Examining the influence of firm performance on business risk-taking and the mediation effect of scale of operations in the container terminal industry

Container shipping and its related service sectors help accelerate globalization of the world economy. This industry has been experiencing rapid growth, prompting container terminal operators to increase their handling capacity in response. Providing container terminal services requires substantial capital investment in physical assets such as cargo handling facilities and information systems. On the other hand, operating container terminals is a long-term investment that typically spans several business cycles. Hence prudent asset management using appropriate tools is critical for container terminal operators to sustain their businesses. Generally, due to risk-adverseness, investors are unwilling to take more risk in their investment unless they can reap a higher return. Contrary to this argument, this study finds no direct influence of better firm performance as a proxy of higher return on business risk-taking by container terminal operators. Instead, scale of operations is positively associated with business risk-taking, suggesting that container terminal operators with a larger scale of operations are willing to take more business risk.     

Evolving competition between Hong Kong and Shenzhen ports

Shenzhen Port (SZP), once a negligible local port, has risen dramatically to a world-leading container port and an “equal” player with Hong Kong Port (HKP). Will this market share reallocation continue, or will equilibrium be eventually realized for HKP to prosper continuously? We examine the relationship between these two ports to answer this question. We propose a new transformation method to describe the growth of container cargo transport demand, define the quantitative measures of the competition relationship and port competitiveness, and present a rigorous analytical framework with econometric tests and models to understand the true relationship between HKP and SZP. Direct empirical tests suggest that SZP complements HKP; however, the two ports exhibit strong competition when the effect of demand growth is excluded. Considering transshipment separately, we find that the impact of SZP on HKP is negative in transshipment but complementary in direct shipment. We may conclude that HKP does not affect SZP, whereas SZP has competitive power over HKP. These results are consistent with the findings of some previous theoretical studies.     

集装箱码头运营优化研究

集装箱码头运营优化主要有船舶计划、运输优化、存储与堆放物流和码头仿真研究等4个领域.介绍了集装箱码头的作业系统运营优化中各个领域的国内外研究概况,在此基础上比较分析了国内研究存在的问题,指出了进一步研究的方向.     

集装箱箱门安全状态无线监测系统的设计

介绍了采用射频SoC芯片nRF9E5实现集装箱箱门结构安全状态无线监测,阐述了系统的硬件、软件设计方法及系统的低功耗设计.可自动识别和判读集装箱的安全状态,确保集装箱货物运输的安全.     

车载定位技术在出租车调度系统中的应用

介绍了出租车调度系统的构成及其功能。调度指挥中心系统作为调度系统的核心,能够实现卫星定位、查询管理、电招、报警等功能。而车载定位导航系统主要是借助GPS(GlobalPositionSystem)全球定位系统来实现的。GPS全球定位系统是全球性、全天候、连续的卫星无线电导航系统,它可提供实时的三维位置,三维速度和高精度的时间和信息。出租车调度系统的建立可有效地提高出租车行业的服务水平和城市文明形象。     

Fatigue damage calculation for oil tanker and container ship structures

The fatigue behaviour of longitudinal stiffeners of oil tankers and container ships, subjected to dynamic loads, is analysed. The following dynamic load components are considered: hull girder vertical wave bending moment, alone and combined with the horizontal wave bending moment, hydrodynamic pressure and inertial forces caused by cargo acceleration.

The spectral method was selected to calculate the fatigue damage, based on S—N curves and Miner's rule. Following this approach, the fatigue damage may be calculated as a function of a stress parameter Ω_p, which represents the cumulative effect of wave induced loads in the unit of time and incorporates the combined effects of stress level and its occurring frequency.

Simple formulas for Ω_p of oil tankers and container ships are given, obtained from the results of hydrodynamic analyses performed on several ships, in different wave environments.

Several examples show the applicability of the methods to real ship structures. The method, however, still needs to be calibrated because of the simplifying hypotheses introduced in the loading conditions.     

A critical review of container security operations

Containers, which permit fast and safe handling between modal systems, are the main equipment used in intermodal transport. Unfortunately, enhancement of the efficiency and velocity of container operations has created a breach in traditional security, also known as container security. This paper presents a critical literature review of container security operations. We aim to identify current trends and future research directions in container security. We propose a classification framework based on the following elements: presenting the container security perspective, identifying threats, evaluating container security, balancing costs/benefits and the degree of security, balancing time savings/reduction and the degree of security, and securing containerized transportation processes. We discuss the current studies of these problems, the methodologies adopted and important insights into container security.     

“集装箱装卸机械电能监控系统”的研发

为进一步实现节能减排，研发了集装箱装卸机械电能控制系统。介绍了该电能监控系统的整体结构、系统配置、软件系统、系统网络图等情况。阐述了系统的作用。指出：通过电能监控系统实现对分类能耗、分项电能的远程监测与管理成为港口机械管理发展的必然趋势。     

船载集装箱危险货物瞒报谎报行为的证据收集与分析

通过对危险货物瞒报谎报行为的证据收集与分析，提出对该行为调查的方向和基本方法，以供海事执法人员参考。     

时速160km以下双层集装箱运输铁路有砟轨道隧道内轮廓研究

目前运营时速160 km以下(双箱运输)有砟轨道隧道内轮廓难以满足大型养护机械(特别是大型清筛机)作业空间需求,通过对新建时速160 km以下电气化铁路(双箱运输)有砟轨道隧道的建筑限界、接触网悬挂方式及布置、大型养护机械空间需求、轨道结构形式、侧沟及电缆槽设置等内轮廓影响因素进行综合分析,确定单双线铁路有砟轨道隧道内轮廓控制性尺寸、拟定内轮廓方案,通过对各型内轮廓方案的结构安全性、经济性及施工便利性比较,给出推荐方案,为通用图编制和纳入规范奠定基础。