An analysis of rail freight operational efficiency and mode share in the British port-hinterland container market

The growth in container shipping poses considerable challenges to efforts to reduce the negative externalities associated with freight transport. There are particular concerns about the impacts of the associated port-hinterland freight flows. Through empirical research, this paper examines trends in the operational efficiency of the British port-hinterland container rail freight market and to assess the impacts of any changes on the overall sustainability of this market. Original survey work conducted in 2007 and 2015 has allowed longitudinal and cross-sectional analysis of the characteristics of this market.The survey findings reveal that rail’s mode share of port container throughput (in TEU) has increased from 14.7% in 2007 to 16.6% in 2015 and it is likely that its share of the associated hinterland activity has also risen. Rail was carrying 25% more TEU by 2015 without an increase in train service provision. Increases in mean train capacity and mean load factor were observed, leading to growth in the mean train load from 44 TEU in 2007 to 55 TEU in 2015. This considerable improvement in operational efficiency is expected to have reduced the negative externalities per unit of transport activity associated with the rail-borne hinterland container flows, though scope is identified for further improvements in sustainability.     

Competitiveness of container terminal operating companies in South Korea and the industry–university–government network

Burgeoning container port facilities have fostered intensified competition among container terminal operating companies (CTOCs). However, despite research into their survival strategies which identified antecedents of competitiveness including hard factors such as facilities, available cargo and cargo processing ability, softer factors spanning human resource management, networks and strategic alliances with universities and government agencies in industry–university–government (I–U–G) networks have been overlooked. This study aims to examine both hard and softer antecedents of competitiveness as perceived by 152 professionals in South Korean CTOCs; empirical relationships among these antecedents, I–U–G networks, and competitiveness itself; and the significance of the I–U–G network in establishing and improving competitiveness. Posited antecedents of competitiveness included human resources, facilities, service quality, customer orientation, reputation, and government support policy as independent variables; the I–U–G network as a moderating variable; and competitiveness as a dependent variable. Empirical structural relationships revealed that excepting government support policy, each variable significantly affected CTOC competitiveness. Further, the I–U–G network moderated the relationships between the antecedents of competitiveness and competitiveness. Because an effective I–U–G network was pivotal in controlling CTOC competitiveness, improved competitiveness requires not only differentiation of human resources, facilities, service quality, customer orientation, and reputation factors but also I–U–G network developments.     

Evaluating determinants of attractiveness and their cause-effect relationships for container ports in Taiwan: users’ perspectives

The attractiveness of ports is usually a pre-requisite and necessary condition for ports to achieve competitiveness, as well as the springboard to explore the competitive advantages of ports. To determine whether a port is competitive, it is necessary to explore whether it boasts certain factors that make the port attractive to users. The main purpose of this article is to apply the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method and the Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) technique to evaluate key determinants of attractiveness and their cause/effect relationships for container ports in Taiwan. The empirical results showed that: (1) Top six determinates of attractiveness for container ports are ‘ample cargo sources,’ ‘favorable port charges,’ ‘dense ship network and routes,’ ‘low transshipment costs,’ ‘efficient wharf operations,’ and ‘adequate wharfs and back-line land,’ respectively. (2) Among the above six determinants of attractiveness, ‘ample cargo sources’ is the cause determinant. Three determinants of port attractiveness, ‘favorable port charges,’ ‘dense ship network and routes,’ ‘low transshipment costs,’ which are the effect determinants. They are affected by the determinants of attractiveness of ‘ample cargo sources’. In addition, this study discusses the above findings and expects to provide the study results to Taiwan’s port authorities for reference.     

集装箱专用平车加装承载板实现滚装运输技术研究

为弥补应急情况下滚装运输所需平车数量缺口,同时为完善车辆自身应急保障能力,分析集装箱专用平车用于滚装运输需求,针对集装箱专用平车用于滚装运输存在的主要问题,提出在不改变车体结构前提下,通过加装承载板实现滚装运输的解决思路。结合集装箱专用平车结构特点,分析承载板的数量、尺寸、材质,设计承载板由承载面、横支撑架、渡板、斜支腿、受力面、绳拴构成,给出加装改造方法,并通过校核承载能力和研究适运范围,研究加装改造后的集装箱专用平车滚装运输能力,得出改造后的集装箱专用平车可以满足大部分滚装运输货物运输需要。     

基于虚拟应力场法的船舶避让与控制

为了实现船舶在航道内的避障,应用虚拟力场法建立了避障模型,描述了目标点的虚拟引力和障碍物的虚拟斥力之间的关系及其功能设计,实现了从船舶运动坐标值到控制量的转变,结果证明．船舶能够在多变的周边环境中实现避障功能。     

美国西海岸港口作业集装箱分析

分析美国西海岸集装箱港口作业集装箱的情况.这些港口承担大部分我国与美国贸易货物的集装箱运输,对我国外贸和集装箱运输发展有很大的影响.     

集装箱运输组织信息集成模式研究

基于对集装箱运输组织流程的剖析,提出了集装箱运输组织信息的集成模式。这个模式涉及信息集成需求分析、体系结构的确定和基于多Agent的信息集成实现等内容。研究表明：集装箱运输组织必须得到来自不同信息源、具有不同特征的不同类型信息的支持、具有多数据源支持、集成分析功能多样和存储虚拟等特点．它可以通过建立虚拟视图的方式来实现基于多Agent的集装箱运输组织信息集成．     

燃气轮机的大型集装箱船LNG燃料舱布置

为了满足环保新法规要求,很多船东首选LNG作为船用燃料。本文基于燃气轮机推进的大型集装箱船的布置特点及IGF规则的要求,对LNG燃料舱布置的位置和LNG燃料舱适用的形式进行了论证,获得了满足大型集装箱船性能需求和IGF规则要求的LNG燃料舱设计方案。     

深海海山周围航船噪声建模与特性研究

本文以抛物方程模型为基础,结合声场的互易性,提出一种深海低频航船噪声建模方法,该方法将声源与接收点位置互换,大大降低了声场计算的运行次数和运行时间,基于该方法对深海海山周围的航船噪声进行计算和分析.研究结果表明:海山对声传播损失的影响取决于接收阵元与海山的位置关系以及海山的几何参数.由于海山的遮挡作用,海山附近航船噪声的水平指向性具有不均匀性,在有海山遮挡的方向噪声级明显低于无海山遮挡的方向,海山附近航船噪声的垂直指向性会出现多个峰值.此外,单个尖峰海山的遮挡对接收阵元处的航船噪声总级影响较小.     

严冬回暖中的航运企业生存与发展问题的探讨

由美国次贷危机而引发的金融危机对全球航运市场产生了严重影响,对航运市场特别是干散货市场和集装箱市场造成了巨大的冲击,使航运市场跌入低谷。虽然现在有回暖的趋势,但今年的行情仍然不容乐观。航运企业应该及时调整经营策略,采取积极的应对措施,将金融危机给企业带来的损失降低到最小程度。