Determinants for a Feasible Short Sea Shipping: Lessons from Europe for ASEAN

Aminuddin Md Arof

doi:10.5539/ass.v11n15p229

Abstract

This paper aims to review the key factors for a feasible Short Sea Shipping (SSS) operation that is currently beginning to regain its popularity across the globe through the survey of literature beginning from the year 1999 to 2014. Although the literature has addressed a myriad of important factors through research conducted particularly in Europe, it could be argued that the important determining factors that are required for a particular route or area may not be applicable to another route or area. In Europe, SSS is introduced with the main purpose of diverting freight transportation away from the congested roads whilst for the ASEAN countries, SSS has been part of the initiative to ensure the attainment of a well-connected ASEAN community. Hence, although important lessons could be learned from the European experience, a thorough study would have to be conducted before any SSS endeavour is initiated to ensure the important determining factors for its success are identified. This would enable SSS investors and authorities of countries involved to focus their limited resources to ensure the success of their SSS undertaking.

Highlights

Since the early 1990s Short Sea Shipping (SSS) has regained its dynamism that it has lost to road transportation due to the rapid expansion of highways, bridges and underwater tunnels in the 20th century
This paper aims to review the key factors for a feasible Short Sea Shipping (SSS) operation that is currently beginning to regain its popularity across the globe through the survey of literature beginning from the year 1999 to 2014
In spite of the review conducted, it has to be recognised that the European Union became the proponent of SSS because it was seen as a transport mode that could offer a realistic prospect of substantial modal shift from the congested roads and to reduce environmental damage

Summary

Introduction

Since the early 1990s Short Sea Shipping (SSS) has regained its dynamism that it has lost to road transportation due to the rapid expansion of highways, bridges and underwater tunnels in the 20th century. The uncontrolled growth of road transportation has led to serious traffic congestions at urban centres and choke points, high construction and maintenance cost of road infrastructure, environmental pollution, increasing number of road accidents and higher operational cost These phenomena have led authorities in Europe to look for an alternative mode of transportation, in which SSS seems to be the leading choice. SSS generally involves the transportation of cargo, passengers and vehicles by ships along the coasts, to and from nearby islands, within internal waters such as lakes and rivers but without crossing an ocean It encompasses a large variety of maritime transportation activities, including a wide range of vessel types, cargoes, port infrastructures, policies and regulations, as well as opinions and perceptions. This paper attempts to review and tabulate the important determinants that have enabled feasible SSS operations in Europe in order to assist future research on SSS in countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

Objectives

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Discussion

Conclusion