THE FUTURE OF CONTAINERIZATION Ernst G' FRANKEL Professor Massachusetts Institute of Technology 77 M

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THE FUTURE OF CONTAINERIZATIONErnst G.
FRANKELProfessorMassachusetts Institute of
Technology77 Massachusetts AvenueCambridge, MA
02139 USAefrankel_at_mit.eduTele 617 253
6763Fax [phone]
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CONTAINERIZATION? Developed and
perfected in 1956-1960 must be reevaluated?
Major changes required as transshipment plays an
increasingly important role
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? Ship shore transfer between origin and
destination 2.0
2.1 2.3 2.7
3.2? As a result, container handling
consumes an ever increasing percentage of O-D
costs and time
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CONTAINER TRANSFERS
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? Also great consolidation of ports under global
port operating companies is taking place. The 10
largest port operating companies are growing
their traffic at 10 per year.? World wide full
container traffic exceeded 100 m TEU/year in
2005, and is expected to double to 200 m/TEU/year
in 2019.
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? Top 20 container operators carried 75.8 of all
container traffic in 2005, with the top 5
carrying 36.? Consolidation of container
shipping will continue with large companies
increasingly involved in terminal and feeder
operations.
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? While consortia/alliances in container shipping
continues, their role is declining with the
consolidation of the industry.Major
Consortia/Alliances (2005)CHKY Capacity
796,000 TEUGrand Capacity 733,000 TEUNew
World Capacity 464,000 TEU
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Capacity of Major Carriers (2005)Maersk 1,660,
000 TEUMSC 784,000 TEUCMA/CGM 508,000
TEUEvergreen 478,000 TEUHapag
Lloyd 412,000 TEUChina Shipping 346,000
TEUAPL 331,000 TEUHanjin 329,000 TEU
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Future of Container Shipping? Large/mammoth
container vessels 13,500 TEU plus? Container
ships with container stacks mounted on floatable
barge pontoons/semi-submersible heavy lift barge
containerships? Scissor lift and transfer of
blocks of containers
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? floating stack barges which can also serve as
push towed feeder vessels, particularly in
sheltered coastal or inland water areas? block
container spreaders or frames (container pallets)
permitting multiple or blocked container
handling/transfer
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FUTURE PORT AND TERMINAL TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT
NEEDSThe objectives will be to? greatly
reduce the turnaround time of container ships,
barges, railcars, and trucks at ports and
terminals ? improve the utilization and
performance of gantry cranes and other terminal
equipment
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? achieve new seamless container
transfer between different modal transports?
achieve multiple container handling, transfer,
and storage, including use of consolidated
container blocks, particularly of empty
containers? use of accurate GPS and optical
guidance and position control systems for
single tandem, outsize, and irregular containers
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? automate pointing/locking/unloading systems
for single tandem, outside, and irregular
containers ? integrate terminal computing and
effective Internet transactions with that of
all other supply chain operations ? use
voice commands in equipment operations,
computing, billing, reservations, and
confirmations
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? perform semi-automated block tiedowns and
methods for securing containers ? accomplish
elevated container pickup/laydown and
conveyance ? introduce rapid automated
overhead monorail unit train or similar
container transfer loading/unloading system
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? introduce new approaches to the reduction
in container transfer and transport costs by use
of multi-unit trailers, trailer trains, double
stack trailers, and various types of conveyors
for the intra-terminal transfer of containers or
block of containers? others
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Container Terminal Technology Changes? Post
Panamax long outreach-long backreach gantries?
Multiple hoist gantries with capability of
100-140 moves/hour? Block handling of
containers by gantries? Luff-block transfers of
empty container stacks? Floating container
stacks? Direct ship-to-ship transfer
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The most important changes will probably occur in
container terminal technology and operations.
