Maritime Business Research Articles

Reduction and validation of a chemical kinetic mechanism including necessity analysis and investigation of CH4/C3H8 oxidation at pressures up to 120 bar using a rapid compression machine

Cost efficiency and the ecological footprint are becoming more important in the locomotive and maritime business. To overcome these needs, manufacturers are forced to develop highly efficient internal combustion engines suitable for alternative fuel, such as biogas. In the development process of a new engine, simulation tools offer economic benefits compared to engine bench tests. To manage the trade-off between enhanced efficiency by increasing the compression ratio and knocking combustion, a reaction mechanism is necessary to capture the ignition behavior of various fuel blends and conditions during the simulation. Since previous studies only investigated methane/propane oxidation at pressures up to 50bar, experimental investigations have been conducted to include pressure regimes, which are similar to those of a knocking combustion. Therefore, rapid compression machine (RCM) experiments were performed using methane/propane mixtures at lean conditions with air-to-fuel ratios of 1.5, 1.7 and 1.9. Furthermore a range of compression temperatures from 800 to 1000K at pressures of 80, 100 and 120bar were conducted. The experiments for mixtures containing 30mol% propane showed a negative temperature coefficient (NTC) behavior, which is consistent with experiments for other alkane fuels presented in the literature. In addition, the experimental results were compared with the recently published detailed chemical mechanism Aramco Mech 1.3. This mechanism was used to simulate the ignition delay times with consideration of the facility effects of the rapid compression machine. The simulation results, based on a zero-dimensional homogeneous batch reactor showed good agreement with the measurements over a wide range of the investigated conditions. In a further step the detailed mechanism has been reduced by necessity analysis in order to minimize computational efforts for future combined CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) and kinetic simulations. The results of this novel work show the first set of high pressure screening experiments in a RCM for CH4/C3H8 mixtures combined with a systematic method for mechanism reduction.

Maritime entrepreneurs and policy-makers: a historical approach to contemporary economic globalization

AbstractThis article adopts a historical approach to examine the role played by maritime entrepreneurs and maritime policy-makers in the unprecedented growth of world trade during the second half of the twentieth century. The purpose is to show how globalization as a macroeconomic process was shaped and sustained by human agency operating within maritime business and maritime politics. For more than two decades, economic globalization has been a major field of study within the social sciences. While providing many valuable insights, this literature tends to approach globalization primarily from a macro-perspective and to treat the process largely in quantitative terms. Through a series of separate historical case studies, this article shows the possibilities of more micro- and meso-oriented analysis, focusing more on processes and transformations than stages and outcomes.

Effect of the Northern Sea Route Opening to the Shipping Activities at Malacca Straits

The opening of the Northern Sea Route as an alternative route for transporting cargoes between the Far East and Europe seems highly acceptable by shipping companies due to the great saving in fuel consumption, bunker cost, operating cost, emissions and journey time. This situation will not only affect the maritime business activity in the Straits of Malacca but also, the Malaysian economy in different perspectives when the vessels sail via the Suez Canal and the Indian Ocean are expected to decrease. The objective of this study is to analyse the implication in the opening of the Northern Sea Route on Maritime Sector of the Malaysian economy by using PESTEL analysis. The main scope is focusing more on the Malacca Straits shipping activity by using a number of parameters that have been obtained from Port Klang and Port Klang Authority through a set of questionnaires and interview sessions with industrial experts.

Investment decisions and the signalling effects of financial information flows: Vickers shipyard 1913–1924

Businesses that operate in acutely cyclical industries like shipbuilding are more dependent than most on the quality of the information flows that report the outcomes of their various decisions. This article, an extended version of the twenty-first Peter Davies Lecture in Maritime Business History, examines the relationship between decisions to invest in fixed assets and long-term contract work in the shipbuilding industry and cost allocation practices on the way that operational success or failure is signalled, using internal data from the Vickers shipyard archive across the ‘trans-war’ period 1913–1924.

The Onassis Global Shipping Business, 1920s–1950s

Aristotle Onassis was a leading figure in creating the new global tanker business in the second half of the twentieth century. This article examines the first thirty years of his career, before he became renowned worldwide, setting his business in the context of global shipping developments. Onassis is the most famous of the shipping tycoons that transformed maritime business in the post–World War II transitional period. He is among those “new men”—Greek, Norwegian, Danish, American, Japanese, or Hong Kong shipowners—who replaced the old order of the traditional British Empire shipowners. These new pioneers established the global shipping business in the era of American dominance.

