Agile Service Oriented Shipping Companies in the Container Terminal

Abstract

Agility is regarded as one of the core capabilities and the developing trend of supply chains and their enterprises. Along with the development of economical globalization, supply chain management and containerization as well as container ports as a part of supply chain take more roles like logistics or distribution centers. Under this background, the container terminal should have superior response and develop agility. The main goal of this paper is to emphasize and illustrate the importance and imminence of implementing agility in container terminals. To achieve this goal, the analysis of the economies of scale in the container terminal is presented. In this paper, however, more attention will be paid to agile service oriented shipping companies. The concept and characters of agile service in the container terminal is illustrated. The paper also focuses on the agile organizational structure of the container terminal. Finally, the fuzzy quality synthetic evaluation method is given to evaluate the performance level of agile service in container terminal oriented shipping companies.

Agile Port and Intermodal Transport Operations Model to Secure Lean Supply Chains Concept

“…They should have highly automated and flexible manipulating equipment and operating IT programs, in order to economically switch from one operation to another [6]. According to Liu et al the element support of agile service in port enterprises are: agile techniques, agile organizations and agile port management [15]. Thus ports and inland intermodal terminals should keep focus on these important elements.…”

Planning Organization and Productivity Simulation Tool for Maritime Container Terminals

“…This way balanced development of terminal activities, the constant development of the subsystems of the terminal, the application of adequate processes per each subsystem and consecutively higher productivity can be achieved. Achievements in all above mentioned factors leads to higher system efficiency and quality as well as reflects on good financial operations of a maritime container terminal (Bagdonienė 2008;Batarlienė and Jarašūnienė 2009;Baublys 2009;Gromule and Yatskiv 2007;Hess et al 2007;Hess and Hess 2010;Jaržemskienė 2007;Liu et al 2009;Tolli and Laving 2007;Vasilis Vasiliauskas and Barysienė 2008).…”

“…Therefore, they are forced to reduce unproductive time and to offer effective processes in order to meet increasing competition among terminals. This situation was carefully analysed by Liu et al (2009). Paixão and Marlow (2003) suggest that ports could contribute to more cost-effective logistics with focusing their efforts on the specific areas of their operational activity (particularly on 20% of their activity where they gain 80% of their revenues) and on reducing storage costs even up to 30%.…”

Predictable Uncertainty About Terminal Operations in the Sea

“…In such an operational environment, decisions must be made not only concerning ship scheduling and cargo distribution but also on how to employ port facilities to full capacity, when and how to upgrade facilities, a schedule of repair and maintenance works and plan work shi s. Such decisions are o en inuenced by the events that cannot be predicted with certainty. e major objective of planning port operations is to diminish port vacancy, thus minimizing operational costs while assuring that service rendered to ships is in line with widely accepted standards (Česnauskis 2007;Hsu and Hsieh 2007;Jaržemskis and Vasilis Vasiliauskas 2007;Afandizadeh and Moayedfar 2008;Paulauskas and Bentzen 2008;Vasilis Vasiliauskas and Barysienė 2008;Imai et al 2009;Liu et al 2009;Su and Wang 2009;Chen and Zeng 2010).…”