DSM2306
Integrated Transport and Distribution
Management in Shipping
3. Element of ship handling and materials handling (4L, 2T,
14SDL)
3.1 Advantages of information ship directed handling
Handling Systems
• Mechanized
• Semi-automated
• Automated
• Information-directed systems – combine controls of automated handling
with flexibility of mechanized
• Moderate fixed and variable cost with high flexibility and utilization
• Offers selected benefits of automation without substantial capital investment
• Main drawback is accountability regarding work assignment
• RF wireless (Wi-Fi)
• Use lift trucks, RFID scanners and data collection terminals
• Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID)
• Light-directed operations (LDO)
• Pick-to-light carousel system
Information-directed Systems
• All material handling movements are directed and monitored
by the command of microprocessors.
• To begin with all required handling movements are fed into
the computer for analysis and equipment assignment.
• Analysis of handling requirements and equipment
assignment is done in such a way that direct movements are
emphasized and deadhead (unnecessary) movements are
minimized.
Information-directed Systems (con’t)
• Work assignments are provided to individual forklifts by
terminals located on the truck.
• Communication between the computer and the truck uses radio
frequency (RF) waves with antennae located on the forklifts and
high up in the warehouse.
• Information-directed systems can increase productivity by
tracking material handler performance and allowing
compensation to be based on activity level.
• A single handling equipment may be involved in loading or
unloading several vehicles, selecting many orders, and
completing several handling assignments, thus increasing the
complexity of work direction.
Information Directed Ship Handling
• Completely robotic facilities exist for specialized situations
• Some bulk and container loading/unloading facilities have gone
completely robotic
• Example is the Port of Brisbane in Queensland, Australia
• Video : Seven News Flashback - Port of Brisbane (13/04/08)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAHoCI-IAMA
Discussion
Advantages of information directed ship handling
Discussion
Advantages of information ship directed handling
• Speed – time saving / cost saving
• Accuracy
• Less accident
• Maximization of space
• Increased capacity
3. Element of ship handling and materials handling
3.2 Understanding methods of containerisation: rigid and non rigid
containerization and palletisation
Unitization
Unitization has the basic objective of increasing handling and transport
efficiency
• Unit loads take 1/5 the time required for manual loading and unloading
• Unitization methods
• Rigid containers
• Air Freight Containers
• Sea-Land Containers
• Returnable Racks (generally for automotive parts)
• Flexible containers
• Pallets
• Slipsheets
Benefits of rigid containerization
• Improves overall material movement efficiency
• Reduces damage in handling and transit
• Reduces pilferage
• Reduces protective packaging requirements
• Provides greater protection from environment
• Provides a shipment unit that can be reused many times
• Reduces waste
• Reduces need to dispose of the container
Discussion / Exercise
• Discuss the disadvantages of rigid containerization
• Discuss the advantages
containerization
and
disadvantages
of
non-rigid
3. Element of ship handling and materials handling
3.3 Container handling equipments
Container Handling Equipments (Conbtainer Handlers)
Container Handling Equipments (Conbtainer Handlers)
• Reach stackers are able to transport a container in short distances very
quickly and pile them in various rows depending on its access.
• Reach stackers have gained ground in container handling in most markets
because of their flexibility and higher stacking and storage capacity when
compared to lift trucks.
A Rubber Tyred Gantry crane (RTG crane) is a mobile gantry crane used
for stacking intermodal containers within the stacking areas of a
container terminal.
• A Straddle Carrier is a non road going vehicle for use in port terminals
and intermodal yards used for stacking and moving ISO standard
containers.
• These machines have the ability to stack containers up to 4 high. These
are capable of relatively low speeds (up to 30km/h) with a laden
container.
• An RMG travels on rails to lift and stack 20 or 40 containers in the yard area.
• These cranes are specifically designed for intensive container stacking due to its
automation and less need for human handling.
• Compare to the Rubber Tyred Gantry crane (RTG), the RMG has the advantages of being
driven by electrical power, cleaner, bigger lifting capacity, and higher gantry traveling
speed with cargo.
A container crane (also container handling gantry crane, ship-to-shore
crane) is a design of large dockside gantry cranes found at container
terminals for loading and unloading intermodal containers from container
ships.