The Qing opening to the ocean: Chinese maritime policies, 1684-1757

Did China drive or resist the early wave of globalisation? Some scholars insist that China contributed nothing to the rise of the global economy that began around 1500. Others have placed China at the center of global integration. Neither side, though, has paid attention to the complex story of China's maritime policies. Drawing on sources from China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and the West, this important new work systematically explores the evolution of imperial Qing maritime policy from 1684 to 1757 and sets its findings in the context of early globalisation. Gang Zhao argues that rather than constrain private maritime trade, globalisation drove it forward, linking the Song and Yuan dynasties to a dynamic world system. As bold Chinese merchants began to dominate East Asian trade, officials and emperors came to see private trade as the solution to the daunting economic and social challenges of the day. The ascent of maritime business convinced the Kangzi emperor to open the coast to international trade, putting an end to the tribute trade system. Zhao's study details China's unique contribution to early globalisation, the pattern of which differs significantly from the European experience. It offers impressive insights on the rise of the Asian trade network, the emergence of Shanghai as Asia's commercial hub, and the spread of a regional Chinese diaspora. To understand the place of China in the early modern world, how modernity came to China, and early globalisation and the rise of the Asian trade network, The Qing Opening to the Ocean is essential reading.

Service-oriented computing and model-driven development as enablers of port information systems: an integrated view

Port information management is considered a critical instrument towards enabling international transport and trade; thus, various forms of Port Information Systems (PORTIS) have been developed today, namely Port Community Systems, Terminal Operating Systems and Single Window systems. In Europe, the nautical information system SafeSeaNet is viewed as an important e-infrastructure. PORTIS systems are expected to evolve into next-generation technological platforms in order to offer a fully integrated digital environment to a multitude of maritime business actors and public authorities towards more efficient, safe and environment-aware transport and trade infrastructures and services. We propose service-oriented computing and model-driven development techniques as a robust PORTIS modelling and development approach. We present a reference model of PORTIS and a particular enabling methodological and technological framework. The proposed approach has been tested in a maritime single-window case.

Learning International Trade by Game in Maritime Business Schools

Business trade is a very complex process and maritime students should acknowledge this complexity and understand various different components of the process and the interactions among them. Considering this complexity, teaching college students about the international trade can be a demanding and expansive process within the traditional learning context. Developments in instructional strategies helped educators to enhance learning environments with games and simulations providing students with enduring and in-depth learning experiences. The learning experiences included realistic trade scenario allowing students to simulate the process and explore possible results of their actions during the game. The conversations used during the game were derived from real business environment helping students to realize how their classroom learning was connected to actual international trade environment during this activity. The purpose of this research was to observe the effects of business simulation game on maritime business students’ understanding of international trade process. The study design was a single group experimental and participants were consisted of 59 undergraduate maritime business school students studying in two Turkish universities. The data was collected through a Business Trade Simulation scale designed for this study. The results of the study illustrated that international trade game enhanced participants’ knowledge and skills about international trade and students’ motivation toward the game as well.

Seeing is believing: Developing research skills in international maritime students through authentic learning

Increasingly, globalisation generates a requirement for employees to be adaptable, informed and able to assimilate and report on complex business contexts. This demand has stimulated an increasing internationalisation of postgraduate management education, particularly on programmes which serve the needs of dynamic industries such as maritime business, challenging tutors to find ways to develop research skills effectively in international students. This paper focuses on authenticity within the context of research informed teaching, which involves a basic relationship between teaching and research as the interdependent core activities in higher education. This study investigates how authentic learning may be used to enhance students’ research skills, and reports on a project which aimed to develop the research skills of international maritime business students enrolled on Maritime Business Masters awards at Plymouth. A teaching strategy designed to expose students via field visits and visiting speakers, to practical business contexts significantly enhanced their research skills. As an empirical study, this work contributes to the understanding of authenticity in higher education and confirms the importance of research informed teaching. Findings will be of interest to many programmes which seek to develop the research skills of postgraduate international students in management.

