in a questionnaire, and the findings from this questionnaire survey are discussed in this paper. Anticipated contrasts between planning philosophies in different professions were largely but not invariably confirmed.     

An analysis of the 1968 rapid transit vote in Los Angeles

Analysis of the results of past mass transit bond issues can aid transportation planners in understanding and anticipating voter behavior. This paper reports the results of an analysis of the 1968 rapid transit bond issue vote in Los Angeles, California. The simple relationships of the vote to a variety of possible explanatory variables are first examined. An attempt to assess the relative independent importance of these variables and to offer a partial explanation of the vote using multiple regression analysis is then presented. Variables found to have had the greatest impact on the vote are proximity to the proposed transit system, income-level, and ethnicity. Variables found to have had little or no effect, on the other hand, are population density, age, partisanship, and election turnout rate. The analysis indicates that the frequently used mood-of-the-electorate explanation of bond-issue failures in general, and transit proposals in particular, underestimates the quality of the electoral decision. The electorate does make rational distinctions, and future bonding attempts will confront voters capable of perceiving the utility to them of proposed transit systems and voting accordingly. The policy implications of this analysis suggest that the design of future mass transit proposals should, firstly more explicitly attempt to incorporate the preferences of middle-income voters, and secondly, be part of a comprehensive transit plan for the entire metropolitan area.