Introduction
Berths are stations within the port area, where shipping carriers can pick and drop loads during their routine maritime and mainland operations. Thus, a safe berth is convenient to shipping agencies. Terminals provide facilities for the berth. According to Alderton (2008), berths needed by a port will vary mainly with size, type, and the number of ships arriving at the berths (p.110). Tailor-made berths are costly in terms of resources and time. Terminals serve as interface points for maritime and mainland carriers. This interface function will thus influence the terminal’s geographical placement, operation characteristics within the port, how it blends with the mainland transport infrastructure and commercial centers supplied by the port.
There are three approaches for vessel berthing which can guide either private or liberalized management systems (Alderton, 2008, p.108). The first approach is the Queuing theory that makes several assumptions. It assumes that priority is given to the first vessel to arrive; vessels can arrive simultaneously but randomly and the berthing process allows for one after another service (one at the time) smoothly following each other, the capacity of berth does not exceed more than one thus long queue at peak time should be expected. Vessels queue at telephone exchanges (Alderton 2008, p.108). The second approach is simulations through sound. Two types are involved, either a computer or manual applications (Alderton, 2008, p.108). Computer applications are tailor-made for specifically the port. While in the case of manual application, procedures are relatively cheaper and conventionally understood (Alderton, 2008, p.108). The third approach involves schedule analysis of vessel terminal dispatch and arrival. The use of the more common spreadsheet makes it a cheaper computer approach (Alderton, 2008, p.108). Port authority should establish a trade-off among the three approaches to reduce limitations associated with either. The extent of preference to apply any of the approaches vis-à-vis an integrated model would depend on the efficiency advantage associated with each.
Port of Felixstowe
Colonel George Tomline initiated the mother company that grew to form the port of Felixstowe in 1875 (Port of Felixstowe, n.d, 1). Initially, the company allied its operations to rail functions but in 1879, it started to offer docking services (Port of Felixstowe, n.d, 1). Commercial maritime services to carriers began in 1886. In optimizing any port facilities, the manager of the port facility and the client-shipping agency have their ventures tailored with opportunistic viewpoints. That is, utilizing the port facility most efficiently. The manager would wish to maximize the gains from the port by having more ships using his berths throughout while experiencing the least possible cost in the process (Alderton, 2008, p.107). On the other hand, a shipping agency would wish to be efficient during actual transport missions by avoiding time-wasting. The shipping agency examines the transportation cycle from the ship dispatch terminal to the destination while keen on areas that have a time delay.
Ro/Ro Berth
The completion of the first Ro/Ro berth was in 1965 while the following year works on Landguard Container Terminal and Paceco Vickers Portainer Crane commenced. The Paceco Vickers Portainer was to serve as the second Ro/Ro berth. This may have been due to the increased activity at the port over time thus realizing a greater need for Ro/Ro berths. For instance, the setting up of milling and silo structures proximate to the port in 1904, construction of grain new warehousing structures in 1951and the setting up large-scale tanks for grains and liquids in between 1959 and 1961. Others were the addition of more warehouses and a cold store in 1963 and laying an inter-coastal oil jetty to the Harwich harbor (Port of Felixstowe, n.d, 5 to 12). The increased performance led to expansions on either side of the port. Alderton shows in Erlang’s ideas that the waiting ratio reduces as more berths are availed (2008, p.109).
Passenger Berth
Passenger berth layout resembles an airport setting (Alderton, 2008, p. 114). It provides hospitality facilities to passengers. International passenger berths, duty, and immigration services may be offered. The terminal may provide a well-covered lobby area for waiting passengers. Twice per day flight, service at the Port of Felixstowe to Zeebrugge began in 1974. In 1978, Townsend Thoresen commenced the operation of a passenger and freight terminal at the Port of Felixstowe (Port of Felixstowe, n.d., 20).
