Competitiveness of South Asia’s Container Ports


Book Description

South Asia’s trade almost doubled in the past decade, but the share of trade in GDP is still smaller (47 percent) than in East Asia (55 percent), and South Asia’s economic competitiveness continues to lag that of other regions. Part of the problem is the region’s container ports. As a result of inefficiencies, the average cost of exporting or importing a container in the region is more than twice what it is in East Asia. Better port logistics could help increase trade, diversify exports, attract more foreign direct investment, and spur economic growth. As container traffic continues to grow and physical expansion is constrained by the limited supply of available land at most ports, the best way to improve port performance is by increasing productivity. To identify strategies for doing so, this report examines the performance of the 14 largest container ports in the region based on two sets of criteria: operational performance and economic performance. To measure operational performance, the report benchmarks total time at port, waiting time at port, and idle time as a share of total time at berth. To measure economic performance, it benchmarks productivity and efficiency using two useful techniques: Malmquist total factor productivity decomposition and data envelopment analysis. The report identifies key drivers of port performance and examines how differences in performance across ports are related to those drivers. This analysis is based on an original dataset on private sector participation, governance, and competition in South Asia’s container port sector. To highlight the potential gains from improving performance of container ports, the report uses econometric techniques to isolate the impact of efficiency improvements on maritime transport costs and trade. The results suggest that the best strategy for improving port performance in the region is a three-pronged approach that (a) encourages private sector participation through a well-developed enabling environment, including further adoption of the “landlord†? port model; (b) strengthens the governance of port authorities’ boards; and (c) promotes competition between and within ports, in part through transparent and competitive concession bidding.




Port Privatisation


Book Description

'This book is an excellent reference on the state of port reform throughout the Asia-Pacific region. While there have been a number of articles in recent years on port reform in Australia, China, Hong Kong, Korea and Singapore, much of the Asia-Pacific region has been overlooked. This book not only rectifies this gap by providing much needed insight into the situation in India, Japan, Malaysia, and New Zealand, while also consolidating the work already completed elsewhere. With the rise of Asia as the world's most important shipping and port market, the editors are to be commended for bringing new voices to the discussion and developing a strong contribution to the port reform and port governance literature.' - Mary R. Brooks, Dalhousie University, Canada




Southeast Asian Regional Port Development


Book Description

This book provides an understanding of the dynamic regional play in terms of port development in Southeast Asia in the medium term. It presents a computer-based comparative analysis of container flows and transhipment within this region. The study provides a well-considered statistical dissection of the key port players in this part of the world – an analysis of value to businessmen, policy-makers, and observers of Southeast Asian affairs.




The Blackwell Companion to Maritime Economics


Book Description

Maritime Economics The Blackwell Companion to Maritime Economics presents a comprehensive and in-depth coverage of shipping and port economics. Featuring contributions from the most respected international specialists in the field, this reference offers up-to-date insights into maritime carriers and their markets (e.g., freight, intermodal and passenger), shipping economics (e.g., dry bulk, liquid bulk, container, regulation, taxation, seafaring, safety and piracy), ship economics (e.g., equity, bond and hedging ship finance) and port economics (e.g., governance, labor, competition, efficiency, choice, investment, clusters, inspection and security). In addition to providing a comprehensive survey of the literature on past and current practices on a wide range of maritime topics, new empirical research on safety and piracy in shipping, ship finance, and container terminal efficiency is presented as well as original theories for maritime carriers and ports that provide greater insights into their operations. With its unprecedented breadth of coverage and range of scholarship, The Blackwell Companion to Maritime Economics represents the new standard resource for any and all topics related to maritime economics.




Benchmarking with DEA, SFA, and R


Book Description

This book covers recent advances in efficiency evaluations, most notably Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA) methods. It introduces the underlying theories, shows how to make the relevant calculations and discusses applications. The aim is to make the reader aware of the pros and cons of the different methods and to show how to use these methods in both standard and non-standard cases. Several software packages have been developed to solve some of the most common DEA and SFA models. This book relies on R, a free, open source software environment for statistical computing and graphics. This enables the reader to solve not only standard problems, but also many other problem variants. Using R, one can focus on understanding the context and developing a good model. One is not restricted to predefined model variants and to a one-size-fits-all approach. To facilitate the use of R, the authors have developed an R package called Benchmarking, which implements the main methods within both DEA and SFA. The book uses mathematical formulations of models and assumptions, but it de-emphasizes the formal proofs - in part by placing them in appendices -- or by referring to the original sources. Moreover, the book emphasizes the usage of the theories and the interpretations of the mathematical formulations. It includes a series of small examples, graphical illustrations, simple extensions and questions to think about. Also, it combines the formal models with less formal economic and organizational thinking. Last but not least it discusses some larger applications with significant practical impacts, including the design of benchmarking-based regulations of energy companies in different European countries, and the development of merger control programs for competition authorities.




