The vertical disintegration of ship management: choice criteria for third party selection and evaluation

An assessment of the rationale for the vertical disintegration of ship management suggests that there might be compelling economic benefits for the separation of ownership from management. In this context, as a means for developing effective marketing strategies, it is important for ship managers to know the criteria used by current and prospective clients for ship manager selection and evaluation. The aim of this paper is to empirically identify the dimensions for ship manager selection and performance evaluation and their relative importance and to discuss the implications for marketing emanating from such an assessment. The methodology adopted includes the collection of secondary and primary data, both from ship managers and their clients, using interviews and a mail survey. The results indicate the prevailing importance of certain dimensions in selection (e.g. technical ability, reputation, competency) and evaluation (responsiveness, trustworthiness, technical ability), whereas it also found that price alone is not perceived to be as important in ship manager selection. It is concluded that placing emphasis on such dimensions in the formulation of a marketing strategy will contribute towards the attraction and retention of clients, whereas cost-cutting measures to allow price reduction, as well as advertising, will be ineffective over the long term.     

Development of hydrogen-compressed natural gas blend engine for heavy duty vehicles

Natural gas fuel, as an alternative energy source of transportation, has been used widely since it has an advantage of low emission levels. However, new technologies are required in order to meet the reinforced emission regulations. For this purpose, research into the development of hydrogen-compressed natural gas (HCNG) blend engine was carried out to evaluate its feasibility and emission characteristics. The Engine Research Department at the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials carried out a large number of tests based on various parameter changes that could affect the performance and emission of HCNG engine in different operating conditions. An earlier stage of the research project focused on the lean combustion of a HCNG engine for heavy duty vehicles to meet the EURO-VI standards. An 11-L/6-cylinder CNG engine was used for the test. The effects of the excess air ratio change were assessed based on various content ratios of hydrogen in the natural gas fuel. In the later part of the HCNG research, a stoichiometric mixture operation was suggested to meet reinforced emission regulation without requiring a De-NOx system. Additionally, an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system was introduced for the purpose of improving thermal efficiency and durability. The optimal operating conditions were selected to achieve the best thermal efficiency to meet the required emission levels. In this paper, we demonstrate that a HCNG engine can achieve a significant decrease in NOx emissions, as compared to that of a CNG engine, while meeting the requirements of the EURO-VI standards during a transient mode cycle test. EGR can suppress the weakness of stoichiometric mixture combustion strategy, such as the deterioration of the durability and thermal efficiency, while the emission level can be lowered with the use of a three-way catalyst. The possibility of further reduction of emissions and CO2 with EGR was evaluated to access practical application of a HCNG engine in the field. From that evaluation, the HCNG engine with stoichiometric mixture operation for heavy duty vehicles was developed. The emission levels of HCNG engine were 50 % lower when compared to the EURO-VI standards with a greater than 10 % decrease in CO₂ compared to that of a natural gas engine.     

An application of centralized data envelopment analysis in resource allocation in container terminal operations

This paper presents an application of centralized data envelopment analysis (CDEA) to analyse the performance of a number of container terminals supervised by one liner shipping company. It provides a systematic and centralized perspective of resource reallocation based on one company’s perspective. The numerical results show that two of the five dedicated terminals are, by and large, efficient, but the other three need resources to be reallocated. Under the minor adjustment scenario, the liner shipping company should reduce the aggregated amount of the labour cost and the hauling equipment should be transferred to different terminals in America. Under the major adjustment scenario, both the labour and hauling equipment could be reduced.     

Maritime economics: Problems and challenges for the future

The light is always identical in its composition, but it falls on a great variety of objects, and by so falling is first revealed to us, not in its own form, for it is formless, but in theirs; in like manner, thought only appears in the objects it classifies.     

Production function,productivities, and capacity utilization of the Port of Mobile

In this study, the author considers the problems related to the expansion of port facilities using economic theory as a basis for discussion and the Port of Mobile as an example.     

6502电气集中电路图形式改进

本文介绍了铁路信号设备施工和日常维护工作中既有电路图存在的不足。依据现实需要，在原有图形的基础上，对室内外各种设备电路图形式提出了改进方案。针对信号机点灯电路、轨道电路、道岔电路和计算机联锁电路等不同电路图的特殊需要，提出了具体的改进措施。通过实践证明了改进方案的可行性和高效性。     

常见假冒伪劣汽车零配件的危害与鉴别

文中从汽车使用者的角度出发,介绍了常见几种假冒伪劣配件在使用时的危害及如何通过"五看"、"四法"鉴别假冒伪劣配件。     

碎石化后沥青加铺层应力对比分析

碎石化是一种旧水泥混凝土路面处治重要技术,它能降低建设成本,加快建设周期。文章基于有限元分析方法,首先对比分析了碎石化后加铺沥青面层和同厚度级配碎石层上加铺沥青面层的应力,结论认为碎石化后沥青加铺层底的拉应力要小于级配碎石的情况,证明碎石化后水泥混凝土板块优于级配碎石的力学性能;然后,通过改变碎石化层中两个主要分层的厚度和模量,分析不同的破碎程度对加铺层应力的影响,结论认为,碎石化下层厚度在10cm左右时,既能保证碎石化层仍然具有一定强度使沥青层底拉应力不至于过大,又能起到防止反射裂缝的作用。碎石化下层厚度不变时,加铺沥青层的受力状况随着碎石化下层模量的增大会稍有改善,拉应力、拉应变和弯沉都会有所减小,总体幅度在3%~9%之间。     

宜昌长江公路大桥竣工文件编制与研究简介

结合宜昌长江公路大桥建设实际，介绍了公路桥梁建设项目竣工文件编制与研究的必要性，编制与研究的技术线路，主要内容及其特点。