Land Productivity at the Terminal
According to Gazeley Ltd (2006), the Port of Felixstowe whose current owners are the Hutchison Ports (UK) limited leads in the UK as the largest deep-sea container port (2008 p.110). The port of Felixstowe has 98000 Twenty Equivalent Units of ship capacity (Port of Felixstowe, 2010). In addition, Twincentric Ltd considers the Port as Europe’s fourth-largest and thirteenth, globally (2003, p.1). Land productivity (Twenty Equivalent Units, TEUs) is the capacity of the port area (mainly in hectares) to pack with containers at the terminal. In 1987, the Port of Felixstowe could handle over one million TEUs annually of which no other port in the UK had prior achieved (Port of Felixstowe, n.d, 33). Land economics in terms of price and availability, the economic stimulation of proximate area, and the level of competition of the port with others are factors that most contribute to the productivity of the land at the terminal. However, this is not constant throughout ports; it will vary with the immediate settings (Alderton, 2008, p.110).
Nevertheless, the amount of land needed will depend majorly on the economics of the terminal container utility than whether the size is big or small. The volume of stacking for the containers may indicate the rate of lifting and translocation of the containers being handled at that terminal. Cheaper land rates and labor force may ease pressure on productivity. The dealership in particulate commodities being traded internationally shows unstable demand since the 1950s. In 2008 cargo in the international trade formed 28% while in the year 2000 and 2005 were at 981 and 1,200 million tones, respectively. Consequently containerized cargo in the international trade between the years 2000 and 2005 rose from 57.6% to 60%. Growth trends in commerce within China have influenced greatly the world trade. China’s exceptional growths in the population (most populous state), as well as economic development, dictate this fact. The Hutchison Ports parent company traces its ownership to China.
Rail Terminal
In 2001, Welsh & Scottish Railway Limited (EWS) started operating Stora Enso forest product, which was a dedicated rail service in paper handling within the port (Port of Felixstowe, n.d. 40). Ports with terminals that have dedicated to providing specific services will determine how busy the port will be such that the arrival time of a particular ship can be projected with less ease (Alderton, 2008, p.110). The Port of Felixstowe connects with all other globally reckoned ports. It has more than 360 international operational links with other ports in more than 100 hundred countries. The Port of Felixstowe’s area within the hard surface close to the sea that forms the quay with nine deep-water loads disembarks on a 1.2 miles (19.3KM) stretch. The amount of international trading activity through a port forms part of the main factors influencing the number of goods passing through it. Thus, the number of goods traded passing through a port is measurable using laden weights of shipment as well as quantity over the distance covered.
The Port of Felixstowe has a global shipping reputation and is estimated to operate on 70 distinct shipping paths while serving over 55 shipping lines. The degree of interpersonal interest for services at the terminal will dictate the way the port will develop generally for public use or operate private terminals for individuals. Two terminals, Dooley and Walton started operation in 1981at the Port of Felixstowe (Port of Felixstowe, n.d, 23). Walton was a private container terminal operated by the Orient Overseas Container Line Company who was part of the C.H. Tung Group (Port of Felixstowe, n.d, 23). Subsequently, the construction of a rail freight facility that started in 1982 was to serve these two terminals (Port of Felixstowe, n.d, 24). Currently, the Port of Felixstowe serves nearly fifty trains on daily basis with up to 15 supply destinations within the UK’s mainland while its RoRo terminal activities are at four per day that link it with mainland Europe.
Vessel Berthing
The Port of Felixstowe is part of the other twenty-eight within the Hutchinson Port Holdings (HPH) network. The twenty-nine HPH ports handle a cumulative Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units of over 25 million within six years starting in the year 2000 (Gazeley, 2006, p.3 of 6). Ports construction is for a lifetime but will require modifications over time. The Port of Felixstowe computerized its system in the year 1984 becoming the pioneer seaport in the UK to embrace such kind of information technology in data management (Twincentric ltd, 2003, p.1 of 2). The management at Port of Felixstowe continuously screens this system in a bid to enhance it to stream large amounts of data during transactions. The amount of bill of lading information handled is illustrative of this. The port favored the use of internet applications over other modes of communication in the early years of 1990 (Twincentric ltd, 2003, p.1). The driving force for the Port of Felixstowe information technology anchors on the Felixstowe Cargo Processing System (FCPS) that provides harmonious information for their different sectors. These include shipping operators, terminal operators, customs and other government stakeholders, cargo handling brokers, and link inland transport operators. The FCPS offers track and trace services that enable clients to keep abreast with the shipment process.
