J'FeiAMC

1
International Transport Systems (M10)

• Organisation of this unit

2
International Transport Systems (M10)

• Learning objectives
• Describe the differences between the transport
  systems of different nations and outline how the
  systems are determined by, and determine, the
  economic wealth of a nation
• Describe the development of transport systems in
  the former planned economies
• Explain some of the difficulties faced by the
  less developed nations as they try to enter the
  international transport system

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International Transport Systems (M10)

• Transport and economic development
• Transport in advanced industrial nations
• The globalisation of service and manufacturing
  and the demand for transport
• Changes in work patterns and economic and
  technological changes
• Transport in developing nations
• Transport in former planned socialist economies
• Transport in developing nations

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International Transport Systems (M10)

• Transport in advanced industrial nations
• The globalisation of service and manufacturing
  and the demand for transport
• The fundamental reorganisation of industrial
  production and operation techniques of advanced
  industrial nations has resulted in the separation
  of manufacturing sites and their markets. The
  consequences are
• Changes to the management of the processes of
  production (e.g. organisation of raw materials,
  management of in-process products), a shift from
  just-in-case to just-in-time.
• Changes to the distribution of finished goods
  (faster delivery, global scale, smaller quantity
  etc.)
• Relocation of production sites might increase the
  distance between sources of raw materials and
  plants, and between plants to markets, thus
  potentially increasing the demand for transport.

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International Transport Systems (M10)

• The globalisation of service and manufacturing
  and the demand for transport
• Regional economic activities and demand for
  transport
• Locations of raw materials, supply of energy
  resources e.g. mining products from Australia to
  Asian (China, Japan, South Korea) crude oil from
  Persian Gulf to Asian and North America Demand
  for transport maritime transport (Bulk carriers)
• Production of labour-intensive products, e.g.
  textile and clothing industry in China Demand
  for transport maritime (containerships)
• Technology-based industries in the Pacific Rim,
  e.g. Electronic goods and devices from Japan
  Demand for transport air (for small and high
  value goods), or sea (for big appliances)

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International Transport Systems (M10)

• Changes in work patterns and economic and
  technological changes
• As a result of higher rewards in some industrial
  countries (USA and European countries), the
  importance of work-related travel activities is
  being reduced. The percentage of non-work related
  travel has increased.
• What are the effects on transport demand?
• Home office backed by advanced telecommunication
  technology
• What are the effects?
• Changes on lifestyle (online shopping etc.)
• What are the effects?
• Emergence of increasing number of multinational
  corporations

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International Transport Systems (M10)

• Transport in developing nations
• Transport in former planned socialist economies
  (e.g. China, Poland, Russia, Ukraine or Vietnam)
  It should be noted that those previously
  centrally-controlled economies are now moving
  towards market economies due to globalisation and
  political events.
• Concentration on railways
• Government focused on the rail sector due to the
  emphasis on the development of mining and heavy
  industries such as iron and steel production.
• Low consumer purchasing power restricted the
  levels of private car ownership and little
  emphasis on the development or improvement of the
  road network. As a result, trains were the main
  means of moving passengers and freight.

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International Transport Systems (M10)

• Concentration on railways (An example)
• Railway growth in China there were only 17,000km
  of railways in use when the New Chinese
  Government was formed in 1949. in 2004, the total
  railway network reached 70,058km, of which
  18,668km are electrified, and 20,250km are double
  tracks. In 2004, freight transport through
  railway was about 2.5 billion tons. There were
  1.12 billion passengers travelled by railway in
  the same year.

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International Transport Systems (M10)

• Road networks
• As a result of emphasis on railway development,
  road network densities and vehicle-to-population
  ratios in the former planned economies are far
  lower than in Western industrial nations.
• Over congested rail system calls for other means
  of transport. Construction of road network
  started in 80s and 90s, has resulted in huge
  improvement.
• In Poland, over 5000 km of road have been build
  or upgraded to international standard. Every year
  since 2000, about 4,000 km of highway have been
  constructed in China. In 2004, there were 441,680
  km of paved ways, of which 34,288 km were
  expressways.
• Improved road network has led to a significant
  shift of public transport from rail to road,
  leaving the railways free to concentrate on
  long-haul freight and passenger services.
• A balanced development of rail and road transport
  system optimises the whole national transport
  systems, taking advantages of each mode.

