Centralized resource allocation with emission resistance in a two-stage production system: Evidence from a Taiwan’s container shipping company

This paper proposes a centralized network data envelopment analysis model that combines the centralized data envelopment analysis model and network data envelopment analysis to allocate resources among sub-units. In the proposed model, this paper also considers the situations in which undesirable outputs are jointly produced with desirable outputs, the reduction of undesirable outputs is associated with the reduction of energy inputs, and some inputs are dedicated to the specific sub-unit while some inputs are shared among sub-units. To comprehensively investigate this issue, two cases are discussed. One case explores the situation in which common inputs are shared among the first process of sub-units, while the other case explores the situation in which common inputs are also shared among two processes of sub-units. The proposed model is illustrated in an empirical example of 14 Asian shipping routes operated by a Taiwanese container shipping company. In order to avoid organizational resistance, minor and major adjustment policies are demonstrated. The minor adjustment policy transfers inputs among routes but maintains the original levels of input resources, whereas the major adjustment policy reduces the total amount of input resources. The results provide valuable information for the centralized decision-maker on how to reallocate resources among the sub-units.     

An equilibrium-based network model for international container flows

The liner shipping industry is a highly complex system and is extremely sensitive to rapid changes in the environment. To facilitate decision-making in response to endogenous and exogenous shocks, this research develops a strategic network model based on equilibrium principles to analyze the international marine liner shipping network according to port charge, congestion level at the port, and load factor of the ship and estimates the possible container flows under different scenarios in the long run. The distribution model of container flows is extended from Beckmann's transformation. To calibrate the parameters employed in the model so that it offers greater fidelity in predicting container flows, we devise a descent direction-based heuristic. The proposed framework is empirically applied to various scenarios to validate the model and predict the flow pattern after significant events. By identifying these events’ potential impact on the maritime network, the presented model can help relevant stakeholders reduce uncertainty when shaping maritime policies so that they can seize opportunities to increase their competitiveness and maintain their advantage in the maritime market.     

排放控制区下集装箱班轮航线路径规划与航速调度集成决策

针对排放控制区和“限硫令”实施下，控制区内外燃油价格的巨大差异，对船舶进出港射角 选择、航段航速优化，挂港顺序确定的影响，综合考虑船舶进出港射角与控制区内外航距组合的 关联关系，控制区内外航距、航速在燃油价格差异下的悖反关系，船舶耗油费用和耗时费用的平 衡关系，港口间船舶运行费用组合与航线挂港次序的作用关系，以及这些关系相互影响，相互作 用，相互耦合对船舶运营成本的影响，提出集装箱班轮航线路径规划与航速调度集成决策问题。 以航次运营成本最小为目标，运用斜边非限定变异三角函数几何方法和混合整数非线性规划建 模方法，构建该问题的两阶段集成决策模型，并利用遗传算法对结果进行优化。最后，通过案例 对比与趋势分析，验证了模型的实用性和优越性。     

An analysis of institutional pressures,green supply chain management,and green performance in the container shipping context

This paper presents a study which utilized a conceptual framework with institutional theory as its base to empirically evaluate the impact of institutional pressures, internal green practices, and external green collaborations on green performance. Factor analysis was employed to identify the key institutional pressures (i.e. coercive, normative and mimetic pressures), internal green practices (i.e. green shipping practices and green operations), external green collaborations (i.e. green collaboration with supplier, green collaboration with partner, and green collaboration with customer), and green performance (i.e. reduction of pollutants, and perceived green brand) dimensions. We collected data from surveyees employed by 129 container shipping companies and agencies in Taiwan, and applied a structural equation model (SEM) to test the research hypotheses. The findings revealed that institutional pressures have positive effects on internal green practices; internal green practices positively influence external green collaborations; internal green practices and external green collaborations positively influence green performance but institutional pressure is not positively associated with external green collaborations. Theoretical contributions and managerial implications are presented to help container shipping operators improve green performance.     