Plans on Berth and Terminals
The UK urgently requires another deep seaport container handling service to meet the countrywide necessity for another container handling capability and Felixstowe is in a fit position to meet the requirement (Hutchison Ports Limited, 2010). By 2006, the Port of Felixstowe management approved proposals geared at expanding from the current Twenty Equivalent Units port capacity to about 5.2million. Other development proposals earmarked for Port of Felixstowe were to increase by half-mile (0.81KM) the existing quay area and down-cutting carbon emissions by 8% through new investment projects in 2009. This means that the Port will experience a reduction in carbon emissions from 19.8kg.
The development in the Port of Felixstowe is well above the 1990 container terminal, especially concerning TEUS and Terminal area criteria. The last decade and a half have experienced a tremendous shift in the construction of high-capacity maritime carriers. Carrier TEUs have doubled to an average of 8400. Despite this, the shipping agencies are further demanding larger ones of up to 9600 TEUs (Crown, 2006, 7). Dimensions for the largest ship are 348m in length, a beam of 42.8m, and a draught of 14m (Crown, 2006, 8). Requisites for serving such a carrier include port depth of not less than 15.4m (Crown, 2006, 8). Larger vessels translate to further deepening seaport at the channel and entry as well as within berths. Wider ship beams will cause the channel to be wider as well as ensure the turning circles are compatible. Furthermore, larger vessels will require increased warehousing capacity at the port and enhanced transportation to the mainland to ease congestion. Currently, the Port of Felixstowe has a maximum berth draught of 15m and a minimum channel depth of 14.5m (Crown, 2006, Table 4.3). The Port of Felixstowe is investing in a new cargo handling project. This means that the amount of cargo will soon rise to a targeted 263000TEUs.
The Panama Canal Watercourse
The Panama Canal is an artificial watercourse that forms the link between North and South America via the Central American isthmus. The estimated length of the canal is 80.45km (Crawford-Adiletta & Demand Media, n.d, 1). Much of its operation is tailor-made to resemble those of a port. This canal has been a tourist attraction with guided tours that last hours while others a day. Shorter trips last up to four to five hours (Crawford-Adiletta & Demand Media, n.d, 4).
Vessel Berthing
Transit processes via Panama Canal have procedures. First, initial transits should be preceded by prior consent and availing an array of documents. These are forwarded to Panama Canal Authority. These include International Tonnage and International Load Line Certificates, calculation sheets, capacity, and lines plans, funnel and general arrangement plans, displacement, and deadweight scale (Fernie & Co. S.A., 2007, 2). According to Alderton, the period within which a ship waits for access to berth at a port is the waiting time (2008, 108). A week to the arrival of the vessel there should be communication accompanied with declarations. This information enables for ensuring hygiene, quality services on arrival, and security. In scheduling transit, the rule of passage through the canal prioritizes the arrival time of each vessel. In addition, convoys have been limited. The vessel personnel must be in their strategic positions as the vessel navigates through the canal, especially during securing the anchor, adjusting berthing operations, and in the lock locations. Immigration services to visitors embarking at the canal; charges that apply include a mandatory seaman’s visa for non-Panamanian crewmembers.
References
Alderton, P. (2008). Port Management and Operations (3rd ed.). UK: Inform Crawford-Adiletta, L. & Demand Media. (n.d). Information on the Panama Canal. Web.
Crown (2006). The Scottish Government. Web.
Fernie & Co. S.A. (2007). Panama Canal Transit information. Web.
Gazeley ltd. (2006) Felixstowe Portside. Web.
Port of Felixstowe. (2010).Terminal Facilities. Web.
Port of Felixstowe. (n.d.).History Of the Port: 1875-2009. Web.
Twincentric ltd. (2003). Flexibility and ease-of-use deliver low-cost open solutions to Port of Felixstowe. Web.