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International Transport Systems (M10)

• Air transport
• The demand for air transport is highly dependent
  on the living standard or disposable income of
  people in a nation, as the cost is much higher
  than other transport mode.
• The development of air transport is extremely
  capital intensive and requires high technical
  expertise for operations and maintenance.
• a). Organisation of resources
• b). Marketing, to make the operation viable and
  profitable
• c). Regulations
• The development of air transport in former
  planned economies has been a slow process due to
  above mentioned reasons, with the exception of
  China.

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International Transport Systems (M10)

• Water transport
• Like many European countries, former planned
  economies rely heavily on navigable rivers and
  canals. It is understandable in that unlike road
  network which needs high capital investment, the
  natural waterways provide a cheap means for
  transport.
• In ocean transport sector, former Soviet Union
  and Poland were well ahead of other planned
  economies due to their strong financial and
  technical capacity.
• Since 80s, the world has seen China the rapid
  development of its sea transport as the result of
  Open door policy. Along with the increasing
  size of its merchant fleet, port development has
  also been unprecedented.

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International Transport Systems (M10)

• Transport in former planned socialist economies
  (summary)
• Attempt to catch up with the progress in the
  transport sector made in the advanced industrial
  nations during the later half of the 20th
  century.
• Pressure from outside to provide necessary
  transport infrastructure to attract foreign
  direct investment and inflow of other
  international resources.
• Internal demand for upgrading and expansion of
  transport infrastructure as a result of economic
  development.
• More relaxed attitudes towards the transport
  sector as governments recognise the negative
  impacts associated with excessive control of
  economic elements such as transport.

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International Transport Systems (M10)

• Transport in developing nations
• Former colonial and then subsequently independent
  territories of south America, Africa and the
  Pacific and India Oceans, the development of
  transport has only recently been directed toward
  developing the economies of the new nations that
  have been left behind as colonial powers wound
  back their regimes. Until their independence,
  transport in the colonies was put in place to
  achieve the economic goals of the colonial powers
  who were seeking raw materials to supply
  manufacturers in their home countries.
• Railways of Zimbabwe and Nigeria in Africa, and
  Malaysia in the Pacific rim, were originally
  constructed to promote colonial agriculture and
  mining enterprises and to provide routes to the
  sea for exports and imports.
• The need for the development of road network to
  relieve congestion in railway system, to provide
  faster transport for agricultural products (as
  the Nigeria case).

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International Transport Systems (M10)

• Transport in developing nations
• Internal transport systems (rail and road) are
  required to unify the nation, to integrate the
  rural and urban communities and to provide access
  to basic services for all of the nations
  population.
• Road and rail infrastructures in these countries
  are vital for their meaningful participation in
  international commerce, and are essential links
  to seaports and airports through which
  international connection is realised.
• Limited domestic air travel. Air traffic is
  limited to business, official travel and tourism.

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International Transport Systems (M10)

• A final word
• The sophistication of transport systems varies
  from nation to nation and even from region to
  region within nations.
• The systems are generally a reflection of the
  historic and economic experiences and wellbeing
  of the nation. A good transport system does not
  make economic success. It is a reflection of it.
  However, without a good transport system,
  economic success will be hard to achieve.
• In terms of development, the old socialist
  economies and the developing nations are caught
  in a bind. Economic weakness makes it difficult
  for them to construct a modern infrastructure.
  The lack of a modern infrastructure contributes
  to economic weakness. The debate on transport and
  economical development is a chicken-and-egg
  dilemma. Although it is hard to identify the
  precise nature of the interaction between
  transport and the development process though, the
  broad relationship between the two is hardly
  deniable.