Methodology to Maximise the Profitability of a Container Shipping Terminal through the Optimisation of Its Level of Automation

Current trends in automation are generally accepted as a way to maximize the adapting of container shipping terminals to its business volume. This research is taking into account these trends through an analysis which considers as much the global reality of the terminal as its local reality. Automation could exploit its strengths as well as minimizing its weaknesses in a constant growing and changing market. The authors have developed a model analysis that takes into account the technical, operational, financial and economic influences in the design of a container shipping terminal, from its conception as being dependent to generate business. All these influences are defined by the specific market of shipping of containers and the specific terminal physical constraints. To obtain this model it has been necessary to conduct a study of the processes in the current context of container traffic and its connection to the design of marine terminals, as well as the methodologies proposed so far by different authors to address the process of sizing and design of the terminal. The authors classify the terminals according to their degree of automation (automated, semi-automated and non-automated), container trip stage (import-export or transfer), kind of client (dedicated or multi-client) and size of ship (panamax, post-panamax and super-post-panamax). Having defined the model that will serve as the basis for the design of a container shipping terminal from a multi-criteria approach, the authors analyse the influence of various explanatory variables of the model and quantify their impact on economic performance, financial and operational aspects of the terminal. The next step is to define a simplified model that links the profitability of a terminal concession with the expected traffic on the basis of the degree of automation and the type of terminal considered. This research is the result of the ambitious objective of providing a methodology to define the optimal choice of designing a container shipping terminal on the pillars of operational efficiency and profitability maximization of the business it generates.

• Record URL:
  • http://www.icms.polyu.edu.hk/Proceedings/Proceedings%20of%20IFSPA%202013.pdf
• 
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/9789623677677
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Abstract reprinted with permission of Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
• Corporate Authors:

  Hong Kong Polytechnic University

  Department of Logistics and Maritime Studies
  Tung International Centre for Maritime Studies
  Hong Kong,   China 
• Authors:
  • Moreno, Cesar
  • Camarero, Alberto
• Conference:
  • International Forum on Shipping, Ports and Airports (IFSPA) 2013: Trade, Supply Chain Activities and Transport: Contemporary Logistics and Maritime Issues
  • Location: Hong Kong , China
  • Date: 2013-6-3 to 2013-6-5
• Publication Date: 2013-8

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 588-597
• Monograph Title: Proceedings of the International Forum on Shipping, Ports and Airports (IFSPA) 2013: Trade, Supply Chain Activities and Transport: Contemporary Logistics and Maritime Issues

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automation; Container terminals; Container traffic; Economic models; Profitability; Terminal operations
• Subject Areas: Economics; Freight Transportation; Marine Transportation; Planning and Forecasting; Terminals and Facilities; I10: Economics and Administration;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01497149
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 9789623677677
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 30 2013 9:12AM