Ναυπήγηση και συνεταιριστική διαχείριση (συμπλοιοκτησία) εμπορικών ιστιοφόρων στην Ερμούπολη τον 19ο αιώνα

Apostolos Delis, Ship construction and partnership owning of merchant sailing ships in Hermoupolis during the 19th century Hermoupolis was a major maritime and shipbuilding centre in the eastern Mediterranean and the greatest shipping market of Greek-owned merchant marine during the 19th century. The aim of this paper is to present the main practises of building and partnership-owning of sailing ships in the shipping and shipbuilding market of Hermoupolis in the above mentioned period. These practises are traced through the examples of three ships built in Hermoupolis in 1838, while additional archival documentation is provided for comparison and further understanding. As far as partnership practises are concerned, there were different levels of complexity in the terms of management of the ship enterprise, which depended on the type of relationship between the partners (e.g. whether there were parental relationships between them or according to the share each of them possessed). The manifold role of the captain, as partner and at the same time manager and representative of the ship enterprise, was crucial for the profitability of the partnership, and the importance of his role was duly acknowledged by the rest of the partners. The examination of the three cases of ship construction and partnership-owning in Hermoupolis reveals the changes in the maritime business context after 1830 when compared to the pre-revolutionary practices of the Greek-owned merchant marine. The transition to the ship as a mere cargo carrier exclusively dependent on freight rates called for further rationalisation of cost administration, mainly reflected on crew management and the ways of payment. Ship-owners insistently tried to cut down crew numbers to the minimum necessary, while the system of payment with shares, which predominated before 1821, was replaced by a monthly salary. Both these modifications bespeak of the further integration of sea labour into the mechanisms of 19th century industrial capitalism. Regarding the building procedure, I studied the notarial acts drawn up between shipbuilders and owners concerning the construction of vessels, as well as other necessary agreements, like those made for the purchase of timber or the manufacturing of the metal components of ships. The data provide useful information about the time and cost required for the construction of sailing vessels and the ways of payment, along with details about the delivery of a ship to the owners, like the accompanying inventory including all her equipment.

International Handbook of Maritime Business

The maritime transportation industry consists of firms engaged in the liner trade, tramp services, private carriers, shoreside services providers, and an array of intermediaries. From the standpoint of freight movers these industry segments can be further disaggregated into container lines, breakbulk carriers, roll-on roll-off lines, liquid bulk carriers, and dry bulk carriers. Passenger transporting carriers, mainly cruise lines and ferry operators, round out the list of vessel operating firms. Port facilities, whether owned or operated by private firms or public agencies, also require stevedoring firms, breakbulk facilities, barge and lighterage providers, bunkerage and ships stores provisioners, and tugboat operators. Any book calling itself a handbook of this business would, by definition, need to be a most complex undertaking that would likely be presented as a multivolume offering.One cannot engage in a thorough understanding of the maritime business without first also obtaining a grounding in the roles of the intermediaries involved, which can be segmented into those focusing on carriers and those for shippers. Ship agents and shipbrokers arrange for vessel charters, long-term and voyage, respectively. The other intermediaries could include the insurance carriers, nonvessel-operating common carriers (NVOCC), coopers, marine surveyors, and freight forwarders. Added to these would also be the admiralty law firms—that specific branch of the legal profession dealing with contracts and disputes most often involving losses.The various rules governing liability, the flagging sovereignty of vessels, laws of cabotage, and vessel crewing are unique to this mode. Practitioners are involved with arranging for transportation, insuring the goods during movement, loading and unloading cargo, conducting linehaul transportation, preparing documentation, coordinating between participants including shippers and consignees, and settling legal disputes. Therefore, to say that the maritime industry is in serious need of a comprehensive handbook that could serve as a roadmap for the uninitiated as well as the novice practitioner is to merely state the obvious.Inasmuch as Webster defines a handbook as “a) a book capable of being conveniently carried as a ready reference manual; and b) a concise reference book covering a particular subject,” the work reviewed clearly is neither. Second, a handbook usually suggests utility for a certain audience, in the case of this book, supply chain practitioners, again a matter that could prove doubtful given the esoteric nature of many of its chapters. Finally, a handbook typically attempts to focus its topical coverage within clearly established parameters, which does not appear to be the case given the aforementioned key issues of the industry.Following the editor's comments, which comprise chapter 1, one encounters a valuable discussion of supply chain efficiency in general and port efficiency, specifically, in its addressing of both bulk as well as containerized cargoes. The principal message is that any given port is an element in myriad supply chains, each with a different set of strategic imperatives, is one worth remembering. This is especially the case given, that ports must respond to a range of different demands expressed by shippers and consignees dealing in cargoes of different values, volumes, temporal sensitivities, and regulatory restrictions. Any single port will thus be a node in potentially thousands of individual supply chains.The remainder of the book consists of fifteen chapters representing an eclectic mix of topics that includes the various issues of shippers and consignees dealing with ports, terminals, containerized cargoes, the liner industry, and how the maritime industry fits into the overall theme of integrated logistics—indeed representing a far-too-brief primer on these topics. Among the final chapters one finds the treatment of such perhaps out-of-scope topics as investment in the European ferry markets, hedging in the Capesize forward freight market, and the training of dualpurpose officers. All three chapters make for interesting reading, but each is clearly out of place with the twelve preceding chapters and are hardly issues worthy of coverage in a handbook intended for a general audience. Moreover, these three chapters do not share common themes with one another, prompting the reader to question their utility for a book intended for a general audience.The foregoing comments, however, is not to suggest that this book carries no merit, because it clearly does. Those potential readers who look for this volume to fill its intended niche of being a handbook will, of course, be disappointed that it is not a reference manual per se to which they can turn in search of answers to questions of a practical nature. For those students of logistics and supply chain management, including many academics, the book may prove valuable insofar as each chapter contains a robust list of cited materials.

