The choice of ship size on deep-sea general cargo routes †

The introduction of unit load methods, particularly the cellular container system, has been associated with a large increase in ship size on some of the world's major general cargo routes. In this sector, ship size is determined by a set of interactions between handling performance, route length, traffic flow, itinerary, requirements for frequent and regular service, port costs and general system organization. This paper explores these relationships to identify major influences and to consider the prospects for further growth.     

Option for Western Australia/Europe container freight traffic

By extending a methodology developed by the US Army Corps of Engineers, firm-specific short-run costs of a barge company are estimated in this paper. The estimated costs include average costs, marginal costs, and cost elasticities. These estimates led to a breakeven analysis and an analysis of financial conditions of the barge industry in general. Findings include that the breakeven ton-mile rates range from 0. 52 to 0.72 cents for a full-capacity operation and that the costs of barge services are highly inelastic. A questionnaire survey of 256 barge and towing companies has also been shown to corroborate the findings of this paper.     

Sustainability and national policy in UK port development

Given the private sector character of the UK port system it might well be thought that, so far as port development is concerned, the market ruled. There are of course permissions to be obtained, including planning consent under the Town and Country Planning Acts; but this process has not so far been considered to interfere with market function. Ports are already well used to the process of obtaining approval, to negotiations with objectors and environmental interests, and to mitigating the effects of development when defining projects and seeking approval.

However, as ports policy is being brought into line with transport policy generally, and in particular with Government policy for sustainable development, ports are being faced with a more challenging regulatory framework. The search for sustainable transport is leading Government towards a broader based approach to the approval of development applications in which market need and commercial viability are simply two of a number of considerations which ports must take into account in designing projects which also meet environmental concerns.

There has been a long standing requirement for developers of major projects to carry out Environmental Impact Assessments. In addition Government policy is set out in a number of publications, applying sustainability and the associated “New Approach to Transport Assessment” (NATA) to the ports sector. In a separate and broader initiative it has also considered a radical reform of the planning system and the establishment of national priorities for infrastructure combined with a simplification of the Public Inquiry process. In the event it has been decided not to establish national priorities in the ports sector, although the aim of simplification of the Inquiry process remains.

The aim of this paper is to explore the emerging theoretical and practical issues arising within the development approval process. These are of most concern in the development of major projects for cargoes which have broad hinterlands, and where there are competing locations for new facilities. The most important example of this is in the deep sea container sector where there is a demand for new capacity and a choice of widely spaced locations in the south east of the UK. Some comment will be made on this sector and on the issues arising at the Public Inquiries for the proposed container port developments at Dibden Bay (Southampton) and the London Gateway at Shellhaven on the north bank of the Thames.     

Sustainability and national policy in UK port development

Given the private sector character of the UK port system it might well be thought that, so far as port development is concerned, the market ruled. There are of course permissions to be obtained, including planning consent under the Town and Country Planning Acts; but this process has not so far been considered to interfere with market function. Ports are already well used to the process of obtaining approval, to negotiations with objectors and environmental interests, and to mitigating the effects of development when defining projects and seeking approval.

However, as ports policy is being brought into line with transport policy generally, and in particular with Government policy for sustainable development, ports are being faced with a more challenging regulatory framework. The search for sustainable transport is leading Government towards a broader based approach to the approval of development applications in which market need and commercial viability are simply two of a number of considerations which ports must take into account in designing projects which also meet environmental concerns.

There has been a long standing requirement for developers of major projects to carry out Environmental Impact Assessments. In addition Government policy is set out in a number of publications, applying sustainability and the associated “New Approach to Transport Assessment” (NATA) to the ports sector. In a separate and broader initiative it has also considered a radical reform of the planning system and the establishment of national priorities for infrastructure combined with a simplification of the Public Inquiry process. In the event it has been decided not to establish national priorities in the ports sector, although the aim of simplification of the Inquiry process remains.

The aim of this paper is to explore the emerging theoretical and practical issues arising within the development approval process. These are of most concern in the development of major projects for cargoes which have broad hinterlands, and where there are competing locations for new facilities. The most important example of this is in the deep sea container sector where there is a demand for new capacity and a choice of widely spaced locations in the south east of the UK. Some comment will be made on this sector and on the issues arising at the Public Inquiries for the proposed container port developments at Dibden Bay (Southampton) and the London Gateway at Shellhaven on the north bank of the Thames.     

The choice of ship size on deep-sea general cargo routes

The introduction of unit load methods, particularly the cellular container system, has been associated with a large increase in ship size on some of the world's major general cargo routes. In this sector, ship size is determined by a set of interactions between handling performance, route length, traffic flow, itinerary, requirements for frequent and regular service, port costs and general system organization. This paper explores these relationships to identify major influences and to consider the prospects for further growth.     

Pricing policy and operational controls in container terminals

Following a general discussion on port pricing policies and structures the author explores the argument that price in itself provides an inadequate focus of needs and preferences of port users, especially users of container terminals, and suggests a system of input pricing related to the sale of terminal capability on a time basis.