Notes and Comments

Comment by John R. Clark

Comment by Kem Lowry

Comment by Stephen B. Olsen

Response by Jens Sorensen     

The case of Rochdale versus Rochdale

An examination of the problems facing marine training in Canada at present as compared to the marine training systems developed in the United Kingdom, Australia, China and at the World Maritime University in Sweden.     

Assessing economic activity in coastal areas: A shift‐share approach

Abstract

An essential aspect of economic analysis associated with planning efforts is identifying the composition of existing economic activity and understanding historical trends in economic change. The shift‐share model is a useful and inexpensive tool for this purpose. Shift‐share analysis evaluates changes in local economic activities relative to changes in a reference area (usually the state or nation). Economic change is separated into a reference area component, an industry mix component, and a local share component. These measure, respectively, the effect on the local economy due to changes in the reference area, factors specific to the local mix of industries, and the changing competitive position of the local area relative to the reference area.

A shift‐share analysis of Florida's coastal counties reveals that all grew much faster over the 1965–1975 period than did the national economy. This rapid growth is primarily a result of a net shift of economic activity toward the study area relative to the nation. However, a few coastal counties did exhibit a mix of slow‐growing industries. Specific industry results for Florida counties at the eighty‐industry level reveal that many industries showed significant shifts toward Florida's coastal counties. The performance of individual industries in the coastal counties generally exceeded that of the same industries in noncoastal counties.     

Low-fi simulation of bridge team communication

The paper compares the pedagogical advantages of two simulation types used for training verbal maritime communication. It tests the hypothesis that “low-fi” simulation using online web conference software, specifically ‘chat’ or messaging, is a valid complementary tool for the instruction of Maritime English and full-mission simulation. Based on a series of exercises involving multi-national and multi-lingual students, various linguistic patterns are determined and compared to audio recordings of full-mission simulation. Probability of superiority effect sizes is computed to quantify the observed effects. The findings corroborate the proximity of language patterns found in low-fi and full-mission simulation. Pedagogical implications are discussed, and future research possibilities are outlined.     

Comparison of sediment profile image data with profiles of oxygen and Eh from sediment cores

A study of oil and gas development in the Gulf of Mexico provided a unique opportunity to compare data from sediment profile images (SPI) with that of sediment cores collected at locations in the central Gulf of Mexico from 1034 to 1175 m. Variables measured from SPI included sediment grain-size, sediment texture, apparent depth of oxygen penetration (aDOP) into the sediments, and parameters related to biogenic activity (tubes, burrows, feeding pits or mounds, and subsurface feeding voids). Variables measured from the sediment cores included sedimentation rate, dissolved oxygen profiles, and redox potential (Eh). There was a high degree of concordance between the two data sets based on correlation analysis. For example, the correlation between aDOP and maximum penetration of oxygen into the sediment was 0.69. For deep-sea sediment, SPI provides a means by which general geochemical conditions of near surface sediment can be remotely assessed providing a quick method for mapping surficial geochemistry over large areas.     

中国船舶修理改装厂全览

在过去几年里,中国已经明显成为在船舶修理和船舶改装行业中日益崛起的国家之一.中国的修船业起先仅因其价格竞争优势而闻名,而如今中国的领先船厂在船舶修理和船舶改装业务中所具有的全面竞争力已经获得全球海运界的公认.日本川崎重工和新加坡胜科集团这样的业界领先企业已经在中国建起了合资船厂,这些国际知名船舶管理公司的加盟正使中国修造船企业的竞争力得到进一步的增强.     

不断增长的威胁

由于运量的增加,集装箱航运业2003年增长12%,2004年达14%,这引起人们的担心.在仅仅两年的时间里,随着全球集装箱产量跃居8350万TEU,集装箱运量有望增长30.3%.     

Delivering trusting partnerships for route bus services: A Melbourne case study

The Thredbo Conference series has developed the idea of negotiated performance-based contracts as effective public transport service delivery mechanisms, with trusting partnerships between authority and operators providing an environment likely to maximise the performance of this delivery mode. However, there is a distinct lack of relevant case study material on trusting partnerships in public transport to affirm this proposition. This paper seeks to redress the balance. It outlines the system development directions that are being implemented for bus services in Melbourne, Australia, and the way that a broad-based constituency has been built to support those directions. It then illustrates the extension of the tactical trusting partnership approach between purchaser and provider to the level of the individual operator contract, showing how this should create a flexible yet disciplined environment to manage and cope with change and growth. The broad nature of the new contracts is summarised and, building on the findings from Thredbo 9, processes that are being implemented to manage the on-going relationship between purchaser and providers are outlined. Finally, the paper argues for extending KPIs beyond the operator to encompass the authority/regulator and the partnership of authority/operator, to extend performance pressures beyond the operator and recognise the interdependence of partners in a true partnership.     

Workshop report - Public policy and transport

This workshop considered the wider public policy goals of a range of transport interventions. Particular attention was paid to assessing the role of integration of the different components of the transport system and of the integration of transport with other economic sectors. This assessment was informed by Ray Pawson’s realist evaluation approach, with its emphasis on the inter-relationships between context, process and outcome. The context was provided by case studies covering small urban areas, large urban areas and inter-urban corridors. The three key processes identified related to a regulated system with public ownership and control, a deregulated system with private sector ownership (‘competition in the market’) and a system in which there was public planning of the transport system but private provision (‘competition for the market’). Outcomes can be assessed using cost-benefit analysis tools to determine impacts on economic welfare or more qualitative approaches can be used to determine the extent to which accessibility or sustainability goals have been achieved. The evidence provided suggests that wider public policy goals are more important for urban than for inter-urban transport and it thus in urban areas where integration should be pursued with most vigour. The most relevant process for achieving this would seem to be variants of the competition for the market model. Some policy recommendations are made and implications for further research and for future conferences assessed.