Marine Board Seminar on Waterway and Harbor Capacity Measurement Approaches: Port Capacity Methodology
Jan 12, 2016
Marine Board Seminar on Waterway and Harbor CapacityMeasurement Approaches: Port Capacity Methodology
Jim Brennan, Noridge Research Associates
Port Capacity Methodology
1. Marine terminal capacity is really multiple capacities and I will talk tothose.
2. The drivers of individual components of marine terminal capacity are manyand varied. I will then speak to the major ones.
3. The ports typically do not control many of the key drivers and brieflydiscuss those they control and do not control.
4. Discuss the implications for measuring and managing marine terminalcapacity.
Agenda
§ Why is Port Capacity Important§ What are the Critical Elements of Port
Capacity§ The Measurement Challenge§ Practical Approaches
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Estimated Container Throughput per Gross Terminal Acre for the World & North America's
High Volume Ports: 1999
Why is Port Capacity Important?
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Estimated Container Throughput per Gross Terminal Acre for Selected World & North
American Ports: 1999
Why is Port Capacity Important?
Why is Port Capacity Important?
§ Modern Container Terminal: $1 million per acre
§ Berths: $10-$20 million§ Environmental Mitigation:
$???§ Political Practicality
– Oakland– New York– Charleston
What Are the Critical Elements?
Container Terminal Throughput Capacity Analogy – Balancing Pipelines
Vessel Crane/Wharf
IntermodalRail
TerminalEquipment
Vessel Crane/Wharf
IntermodalRail
TerminalEquipment
IntermodalTruck
IntermodalTruck
GateGate
Cargo Flow Cargo Flow
Cargo Flow
Cargo Flow Cargo Flow
Cargo Flow
Peaking Factor-A Critical Driver of Capacity
§ Peaking is:– Periodic or random increases in activity (the “Christmas
rush” in the eastbound Transpacific trades– The simultaneous occurrence of activities that typically
occur independently of one another (the “bunching of vessel arrivals in winter months)
§ Peaking effectively diminishes capacity by creating inefficiencies § Failure to adjust for peaking will overstate
maximum practical capacity
Critical Port Capacity Components
§ Vessel Access: Approach channels and berth access§ Terminal Capacity§ Port-Inland Interfaces: Rail and truck§ Inland transport capacities:
– Rail and truck– Linehaul and destination(s)
Vessel Access
§ Approach Channels– Depth: MLW +2’-4’– Width: function of ports’ roles
• Bulk: 800’-1000’• Container: 500’-800’• Niche: 400’-600’
§ Berth Approaches– Depth: MLW +2’-4’– Width: 3x Vessel Beam
Measuring Approach Channel Capacity
§ Physical Parameters– Depth: typically at MLW– Width: minimum width
§ Operational Parameters– Vessel arrival and departure activity– Pilot and Coast Guard rules and practices for vessels
meeting and passing– Fleet characteristics: length, beam, draft
§ Weather parameters: wind, visibility, sea state
Terminal Capacity
§ Berth§ Vessel-Apron§ Apron to Storage§ Storage§ Storage to:
– Gate– Rail
§ Rail: if on-dock§ Gate
Measuring Marine Terminal Capacity
§ Simple in theory§ Difficult and sometimes complex in practice§ Data and operators’ incredulity/skepticism are
typically the biggest hurdles
Measuring Berth and Vessel-Apron Capacity
Berth Capacity§ Berth length§ Vessel arrival patterns§ Vessel-apron capacity§ Work rules and
practices§ Weather
Vessel-Apron Capacity§ Cargo handling
technology§ Amount of equipment§ Average cargo loaded or
discharged per vessel call§ Productivity, work rules
and practices
A Cautionary Note: Vessel-Apron Transfer
§ Arguably, there are more than a dozen factors that affect productivity§ Very few are directly controlled by a port
authority§ Many are not directly controlled by the stevedore§ Information, vessel design, and vessel deployment
are three critical factors beyond the control of the port, the stevedore or labor
Measuring Transfer Capacities
Apron to Storage§ Number and type of
cranes§ Vessel-apron
productivity§ Distance: apron to
storage§ Yard storage methods§ Other terminal activities
Storage to Rail or Gate§ Distances§ Yard storage and
handling methods§ Yard operating practices§ Rail yard capacities§ Gate capacity§ Number of drivers
assigned§ Information
Measuring Terminal Storage Capacity
§ Typically storage is the constraining component§ Dwell time is typically the key driver
– Slow movers (empty containers, breakbulk cargoes) typically drive dwell times
§ Dwell time is also the most elusive factor to quantify§ Velocity and stacking heights are critical success
factors
Measuring Terminal Storage Capacity
§ Net storage area available, times§ Storage density, times
– Containers per acreUnits of breakbulk cargo per square meter or acre
§ Average stacking height, times§ Turns per year (365 days divided by average
dwell time per unit)§ Adjusted for peaking
Measuring Gate Capacity
§ Number of lanes, times§ Average transactions per hour, times§ Operating hours per day§ Times operating days per week§ Times 52 weeks§ Adjusted for peaking
Measuring Rail Terminal Capacity
§ The process is analogous to marine terminal capacity– Multiple components– Interrelated– The smallest capacity determines maximum
practical capacity
§ The complexities are similar
Measuring Rail Terminal Capacity
§ The complexities are similar– Train arrivals/departures in lieu of vessel
arrivals/departures– Rail car types instead of vessel types– Working track lengths instead of berth lengths– Lift equipment is similar– Parking spaces instead of terminal storage – Gate operations are similar, although less complex in
rail terminal operations
Measuring Rail Terminl Capacity
Load Tracks§ Track length§ Rail car fleet mix§ Average slot utilization
per rail car§ Traffic imbalances§ Train schedules§ Storage track capacity
Storage (Parking)§ Net storage acres§ Parking
configuration§ Storage density§ Container/trailer
mix§ Dwell time