Evaluation of the effectiveness of combined ships

Abstract

The aim of article is the estimation of the effectiveness of combined ships and the determining the scope of their optimal use by preliminary design of new ships to increase the competitiveness of inland water transport. For this, approaches and indicators are proposed for assessing the use of combined and traditional (dry cargo and tankers) vessels when deciding on their construction in strategic planning or the acquisition of existing vessels in current planning. The novelty of the assessment lies in taking into account the specifics of the operation of a combined vessel, which provides for an assessment of the effectiveness of additional capital investments in it, generating additional income and operating costs arising from the return loading of the vessel, as well as the possibility of comparing this efficiency with the corresponding indicators of the operation of dry cargo and tankers on alternative cargo flows. Additionally, in order to study the influence of efficiency factors and a more adequate assessment, the freight rate of the reverse cargo flow is determined, which ensures equal profitability with the direct cargo flow. Evaluation of the effectiveness of ships and the operability of the proposed approach are shown on a number of real cargo flows in the Central and Northwestern basins. Based on the analysis of indicators, the boundaries of the effectiveness of the use of combined vessels in specific areas of work were established.