Abstract
In the last decades, logistics and supply chain management have enabled extensive commodity flows all over the world and doing so, facilitated globalisation and the related enhancement of prosperity of many people and nations. The key to this has been the invention of containerised transport systems to ease and speed up transhipments and to generate economies of scale that eventually take cost out of supply chains. Despite (and partly because of) its success, supply chain management however faces challenges that threaten the status quo. Phenomena like the increased congestion of roads, the progressing climate change as well as ever demanding customers indicate that the current form of managing supply chains involves change in order to sustain the concept’s success in the future.
When it comes to transportation, the majority of current continental cargo is moved by unimodal road freight. Road freight possesses various features that make it attractive to shippers, especially its flexibility and accessibility. However, it also comes with characteristics that negatively impact economy and society, namely congestion, cost and emissions. To meet current and future challenges in supply chain management, a mode of transport becomes necessary that maintains the accessibility of road transport, and at the same time, reduces the negative aspects of unimodal road freight.
Intermodal transport provides these attributes as it uses various modes of transport in a chain and thus combines their individual strengths. From a conceptual perspective, this is the ideal replacement of unimodal transport that can furthermore serve as the basis for more advanced transport concepts like synchro modal transport. In reality however, intermodal transport has a rather small market share which is due to technical differences, individual political intentions and discrepancies in the (intermodal) transport industry. For intermodal transport to grow its market share and to become a viable and large scale option in global supply chain management, it requires a mix of shippers that rethink their supply chain strategies, transport providers that start proper collaboration and politicians that facilitate adequate legal framework conditions and provide a comprehensive vision.
Table of content
1. INTRODUCTION
2. WHAT IS A PORT?
2.1 Definition of a port
2.2 Types of ports
2.3 Function of a port in a supply chain
2.4 General port infrastructure
2.5 Ports around the world
3. THE ENVIRONMENT OF A PORT
3.1 An introduction into the maritime industry
3.2 Port ranges
4. PORT MANAGEMENT
4.1 Port governance and management models
4.2 Steering mechanisms in port management
4.3 Performance indicators for port management
4.4 Port optimisation
5. PORT COMPETITION
5.1 The reason for port competition
5.2 The development of port competition
5.3 Dimensions of port competition
5.4 The mainport status and connectivity indexes
5.5 Strategies and tools for port competition
6. DRY BULK HANDLING AND STORAGE
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Dry bulk cargo
6.3 Dry bulk handling
6.4 Dry bulk storage
6.5 Dust explosions and cargo heating
Authors
Frans de Jong
Frans de Jong (born 1955) teaches physical distribution related subjects like intermodal transport, port logistics, transport systems and transport management at various universities worldwide and advises both public and private authorities. He has 41 years of experience in various jobs within rail transport and was Business Unit manager of Intermodal transport at Vos logistics. Frans is an expert in rail-, shortsea-, barge-, truck transports with an emphasis on bulk logistics, port logistics and supply-chain solutions.
Hendrik Rodemann
Hendrik Rodemann (born 1987) studied logistics and supply chain management at NHTV Breda in the Netherlands and at Cranfield University in England. His expertise is mainly in the field of logistics service provision with focus on the automotive industry and on intermodal transport. Hendrik has work experience in Europe, Asia, Africa and North America. He is currently working in the business development department of a global automotive logistics service provider.
Why this book?
Many books have been written on port logistics, port management and competition as well as the technical aspects of dry bulk storage and handling. In most of the contemporary literature the aforementioned topics are dealt with in great detail. While this is inevitable for people that is directly involved in port management or dry bulk handling, it may present too much level of detail for those that need to understand the basic functionality of ports in the greater context of supply and transport chain management. Therefore, this book shall contribute to lay the foundation for a solid understanding of a port’s operating principles that eventually can be deepened by using relevant literature.
We hope that the book inspires you to engage in the extremely dynamic field of port management and that it sensitises future leaders and decisions makers for the challenges, chances and responsibilities related to the management of ports.
Enjoy reading it!