Port, Maritime and Hinterland Development in Southeast Asia (UUM Press)


Book Description

This book addresses myriad of issues and challenges in the field of port, maritime and hinterland development in Southeast Asia from multidisciplinary perspectives. Instead of focusing on only certain aspects of the maritime discipline, the book presents a range of different viewpoint from business and management, historical development, geography, law, and others. Although the book is made in the form of an edited book, readers will benefit and gain knowledge on many important issues in the field of port, maritime and hinterland development in Southeast Asia. This book will also be beneficial to all parties in this area, including policy and decision makers, government officials, port authorities, port operators or terminal operators, maritime-related service providers such as freight forwarders in port, ship agents, navigation officers, customs brokers, stevedores and other port users, shippers, passengers, and carriers. This book is also catered for those involved in maritime research or students who take maritime subject, or to the public who are interested in maritime issues. The contributors of this book are experts from diverse backgrounds with extensive experience in the fields of port, maritime and hinterland development. This is because we believe that maritime studies are intertwined with many aspects of life from environmental management to disputes at the sea, which will affect the maritime trade industry. Hence, issues in this book are also various. However, the emphasis is on the development of port, maritime and hinterland sector in Southeast Asia.




Ports, Cities, and Global Supply Chains


Book Description

Global trends in policy and technology related fields are rapidly reshaping the port industry worldwide. International in scope, this volume provides multidisciplinary insights into the role port cities adopt in dealing with global supply chains. Throughout the book, concepts of strategic management, supply chain management, port and transport economics and economic and transport geography are applied to offer an in-depth understanding of the processes underlying global supply chains and associated spatial and functional dynamics in port-cities. The book also discusses policy outcomes and implications relevant to port-cities positioned in different segments of global supply chains.




Asian Container Ports


Book Description

The container port industry in Asia represents adynamic aspect of the international transport and logistics scene. This book applies an overarching theme of 'Development, Competition and Cooperation' to a wide range of individual container ports in Asia. Major trends are identified and concrete examples provide new insights into the nature of relationships between the main ports in the region. The contents provide a great deal of new analysis that contributes to theoretical and conceptual debates on the nature of port competition. More generally, it will aid understanding of port development strategies within the context of Asian trade and economic growth.




Handbook of Ocean Container Transport Logistics


Book Description

This book is focused on the impact of ocean transport logistics on global supply chains. It is the first book solely dedicated to the topic, linking the interaction of parties along this chain, including shippers, terminal operators and line carriers. While ocean container transport logistics has been greatly studied, there are many important issues that have yet to receive the attention they deserve. The editors and contributing authors of Ocean Container Transport Logistics: Making Global Supply Chain Effective seek to address these topics and shed new light on the subject. The book is divided into three parts. Part I examines the innovation, trends, competition and business model of container terminal operations. In Part II, the book looks at how tactical and operational management is used in shipping liners. The chapters cover topics such as empty container repositioning, slow steaming, routing, network design and disruption management. Finally Part III explores at shippers and global supply chain management, with chapters on transportation service procurement, hinterland transportation, green corridors, as well as competition and co-operation in maritime logistics operations. The eighteen chapters of the book all highlight the immediate effect of ocean transport logistics on global supply chain.




Southeast Asia Transformed


Book Description

Southeast Asia, with a total population of 520 million, remains a region characterized by fragmentation, diversity, and considerable internal conflict despite the unifying influence of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), formed some thirty-five years ago. In the new millennium, it has lost the distinction of being one of the worlds faster growing group of economies since the 1997 financial crisis. While it has benefited from the winds of globalization, it has now to cope with the painful adjustments to problems that stem from the inadequacies of good governance and structural changes.