An Analysis into Speed and Schedule Stability for Container Liner Services

The rate at which vessels are loaded and unloaded has a bearing on turnaround time and therefore on the required size of the fleet. This paper shows that the loading rate also has a bearing on schedule reliability. When schedules are unstable vessel bunching can occur, leading to less frequent services operated by groups of vessels. This greatly affects the average inventory throughout the shipping supply chain network. It is shown that schedule stability requires the loading rate to be at least twice the rate at which containers to be loaded accumulate in the yard. Analytical expressions are derived for the arrival headways variance at the second and third ports of call. This paper extends on prior work on this topic by considering both loading and unloading of containers. Countermeasures to restore schedule stability are considered.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/14792931
• Authors:
  • Bell, Michael G H
  • Bichou, Khalid
• Publication Date: 2008-3

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 175-184
• Serial:
  • Maritime Economics & Logistics
  • Volume: 10
  • Issue Number: 1
  • Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
  • ISSN: 1388-1973
  • EISSN: 1476-0592
  • Serial URL: http://link.springer.com/journal/41278

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Container traffic; Containerships; Liner shipping; Loading and unloading; Schedules and scheduling; Supply chain management
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Freight Transportation; Marine Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01091422
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 23 2008 9:23AM