Abstract
The relevant pressure exerted on ports following the advent of globalization and containerization has contributed to transform the role of such intermodal transport facilities, increasing their complexity with reference to both performed activities and involved actors. The potential of solid hinterland connections in enhancing port competitiveness has sustained the larger embracement of the railway mode, which has proved to be a financially and environmentally sustainable solution, especially on long hauls. However, the limited residual capacity currently characterizing several railway network and nodes may threaten the accommodation of additional future traffic volumes and, thus, it requires the adoption of a coordinated strategy to more efficiently manage existing railway infrastructures, other than the realization of some new ones. In this regard, an integrated methodology has been developed to specifically model, simulate and optimize port railway processes, as part of a more complex system, imposing the maximization of capacity with the concurrent minimization of used shunting locomotives, to varying of infrastructural and operational conditions. This combination of techniques has been applied to the case study of the Port of Trieste, Italy, showing the greater influence of tracks availability over changes in the operational conditions, in terms of a shorter duration of specific administrative tasks and the employment of more shunting locomotives.
Highlights
Major developments in trade exchanges generated by globalization and containerization have enhanced the role of seaports, transforming them from conventional intermodal interfaces to active components of the global distribution channel [1]
The minor relevance covered by the analyzed collection of tracks is tested by the presence of bubbles with a quite small diameter in correspondence to high values of railway capacity, and the fact that many of them are colored red again emphasizes the greater importance of tracks availability at the main port station
Lyzed collection of tracks is tested by the presence of bubbles with a quite small diameter in correspondence to high values of railway capacity, and the fact that many of them are colored red again emphasizes the greater importance of tracks availability at the main port station
Summary
Major developments in trade exchanges generated by globalization and containerization have enhanced the role of seaports, transforming them from conventional intermodal interfaces to active components of the global distribution channel [1]. The adoption of containerized transfer units has certainly brought to light the importance of establishing solid hinterland connections, extending the potential catchment area of ports and, raising the competitiveness among them [4] In this regard, driven mainly by the urgency of addressing environmental issues, ports are intended to embrace intermodality even more in the future, especially with reference to the railway mode. This transport solution demonstrates to be more financially sustainable on long hauls, compared against the road mode [5] Such tendency is perfectly in line with the solutions proposed in a few Communications of the European Commission to address the wider problem of strengthening the port-city relationship, in face of the increasing international traffic demand at ports. The establishment of sustainable inland connections, in terms of itineraries and transport modes, and an efficient control of port accesses would contribute to guarantee an environmental
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