95717 - PORT TRANSPORT OPERATIONS

Learning outcomes

The course “Port transport operations” deals with port systems and their performances, which are the consequence of the interactions among the several elements – both operational and infrastructure – composing them. Particularly, starting from the harbour as node of an intermodal maritime and land transport network, the course provides the basic elements for planning port activities and for the management of freight flows at the infrastructure. The course wants to provide students with specific knowledge on the simulation, analysis and planning of port transport operations by modelling explicitly the transport elements. More in details, the main educational goals are: 1) Acquisition of specific knowledge to address the typical problems of transport engineering with a systemic approach, in particular for the quantitative estimation of the effects produced by designed solutions. 2) Ability to model transport elements based on a system approach – by operating also in interdisciplinary working groups – with the use of mathematical models that could require a specific calibration for the faced problem. 3) Ability to understand and identify advantages and applicability limits of the obtained solutions, with particular reference to the availability of resources and to the effects of the proposed solutions. 4) Ability to: - organize the results of the studies carried out in technical papers (text and graphics); - operate at a professional level in design groups; - publicly present the results obtained. 5) Ability to deal with transport engineering issues at a professional level and to update autonomously the acquired skills.

Course contents

Learning outcomes

The students will be provided with basic knowledge on methodological, theoretical and empirical skills for planning, design, simulation and performance evaluation of ports and maritime transport, in the context of transport system science. A focus is given to the different service typologies and features (e.g. solid and liquid bulk, container, ro-ro, passenger traffic), the transport network and the impacts, in the framework of sustainable transportation and transport engineering paradigms.

Course topics

Definition of transport system: arcs, nodes, cost functions.

Overview of maritime transport: history and evolution, main routes and trends. Logistic chain, distribution network, actors and roles. Border controls, custom clearance and their impact on the overall performance.

Demand models: general aspects, causal and time series methods, o/d freight matrix, input/output regional models (MRIO).

Supply:

• Definition of intermodal transport and of its components, vehicles and load units.
• Ships and barges: typologies, characteristics, stability, propulsion, motion, resistances, manoeuvres.

  Naval gigantism, scale economies and their impacts on infrastructure and territory.

• Maritime and inland water transport organization: deep sea, transhipment, cabotage SSS – Motorways of the sea; bulk, ro-ro, ro-pax, container.
• Navigation and routing. Phisical and organizational bottlenecks: Interoceanic passages, straits; cost function, safety. Standard Messages EDI, Autonomous Ships and Satellite Technologies.
• Ports = structure and infrastructure, layout. Evolution and development. Port operation: subsystems, accessibility, capacity (on varying ship size / load, equipment, arrival/departure process, average stay / early arrival), design, processes and workflow (arrival – berthing – unload / loading – departure). Equipment, Dock Labor, TOS - Terminal Operating System. Principles and pro/cons of Terminal Automation. Simulation vs optimization. KPI for ports.
• Management = Port Authorities, Port Coordination, cooperation and competition. Port Clusters. Port hinterlands and dry ports with their transport corridors. Terminal Concessions and Funding.

Impacts = Relationship between ship, basin and port infrastructure. Impacts of ports: energy supply, ports as energy hub, environmental issues (noise, pollution, ballast water), relationship with city and waterfront. Digital Transformation. Green Supply Chain management in ports. Green Port governance. Maritime transport and Environment. Safety and Security of Maritime Transport: Port Security Plan [emergency plan, escape plan] and Port Community Systems.

Readings/Bibliography

beyond slides, students can find additional material on:

• Cascetta (2001) – Transportation Systems Engineering: Theory and Methods – Springer
• Notteboom, Pallis, Rodrigue (2022) - Port Economics, Management and Policy – Routledge
• Rodrigue (2020) - The Geography of Transport Systems – 5^th ed - Routledge
• Ricci, Ritossa - Ingegneria dei trasporti navali – Tecnologie, metodi ed applicazioni – EGAF
• Dalla Chiara – Sistemi di trasporto intermodali – Progettazione ed esercizio – EGAF
• Zunarelli, Romagnoli, Claroni - Casi e materiali di diritto pubblico dei trasporti – Bonomo

Teaching methods

Frontal lessons, seminars and exercises.

Assessment methods

A final written test is planned, consisting of theoretical and practical questions intended to assess the knowledge and understanding of the topics covered by the course. The test is composed of 3 questions (10 points each; each question can be split in two or more sub-questions).

The objective is to assess students’ knowledge, learning and skills through the discussion of concepts relating to port systems (i.e. operation, management, capacity, design, accessibility, performance index, simulation).

To obtain a passing grade (minimum is 18 points) students are required to demonstrate a knowledge of the key concepts of the subject, some ability for critical application, and a comprehensible use of technical language. Higher grades (maximum is 30 points, with honour) will be awarded to students who demonstrate an organic understanding of the subject, a high ability for critical application, and a clear-cut ability to discuss the contents. In case of failure or unsatisfactory marks, students can enrol to any subsequent final assessment test. On general terms, 6 sessions per academic year are planned.

Teaching tools

Slides, board, short videos, MS Teams, self-assessment questions

Links to further information

https://virtuale.unibo.it/course/view.php?id=44811

Office hours

See the website of Filippo Paganelli