Discussion

How and why should inland ports become better utilized to improve the integrated transportation and distribution system?
 

How does that impact the “hub and spoke “concept for the maritime industry?
 

Instructions:   Your initial post should be at least 250 words.
 

Readings material:
 

9781780523408 - Dong-Wook Song and Photis Panayides
Maritime Logistics: Contemporary Issues (Ebook available through the APUS Online Library) - Read Chapters 11-15
 

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LESSON
 

Note: All pictures are for full-share and reuse
 

Port Performance
 

Introduction
 

Hello, again, all.  The lesson this week explores time in port and speed of cargo handling.  In this lesson, we will:
 

Analyze the nature of relationships between ports and state authorities, and
 

Cover methods of estimating future labor needs that address
 

Size of workforce
 

Levels of education
 

Technical training requirements, and
 

Technology change/utilization.
 

Readings include the assigned Chapters from the text; NCFRP Report 5: North American Marine Highways, linked here; and, and a video entitled Port of Long Beach, linked here.
 

A Port Improvement Plan (PIP) Outline (paper) will be due in Week 5.
 

Port Metrics
 

There are, according to Brooks (2007), a number of internal—system and functional, and external—customer, stakeholder, and supplier measures of port performance at the firm level.  Average turnaround time and average vessel time waiting at anchor are good functional vessel-handling metrics.  From a customer perspective, average hours before delivery cutoff is a useful efficiency metric, and the variance between “hours until berth available” and “hours until berth promised” a good effectiveness one. 
 

When determining port metrics, a port baseline of capacity dimensions must be developed.  For this example, a port container yard will be used to identify the metric components for this discussion.  Important capacity dimension for this container yard might include:
 

Berth length
 

Draft depth
 

Operating Hours
 

Container yard depth (area)
 

Stacking height
 

Once the baseline is determined, assumptions can be applied.  The Tioga Group’s Dan Smith (Tioga) compiled the following list of rules of thumb:
 

Maximum annual turnover
 

Maximum annual TEU slot turnover = 70 turns (5 day dwell, 350 days/yr)
 

Crane available 16 hours/day (two shifts), 250 days/yr
 

Modern crane maximum = 35 moves/hr
 

Vessel spacing at berth = vessel beam
 

Maximum of 260 annual calls per berth (5 per week)
 

Working draft = channel/berth draft – 3 feet
 

Maximum vessel sailing draft = 92% of design draft
 

Example calculations would include:
 

7 cranes @ max of 4,000 hrs/yr = 28,000 crane hours
 

80% = 22,400 sustainable crane hours
 

Maximum crane productivity of 35 containers per hour
 

80% = 28 cont./hr x 1.54 TEU/container = 43 TEU/hr
 

Sustainable crane capacity = 43x22,400 = 965,888 TEU/yr
 

Understanding how port metrics are used is also an important learning objective.  For example, consider container yard capacity.  Parameters that determine its capacity would include the number of available acres and storage density.  Capacity metrics could assist in determining cost and handling charges.  Lower densities normally mean less handling touches and lower cost.  To meet rising demand volume, an increased density would be sought.  Tioga developed a relationship chart that will make these concepts more understandable, as below:
 

Density
 

Type
 

Notes
 

Very low density
 

80 TEU/acre
 

Roll on/Roll off
 

Older terminals when new
 

Low density
 

80 TEY/acre
 

Wheeled or Top pick
 

Transition terminals
 

Mid Density
 

100-200 TEU/acre
 

Straddle/Top picked
 

Hybrid terminals
 

High density
 

160-300 TEU/acre
 

Strattle Carrier/RTG
 

NIT Virginia
 

Very high density
 

360 TEU/acre
 

RMG
 

APM Portsmouth
 

Port Container Yard Handling Equipment
 

Handling containers is obviously an import element of throughput capability and capacity metrics.  Tioga prepared a graphic of example types, as below:
 

An important note about cranes.  Cranes are much cheaper than vessels.  Therefore, in order to turn vessels quickly (i.e. on-loaded or off loaded, or both), according to Tioga, crane utilization is sacrificed, as ports can add craned relatively quickly.
 

Finally, below is a listing of research facts you may not be aware of:
 

Port capacity and utilization assessments require multiple metrics
 

Most U.S. ports have substantial unused capacity inherent in their terminal infrastructure
 

Terminals combine multiple operating methods and strive to minimize cost
 

U.S. ports operate at lower densities than European or Asian terminals – land is cheap here
 

Terminal capacity utilization is often constrai