Comparing maritime containers and semi-trailers in the context of hinterland transport by rail

The purpose of this article is to investigate why rail is used to move semi-trailers to and from seaports to lesser extent than it is used to move maritime containers, and which actions can foster an increase of semi-trailer transport by rail. The two types of load units are obviously used in quite different logistics settings. The two transport segments are compared in terms of the transport markets they serve, the competition they face and the operational and technological principles upon which they operate.The empirical setting is the transport of general cargo in load units between Scandinavia, Continental Europe and the UK, although the container segment is analysed as an element of deep-sea liner shipping. Empirical findings are drawn from the case of the Port of Gothenburg and its Scandinavian hinterland. Sustained double-digit annual growth has led to a situation where most of the potential market for the hinterland transport of maritime containers has already been realised. The challenge for further growth is now to capture the semi-trailer segment.Not surprisingly, this analysis shows that rail is more competitive for the hinterland transport of containers than of semi-trailers, but there are still significant opportunities for reaping the benefits of rail transport of semi-trailer transport in the hinterlands of European ports. An increased integration of rail transport and Roll-on/Roll-off shipping will not only require, but also encourage, changes in the overall system design as well as its competitiveness compared to all-road and all-rail services.     

Integration of inland waterway transport in the intermodal supply chain: a taxonomy of research challenges

This paper identifies research opportunities which will enable the further integration of inland waterway transport in the intermodal supply chain. Intermodal transport may be interpreted as a chain of actors who supply a transport service. Inland navigation can play a crucial role in increasing supply chain service performance. A first group of research challenges lies in the evolving relationship between transport geography and logistics activities. The next set of research challenges has the objective to encourage efficient operations in IWT: development of a system wide model for IWT, integration of operational planning systems and analysis of bundling networks. A third group of research efforts is directed towards shippers and consignees who use the intermodal transport chain to send or receive their goods: further development of models that integrate intermodal transport decisions with supply chain decisions and creation of green supply chains. A fourth cluster of research challenges concerns the problem domain of external cost calculations. Finally detailed time series data on freight transport should be collected to support these future research tracks.     

On the use of RFID in the management of reusable containers in closed-loop supply chains under stochastic container return quantities

This paper studies a closed-loop supply chain that uses containers for transporting products from a supplier to a retailer. At the retailer, used containers are collected and returned to the supplier. The supplier inspects returned containers, and either repairs and reuses or disposes them. This paper studies the case where the fraction of containers that are returned to the supplier is stochastic, and where an RFID system can be used to support the tracking of container positions in the supply chain. The use of RFID leads to improved information on the return of containers and better return predictability as well as higher return rates, which we model as an increase in the mean return rate of containers and a reduction in return variance. The paper first develops a mathematical planning model for this scenario, and it then studies how the use of RFID impacts the performance of the system. In addition, it analyzes under which conditions the use of RFID is economical, and in which situations traditional container systems should be preferred.     

基于代理协商的制造业供应链自动物流

针对电子商务对供应链物流敏捷性和自动化的需求,提出适应电子商务发展趋势的制造业供应链自动物流方法,通过分析构成自动物流系统的框架、任务模块和接口中间件环境,研究实现自动物流的关键技术,指出应用供应链自动物流的特点,并举例说明自动物流和协商的过程。     

交通运输基础设施供给方式的新兴古典经济学分析

对于交通运输基础设施作为准公共产品由谁供给目前在学理上没有给出明晰解释,没有深入揭示其选择机理。从新兴古典经济学的角度认为,交通运输基础设施供给方式的选择,取决于该种机制是否最小化了公共物品提供过程中的所有交易成本。     

The co-opetitive strategy of a closed-loop supply chain with remanufacturing

This paper deals with a strategic issue of closed-loop supply chains with remanufacturing by developing analytic models under cooperative and competitive settings. The primary goal behind analytic formulation is to investigate under what conditions an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) may take a cooperative approach by participating in remanufacturing. In contrast, the OEM may take a competitive approach by letting the third-party firm remanufacture the returned cores and remarket in the secondary market that competes with the new product. Our analysis reveals that the strategic decision depends critically on the costs of remanufacturing and the competition intensity between the two versions.     

《侵权责任法》的实施对审理铁路运输人身损害赔偿案件的影响

从铁路司法实践中最为棘手的路外伤亡案件入手,在对《侵权责任法》和新司法解释相关条文进行解析的基础上,对铁路运输人身损害赔偿纠纷案件相关问题从理论和实践上进行分析研究,重点提出针对铁路路外伤亡赔偿纠纷案件的具体法律适用方法和意见,以对正确处理铁路人身损害赔偿纠纷案件有所借鉴。