The Flexible Port

Abstract

Ports are beset with many uncertainties about their futures. They are confronted with new demands in terms of functions and scales, new external constraints, and changed expectations. The inability to adequately meet these demands can mean costly adaptations for a port, or loss of cargo and competitive position. A plausible reason is that the traditional practices of port planning have remained static in this dynamic world. Traditional port planners do not habitually think in terms of uncertainty, and therefore propose inflexible plans and designs based on deterministic forecasts. Clearly, a new approach is required. Flexibility helps a port to adapt to a wide range of exogenous developments. This is possible at all levels of a port infrastructure system: in its physical infrastructure, its procedures and operations, and the services it provides. This thesis proposes a method called Adaptive Port Planning (APP). Real-life case studies have established that APP can accommodate diverse planning needs and deliver flexible and robust solutions that can better withstand the vagaries of the future. In reality there are barriers, however. Adoption and successful implementation of APP by organizations involved in port planning and design faces many barriers. The conservative port industry, the nature of port projects constrained by legal procedures that limit flexibility, the traditional role assigned to an engineer doing the planning, the organizational culture that leaves little room for new techniques, the extra investments associated with flexible designs, and the fact that innovation is low priority in times of uncertainty, all represent barriers. A ‘strategic planner’ is required: a generalist who can take a holistic approach, understand the tasks of an engineer, economist, manager, and a policymaker, and is able to communicate with the many disciplines in his planning team. He must be able to integrate their knowledge, incorporate uncertainty considerations in standards and projects, seek innovative flexible solutions, and justify them to the authorities.