PLANNING TOOLS FOR OCEAN TRANSPORTATION

The complexity of problems associated with maintaining a viable enterprise are such that the shipowner is sorely in need of a body of readily usable objective type tools and techniques to assist him in the decision-making process. Concepts are formulated which will assist management in assuming a more active role in their development. The major premise is that only the shipowner can say what is suitable and what is feasible to his own distinctive activity. Specific attention is directed to the problem of defining a meaningful data base and in establishing a realistic data collection program. Based on these ideas the concept of a managerial command and control system is advanced. It is shown how it might provide a means by which management would have at its fingertips sufficient information to assess trade conditions, on a near real-time basis, in terms of its effect on ship supply and demand. Use of this approach coupled with a managerial command and control system constitute a significant step towards elevating the decision-making process to a more objective plane. In deriving a methodology for trade forecasting selected mathematical tools are suggested to aide the manager in making a quantitative assessment of the effects of seasonality and trend. The relationship between the trade forecast and ship scheduling is indicated. Techniques are introduced which are helpful in developing itineraries and schedules. A simple linear programming scheme is presented which will enable optimization of cargo selection at a port where shutouts are encountered in terms of achieving maximum profitability and effective utilization of the available cargo carrying capability. Several clearly worked out realistic illustrative examples are provided. A methodology is developed which will provide the shipowner with a means of translating a requirement for new construction stated in terms of the amount of cargo to be carried and the speed of the ship under normal sea conditions into a first cut set of design parameters. Application of the concept is thoroughly described and its feasibility validated through use of illustrative examples. Through the whole of the book emphasis is placed on providing the shipowner with the means of developing those tools of particular relevance to his own needs and there is no more than a rudimentary knowledge of mathematics required.

• Corporate Authors:

  Naval Ship Research and Development Laboratory

  ,    
• Authors:
  • Datz, I M
• Publication Date: 1973

Media Info

• Pagination: 192 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Decision making; Economic forecasting; Highway traffic control; Market surveys; Scheduling; Trade
• Old TRIS Terms: Market studies; Trade forecasts
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Economics; Marine Transportation; Operations and Traffic Management;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00050489
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: Book
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 4 1974 12:00AM