Many advances in container handling equipment are
already available. Among these are? multiple
(2-5) hoist shipside gantries capable of 100-180
moves/hour
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New Yard Transfer Devices1. Automated
multi-trailer, self-positioning trailer trains
driven either by path controlled tractors or
electrically driven using imbedded conduits which
provide power and guidance2. Container belt
conveyors under the backreadh of the gantry
cranes which move containers to/from the ship
side gantry
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3. Mobile (Luff) frames on which gantries deposit
blocks of containers (9-16) to form mobile
movable stacks of containers which can be moved
between mainline and feeder berths4. Elevated
rail transfer systems
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Major developments in container terminal and
interface technology designed to reduce ship
turnaround times and improve intermodal
efficiencies are? intelligent spreaders which
identify containers, receive/transmit signals,
and automatically adjust with respect to changes
in container load centers, and automatically lock
or unlock
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? effective anti-sway prevention/control
technology? automated pointing control and
container movement controls which rapidly adjust
spreader/container capture. This is done by
digital camera integrated visual technology.
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? single and double trolley cranes, including
elevated container, pickup, laydown, and
transfer? driverless, guided AGV operations and
continuous container conveyors, and conveyors
with temporary stationary for pickup/delivery
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? block container handling with telescoping
spreader and multiple container locking arms
which release one or more containers at a time as
well as block storage and block transfer of
container stacks? super LUFF-type frame
container pallet systems for simultaneous
handling of blocks of containers in stacking,
transfer, and loading/unloading
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? automatically-controlled autonomous trains of
container trailer (single or double tack) which
move automatically by one trailer length on
lift-off or lift-on of a container? extended
backreach or double-ended container gantries for
backreach storage (overstow or prestow) and
direct feeder (ship/barge) transfer
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? super post-panamax gantry cranes with
high-speed double trolleys and larger gauge?
integrated container transfer and
storage/stacking/freight stations or container
silos which combine automated ship/shore transfer
and stacking/unstacking operations
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? scissor-lift block container hoisting and
transfer systems which permit transverse transfer
of blocks of deck loaded containers between ship
and pier? and new distributed information,
computing, and control systems (wireless) which
integrate all terminal and transport operations,
status, situation, and special requirements
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In ports, we will use the Internet and wireless
communication-based systems to? market port
services and port capacity, including the
auctioning of excess capacity? assign
facilities, space, and equipment to various users
and uses
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? control equipment and facility operations
including crane operations, operations of trailer
trains, stack equipment, and more? manage
intermodal cargo and vehicle flow in and out of
the port, including cargo planning, cargo
operations sequencing, etc.
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? introduce electronic cargo flow control,
clearance, release, acceptance, etc. without a
hard copy of paper-based control or
documentation? collect all data and provide
necessary information and documentation on cargo
and ship traffic, etc. and transmit it
automatically to all potential users
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? assure e-fund transfer, cargo flow
communications, etc. and eliminate all billing
while integrating electronic account
management? schedule equipment surveys, repair,
suppliers, replacement, etc. including spare
parts, material and expert ordering/reservation
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Such developments are expected to not only
significantly reduce the transaction costs of
ports and shipping, but also reduce or eliminate
time loss and thereby improve productivity. The
potential direct monetary savings should be of
the order of 30 of present costs, but higher
ship and port utilization of unused capacity and
better in time operations should add to port
profitability by also greatly increasing demand
and thereby revenues.
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To support such an efficient information flow,
interactive web sites using vertical and
horizontal portals should be used to record and
store information and connect the various parties
concerned.
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? manage power, water, communications, and other
services in the port and to port users, including
automated electronic funds transfer for services
or supplies provided? manage port personnel
assignment, use, payroll, hiring/firing, etc.
including qualification/skill management?
manage safety and environmental requirements of
port and port equipment and update quality
control and management procedures
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? mobile luff block container frames for moving
stacks of containers within terminal?
automatically controlled guided autonomous
container trailer trains which feed container
gantries or provide laydown
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? automated pointing and container movement with
integrated electronic and optical preprogrammed
controls? automated container recognition,
login, and recording
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ConclusionsThe major technological and
management advances in the logistics of
international trade have been successful in
integrating modal transport and improve supply
chain management. At the same time transfer and
transactional operations have grown in both
relative and absolute terms and in many cases
have negated these improvements.
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To fully benefit from new transport transfer and
logistics management technology and particularly
e-logistics as a basis of e-commerce,
transactional requirements must be reinvented
into new economy of paperless, real time, and
seamless processes.