European Transport / Trasporti Europei (2004) 25-26/VIII

In this paper the multi actor, multi criteria analysis method or in short the MAMCA method is presented for the evaluation of transport project. In this method stakeholders are explicitly taken into account which is very important in the freight transport sector. Starting from an overview of evaluation methods, the paper comes to the integrated MAMCA approach. Several applications of this method are discussed.

This paper is about distance and time in alternative bundling networks and roundtrip models. First the relevance of transport costs and time for customers of intermodal transport is reviewed. Then the paper focuses on vehicle roundtrip design in European intermodal rail networks and the perspectives to accelerate roundtrip speed. Acceleration often implies an increase of service frequency. As transport volumes often will not justify higher frequencies, the introduction of so-called complex bundling (e.g. hub-and-spoke or line services) may be an outcome. Complex bundling allows applying a relative large vehicle scale, despite of restricted flow sizes. This cost advantage is likely to overrule the cost disadvantage of longer routes in complex bundling networks. An important indication for this fact is a comparison of total network distances and times. The last part of the paper compares the distances and times of about 150 networks (different bundling concepts and network geometries). It shows that the additional length of routes of complex bundling networks is always overruled by the distance and time impact of a lower number of connections between begin- and end terminals in complex bundling networks

The introduction of the container revolutionised maritime trade and shipping. Since 1956 container vessels have evolved from converted tankers and cargo ships, via full cellular container ships that could navigate the Panama Canal, to post-Panamax vessels with a capacity of approx. 8500 TEU (Twenty foot Equivalent Unit). Even bigger container ships (9600 TEU) are to be delivered soon. However, current technical and physical constraints such as propulsion and port limitations pose restrictions to further growth. Moreover, the diminishing economies of scale in ship costs are offset by the increase of other costs involved (e.g. port fees, terminal handling charges). Nevertheless, empirical research shows that the concept of mega container vessels is appealing and that, if available, most shipping lines will deploy such ships. So, the next generation container ships will probably consist of Suez-max vessels (up to 12,500 TEU) with twin propulsion systems. Albeit feasible from a technical point of view the ultimate 18,000 TEU container ship i.e. Mallaca-max has too many limitations to become popular.

Transport of empty containers, which arises from the need to reposition containers, is an expensive business. This holds in particular for shipping lines, who are usually responsible for container repositioning and have to bear these container management costs. Shipping lines are known to follow various strategies to reduce these costs of empty transport as much as they can. A rather unfamiliar, but interesting option to save costs is the possibility to fold empty containers. This could save transport costs, but also transhipment and storage costs. Using foldable containers could therefore be commercially attractive, provided that foldable containers can fulfil the technical and logistical conditions demanded by the users. Despite their potential benefits however, there seems to be a reluctance to use these containers. In this paper we analyse this reluctance and we discuss the important role container lessors could play in initiating the use of foldable containers. The special relationship between shipping lines and container lessors appears to be of particular importance and is a key to pave the way for using foldable containers.