COVID-19疫情对我国港航业发展影响的调查和应对措施

针对2020年春节期间发生的新型冠状病毒肺炎(COVID-19)疫情给我国的经济发展带来严重影响的状况,为客观地了解此次疫情对我国港航业发展的影响,以广州航运交所开展的问卷调查收集的数据为样本,对与此次疫情相关的数据进行梳理分析。在此基础上,结合已有研究,提出在该疫情的影响下港航业应采取的应对措施。统计分析结果表明,面对不确定性因素,提振市场信心是对恢复港航企业发展最有效,也是最容易忽视的因素,在应对该疫情过程中,需予以重视。     

Enhancing the competitiveness of Korea’s container shipping industry through structural improvements

ABSTRACT

After the collapse of Hanjin Shipping in 2016, Korea faced the task of reconstructing its container shipping industry by enhancing the competitiveness of its shipping companies in a rapidly evolving market environment. Responding to this need for policy design, this study first attempts to understand the industry based on the shipping ecosystem, which comprises the following four areas: shipping finance, collection of cargo, acquisition of ships, and partnership among carriers. Second, it lists the structural problems, along with the remedial policy alternatives, that were identified after conducting in-depth interviews with industry experts, which included mid-level managers. Third, it conducts an importance-performance analysis to classify problems according to their importance and performance, followed by an analytic hierarchy process analysis to define the priorities of policy alternatives. Finally, drawing on the empirical results, the paper concludes with suggestions on an integrated policy package for the container shipping industry.     

Container liner fleet deployment: A systematic overview

Container liner fleet deployment (CLFD) is the assignment of containerships to port rotations (ship routes) for efficient transport of containers. As liner shipping services have fixed schedules, the ship-related operating cost is determined at the CLFD stage. This paper provides a critical review of existing mathematical models developed for the CLFD problems. It first gives a systematic overview of the fundamental assumptions used by the existing CLFD models. The operating characteristics dealt with in existing studies are then examined, including container transshipment and routing, uncertain demand, empty container repositioning, ship sailing speed optimization and ship repositioning. Finally, this paper points out four important future research opportunities: fleet deployment considering ship surveys and inspections, service dependent demand, pollutant emissions, and CLFD for shipping alliances.     

Mode selection of tractor-and-semitrailer swap transport for ro-ro shipping under land-sea combined transportation

ABSTRACT

Combining ro-ro shipping and tractor-and-semitrailer swap transport under land-sea combined transportation can reduce operating costs and improve the safety of maritime transport. In addition, selection of the tractor-and-semitrailer swap mode (i.e., the ship-swap mode and port-swap mode) is a critical factor that affects the efficiency and cost of ro-ro ship loading/unloading. Considering inland pickup/delivery and ship loading/unloading, this paper develops a model that determines the mode of tractor-and-semitrailer swap transport with the objective of minimizing the total cost. This study also considers constraints such as empty semitrailer exchange and multiple time windows associated with customer receiving/delivery locations and the ro-ro ship. A hybrid simulated annealing (SA) is applied to solve the problem. By analysing numerical examples, the results show that the port-swap mode is more suitable than the ship-swap mode when the number of tasks is large because the port-swap mode can perform more tasks with fewer tractors than the ship-swap mode and because the port-swap mode can service receiving/delivery locations and finish ship loading/unloading more punctually than the ship-swap mode. Thus, this research provides a useful reference for road transport carriers and port firms to select the mode of tractor-and-semitrailer swap transport for ro-ro shipping.     

The effects of emission control area regulations on cruise shipping

To control SOx, NOx and particulate matter emission from ships, including cruise ships, emission control areas (ECAs) have been defined by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), which influences cruise planning. This paper investigates a mixed integer programming model to reschedule voyage plans by optimizing speeds, sailing patterns and ports-of-call sequences, hence reducing fuel costs. A tabu search based solution method is developed to solve the model. Computational tests on real-world data of cruise lines are conducted in order to explore the effects of ECA regulations on cruise shipping. The results show that the proposed model can save fuel costs under ECA regulations, and the designed solution method is efficient.     

2018年世界船舶市场评述与2019年展望

回顾了2018年世界经济、航运、造船市场,并对2019年进行展望。2018年世界经济平稳复苏,航运市场整体趋势向好,新船订单吨位量小幅上升;2019年世界经济风险偏于下行,航运市场将在压力中前行,各细分市场"几家欢喜几家愁",世界新造船市场呈现弱复苏态势,绿色和智能是市场增长的主要动力来源。