LOG904-130 Port Logistics (Autumn 2023)

the main course objective is to familiarize the student with basic concepts in port logistics. The syllabus is as follows:

LECTURE 1 (Monday 24 Oct. 2022)

Intro and basics

• Introduction to maritime transport
• The role of ports within intermodal logistics
• Port planning and design
• Types of terminals
• Generalized costs
• Various OR/MS applications
• Current issues

LECTURE 2 (Tuesday 25 Oct 2022)

The policy context

• Place ports and port logistics within the broader (mainly EU) policy context
• Address major challenges and what policy makers are doing to tackle them
• The 1998 Green Paper
• The 2001 and 2010 White Papers
• The 2007 Freight Logistics Action Plan
• The Trans-European Transport Networks (TEN-Ts)
• Environmental Policies
• Market Access to Port Services
• Miscellaneous

LECTURE 3 (Wednesday 26 Oct. 2022)

Port management problems, security and green ports

• Queueing
• Berth allocation problem (BAP)
• Quay crane assignment & scheduling
• Yard management problems
• Containership loading-unloading
• Slow Steaming and Virtual Arrival
• Port security problems
• Green maritime logistics
• Green ports

LECTURE 4 (Thursday 27 Oct. 2022)

Port logistics in practice

• Transshipment in container terminals.
• Hub and spoke systems.
• Factors influencing the transshipment decision.
• The Piraeus example (became a hub in 1997).
• Negotiating with shipping lines.
• Pricing issues. Related tariff reform.
• EU ports policy (green paper, port package, etc).
• Some practical problems in terminal operation.
• Concession of terminal to Cosco Pacific
• Sale of majority stake to Cosco Pacific

LECTURE 5 (Friday 28 Oct. 2022)

HW presentations

Knowledge: Obtain basic knowledge about the port sector and its challenges, and what industry and policy makers are doing to tackle these challenges.

Skills: Understand basic economic, environmental and logistical problems and what can be done to solve them.

General competence: Being able to understand basic concepts and models.

Form of assessment: HW assignment, due Friday Oct. 28, 2022

• Proportion: 100 %
• Duration: N/A
• Grouping: Groups of 3 and 4
• Grading scale: Letter (A - F)
• Support material: All material provided in class; Internet; any other source.

HW assignment: You form your own groups. Each group will be assigned a port case study and will be asked to (a) produce a report on the case study, and (b) presenting the report in class by a PPT, 20 minutes max. per group. Each case study refers to a specific port. You will be asked to investigate and report back on the port in question in a document no more than 15 pages+1 cover page.