Improving Marine Container Terminal Productivity: Development of Productivity Measures, Proposed Sources of Data, and Initial Collection of Data from Proposed Sources

The capacity and productivity of U.S. container ports is the single most critical factor in the nation’s ability to participate in containerized trade. Beginning in the 1950s and accelerating in the decades that followed, containerization transformed both international merchandise trade and the ports that serve it. Efficient handling of containerized trade requires far more than just dockside space and labor; it requires sophisticated facilities, equipment, and systems manned by trained operators. The facilities, equipment, systems, and manpower needed for container terminals are all costly. There is an inherent tension between having enough capacity for trade peaks and expected growth, and creating excess capacity that ties up valuable resources. Participants in the container shipping industry are under pressure to define, defend, and improve their productivity. U.S. container terminals and their workforces are frequently disparaged for being less productive than the leading Asian and European terminals. Given the issues at stake, it is critical for all participants to have a firm understanding of how various productivity measures are properly defined and used, what they do (and do not) imply for terminal operations, and what long-term factors really determine productivity. The Cargo Handling Cooperative Program (CHCP) is a public-private partnership sponsored by the United States Maritime Administration. CHCP’s mission statement includes a general objective to increase the productivity of cargo transportation companies through the implementation of cargo handling research and development. This project focuses on establishing an agreed to set of productivity measures for marine terminals. Time-series collection of these measures will permit CHCP to benchmark terminal productivity and promote best practices, allowing CHCP to accomplish its objectives.

Language

  • English

Media Info

  • Media Type: Web
  • Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
  • Pagination: 143p

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 01207143
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Files: TRIS, USDOT
  • Created Date: Oct 13 2010 2:53PM