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SHIP SIZE AND TURNROUND TIME

The literature on ocean shipping contains many articles on the advantages of reducing port time. In particular, attention has been given to port improvements and many authors have given general indications of the proportion of time which vessels spend in port. However, no systematic studies of vessel time in port are known to the authors of this article. Some published statistics are available on rates of loading throughout the world. J. Bes has published statistics on various commodities and ports, but his work is not of great value for analytical purposes. The information is supposedly for the guidance of charterers when stipulating a loading rate to be achieved under a particular charter party, but analysis of the sample presented for Vancouver, British Columbia, suggests that some of the data may mask rather than illuminate the real conditions. This study has four purposes. The first is to provide a quantitative trial for S.G. Sturmey's "old and respectable" argument that larger vessels spend more time loading. The second is to examine the relationship between loading rate (measured in tons per day) and size of vessel: this will test the validity of the common assumption of a constant loading rate for vessels of different sizes. The third is to examine the effects on port turnround time of certain factors exogenous to the vessel itself, such as type of cargo and number of berths visited. The fourth (and a very important) objective is to explore the implications of the results for the costs of loading vessels. There are a number of reasons for concentrating on ships loading grain: 1. Compared to general cargo, grain presents a relatively uncomplicated loading process (if that can be believed)] 2. Grain is moved in ships of a fairly large range of sizes. 3. Most grain ships are filled to their deadweight capacity. Although there are some partial cargoes, this is less of a problem than with ships in the liner trade. 4. The grain transport system, of which ship loading is only a small part, is important to the port of Vancouver, and is also of some topical interest in view of the increasing severity of port tie-ups. 5. Because of the large grain shipments emanating from Vancouver, the necessary information proved to be available there. The data available for vessels loading grain in Vancouver over the years 1964 to 1967 have enabled evidence to be presented that large vessels spend a longer period in port than their smaller counterparts but achieve a higher loading rate. The extent of this difference appears to be sufficiently great for vessel time costs per ton of cargo loaded to diminish as vessel size increases. The study also indicates that, while loading performance improved during the four-year period, loading rates differed significantly according to the specific types of grain loaded. It is clear that charters must be concerned with the particulars of the grain cargo when estimating loading rates to be achieved.

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    • The journal is published three times a year. Single Issues $4.00 each.
  • Corporate Authors:

    London School of Economics and Political Science

    Houghton Street, Aldwych
    London WC2A 2AE,   England 
  • Authors:
    • Heaver, T D
    • Studer, K R
  • Publication Date: 1972-1

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Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00033647
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Source Agency: London School of Economics and Political Science
  • Files: TRIS
  • Created Date: Jul 28 1973 12:00AM