Type of Container Cranes
• Container Cranes are generally classified their lifting capacity, and the size
of the container ships they can load and unload containers
• Panamax : A “Panamax” crane can fully load and unload containers from a
container ship capable of passing through Panama Canal (ships of 12-13
container rowswide)
• Post Panamax : A “Post-Panamx” crane can fully load and unload containers
from a container ship too large (too wide) to pass through the Panama
Canal normally about 18 container rowswide).
• Super-Post Panamax: The largest modern container cranes are classified as
“Super-Post Panamax” (for vessels of about 22 container rows wide and/or
more).
3. Element of ship handling and materials handling
3.4 Conventional and Specialised Transport (CST)
Modes of Transportation
• Sea
• Air
• Land
• Rail
• Pipeline
The Basic Modes of Transportation: Railroads
• Rail is a long haul, large volume system (high fixed costs; own
rights-of-way)
• Accessibility can be a problem
• Transit times are spotty, but are generally long
• Reliability and safety are generally good
• Premium intermodal services
• Straight piggyback and containerized freight
• Double stacks
• RoadRailer service
The Basic Modes of Transportation: Motor Carriers
• The motor carrier industry is characterized by a large number of
small firms. In 1999, there were 505,000 registered motor carriers.
• Low cost of entry causes these large numbers.
• Used by almost all logistics systems and account for 82 percent of
U.S. freight expenditures.
• Characterized by low fixed costs and high variable costs.
• Do not own their rights-of-way.
The Basic Modes of Transportation: Motor Carriers (con’t)
• Limited operating authority regarding service areas, routes, rates
and products carried.
• High accessibility
• Transit times faster than rail or water.
• Reliability can be affected greatly by weather.
• Small vehicle size coincides with lower inventory strategies and
quick replenishment (QR).
• Relatively high cost compared to rail and water; trade-off is faster
service.
The Basic Modes of Transportation: International Water
Carriers
• General cargo ships
• Large high capacity cargo holds
• Engaged on a contract basis
• Many have self-contained cranes for loading/unloading
• Bulk carriers
• Specially designed to haul minerals
• Can handle multiple cargoes
• Tankers
• Specially designed for liquid cargoes
• Largest vessels afloat, some VLCCs at 500k+ tons
The Basic Modes of Transportation: International Water
Carriers (con’t)
• Container ships
• High speeds for ships; increasingly more common and important
• Larger vessels can handle up to 5,000 containers.
• RO-RO (Roll on-Roll off)
• Basically a large ferry that facilitates the loading and unloading process by
using drive on/off ramps
• May also have the capacity to haul containers
• Other
• OBO (ore-bulk-oil) multipurpose carriers
• Barges (not transoceanic)
The Basic Modes of Transportation: Pipelines
• Refers only to the oil pipelines, not natural gas
• Not suitable for general transportation
• Accessibility is very low.
• Cost structure is highly fixed with low variable costs.
• Own rights-of-way much like the railroads.
• Major advantage is low rates.
The Basic Modes of Transportation: Air Carriers
• Cost structure is highly variable; do not own rights-of-way.
• Transit times are fastest of the modes, but rates are highest.
• Average revenue per ton mile 18 times higher than rail; twice that
of motor carriers.
• Seek goods with a high value to weight ratio.
• Accessibility is low as is capability.
• Reliability subject to weather more than other modes.
Table 9-2: Performance Rating of Modes
Selection
Determinants
Railroad
Motor
Modes
Water
Cost
3
4
2
5
1
Transit time
3
2
4
1
---
Reliability
2
1
4
3
---
Capability
1
2
4
3
5
Accessibility
2
1
4
3
---
Security
3
2
4
1
---
Air
Pipeline
Special Cargos, Conditions & Services
• Special cargos can be long, tall, heavy, or delicate
• Special conditions, which usually cover both conventional and
unusual freight in unconventional circumstances.
• Special services, which usually cover value-added operations in
handling conventional freight.
Motor Carriers
• General freight carriers
• Account for majority of all truck revenues and include intercity common
carriers and other general carriers
• Specialized carriers
• Generate remaining revenues. These include carriers of heavy machinery,
liquid petroleum, refrigerated products, agricultural commodities, motor
vehicles, building materials, household goods (fragile), and other specialized
items