A Comparative Analysis of Dry Port Operations in Coastal and Landlocked Countries

Malaysia is a coastal country surrounded by sea, while Nepal is a landlocked country with no direct access to the ocean. This paper investigates the challenges faced by dry ports in Malaysia and Nepal and looks into issues concerning the connection of seaports and dry ports both intra-regionally, i.e. within Malaysia, and inter-regionally, i.e. outside of Nepal. The structure of dry port operating systems in these two areas is visibly different. Hence, the relationships between the major nodes in these different geographical regions need to be examined. Face-to-face and telephone interviews with dry port operators, legislative personnel, and public policy stakeholders from both countries were conducted to establish the impediments to dry port operations. Interview session transcripts have been analyzed using grounded theory. This tool is suitable for this paper due to its capacity to identify categories and concepts within the text linked together to form theoretical models. Secondary data have been used to support the primary data collected, to enhance the range and reliability of the findings. The findings indicate challenges such as inadequate connectivity capacity, inefficient border transactions, seaport-dry port integration issues, inefficient economic corridors, insufficient legislative framework for policy and regulation development, and environmental issues faced by the two countries. These challenges have a negative impact on the possibility of dry ports in Malaysia to take full advantage of their potential. Meanwhile, in Nepal, such challenges limit dry port operations since dry ports are the main gateway for the nation’s international trade. This paper recommends strategies for overcoming these challenges and improving the quality of dry port operations, focusing on the provision of sophisticated and modern logistics services to stakeholders in the different geographic landscapes

A Comparative Analysis of Dry Port Operations in Coastal and Landlocked Countries

Malaysia is a coastal country surrounded by sea, while Nepal is a landlocked country with no direct access to the ocean. This paper investigates the challenges faced by dry ports in Malaysia and Nepal and looks into issues concerning the connection of seaports and dry ports both intra-regionally, i.e. within Malaysia, and inter-regionally, i.e. outside of Nepal. The structure of dry port operating systems in these two areas is visibly different. Hence, the relationships between the major nodes in these different geographical regions need to be examined. Face-to-face and telephone interviews with dry port operators, legislative personnel, and public policy stakeholders from both countries were conducted to establish the impediments to dry port operations. Interview session transcripts have been analyzed using grounded theory. This tool is suitable for this paper due to its capacity to identify categories and concepts within the text linked together to form theoretical models. Secondary data have been used to support the primary data collected, to enhance the range and reliability of the findings. The findings indicate challenges such as inadequate connectivity capacity, inefficient border transactions, seaport-dry port integration issues, inefficient economic corridors, insufficient legislative framework for policy and regulation development, and environmental issues faced by the two countries. These challenges have a negative impact on the possibility of dry ports in Malaysia to take full advantage of their potential. Meanwhile, in Nepal, such challenges limit dry port operations since dry ports are the main gateway for the nation’s international trade. This paper recommends strategies for overcoming these challenges and improving the quality of dry port operations, focusing on the provision of sophisticated and modern logistics services to stakeholders in the different geographic landscapes

Assessing the eco-efficiency benefits of empty container repositioning strategies via dry ports

Trade imbalances and global disturbances generate mismatches in the supply and demand of empty containers (ECs) that elevate the need for empty container repositioning (ECR). This research investigated dry ports as a potential means to minimize EC movements, and thus reduce costs and emissions. We assessed the environmental and economic effects of two ECR strategies via dry ports—street turns and extended free temporary storage—considering different scenarios of collaboration between shipping lines with different levels of container substitution. A multiparadigm simulation combined agent-based and discrete-event modelling to represent flows and estimate kilometers travelled, CO2 emissions, and costs resulting from combinations of ECR strategies and scenarios. Full ownership container substitution combined with extended free temporary storage at the dry port (FTDP) most improved ECR metrics, despite implementation challenges. Our results may be instrumental in increasing shipping lines’ collaboration while reducing environmental impacts in up to 32 % of the inland ECR emissions

The development of river-based intermodal transport: the case of Ukraine

It should be noted that the (inland waterway transport) IWT in Ukraine currently is in its infancy in comparison with other land based transport means (rail and road) and with other countries that possess navigable rivers. This paper is an extension of the research initiated by Grushevska and Notteboom (2015) where the concepts of intermediacy and centrality were introduced in order to assess the role of Ukraine in the global and regional transport networks. The list of key obstacles for Ukraine’s intermediacy function included IWT related barriers such as: (i) deficient inland waterway infrastructure, (ii) high IWT costs (fees for bridges, locks etc.) and (iii) pilotage charges. To date the transportation to/from ports is mainly fulfilled by road or by rail based multimodal transport solutions. We present the unutilized potential of Ukrainian IWT that needs to be efficiently exploited for the benefit of the national economy and national transport system. This study intends to enrich the limited academic research on IWT systems in a transition stage, as exemplified by the case of Ukraine

Container Ports Post-Privatisation – Analysis of the Roles of the Public and Private Sectors at Port Botany, Sydney

The evidence base evaluating post-privatised commercial ports is virtually non-existent, especially with respect to sustainability and environmental performance. Despite acknowledged methodological limitations, a case study approach is adopted using Port Botany, Australia, as an example of a “privatised” port. In the post-privatisation period from 2013, we examine the respective roles of the public and private sectors in terms of legislation, policies and practice. How has NSW Ports responded to challenges of sustainability and environmental regulation within the port’s jurisdiction? to what extent have governments continued to be involved in planning and investment in the logistics chain to support the import and export of containers? and what are the relative costs to the private sector and the government to achieve more efficiency? The methodology involves material retrieved from websites, government and company reports, and discussions with key informants to verify the factual robustness of our findings. The findings show that the pre-privatisation environmental and regulatory framework has been effective, and that NSW Ports have been part of an Australian-wide ports initiative to implement best practice on climate change, and on economic, social and environmental sustainability countering claims in the literature that privatised ports put shareholder’s profits before the “greening” of ports. Despite Port Botany being privatised, Governments continue to enhance the efficiency of the logistical supply chain through policies and investment in transport access to the port via inland intermodal terminals