Introduction

The Winter 2012 issue of the Transportation Journal contains articles on a variety of topics. The first article, “The Challenge of Globalization for the Logistics Industry: Evidence from Indonesia,” by Tongzon, focuses on liberalization of the logistics services industry as part of trade liberalization overall. Tongzon uses Indonesia as a case study country to discuss facilitators and barriers that might be of use to other emerging nations at similar stages of trade liberalization. In their article, “Business Case Analysis and the Confounds of Innovation Driven by Performance-Based Post-Production Support Strategies,” Randall, Brady, and Nowicki discuss performance-based-logistics (PBL) post-production strategies. They analyze return-on-investment governance structures in comparison with return-on-sales business models and provide a theoretical framework for rationalizing PBL and traditional strategies within the same business case analysis. The third article is the final article that was selected from paper submissions to the 2009 International Forum on Shipping, Ports, and Airports. In this article, Liang, Li, Sun, Sun, and Gao use quantitative analysis to investigate the impacts of risk aversion on the manufacturer's advertising decision and the retailer's ordering decision.We also are publishing three industry notes in this issue. In the first note, Toh, DeKay, and Raven, using survey methodology, examine how travelers search for and then buy airline seats, determine which distribution channel dominates, calculate what percentages of online searches convert to actual bookings on the same website, and report why people switch. The second note was selected as a refereed manuscript from the International Conference on Greater China Supply Chain and Logistics (GCSCL) 2010. GCSCL is dedicated to encouraging international academic exchanges, and cooperation on the development of supply chain and logistics management in the Greater China region. Cui, Su, and Hertz present the results of three case study analyses to assist in exploring logistics innovation at third-party logistics (3PL) companies in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Mainland China. In the third note, Kumar and Harrison discuss supply chain disruption in the context of a firm's financial performance, in particular, the firm's Economic Value Added (EVA). Our Winter issue concludes with a book review of the International Handbook of Maritime Business edited by Kevin Cullinane and reviewed by Richard Young.I would like to announce some changes in our editorial review board composition. Dr. Theodore Stank, Bruce Chair of Excellence in Business and Supply Chain Management at the University of Tennessee, is stepping down due to increased administrative and other responsibilities. I extend my sincere appreciation to Ted for his service to the Transportation Journal and his always timely and constructive manuscript reviews. Our book review editor, Dr. Peter Lynagh, Professor of Marketing in the Merrick School of Business at the University of Baltimore, passed away in October after a brief illness. A tribute to Pete follows this introduction. Dr. Richard Young, Professor of Supply Chain Management at the Penn State Capital College, has agreed to serve as book review editor. I am pleased to announce that Dr. Yemisi A. Bolumole has agreed to serve on the editorial board. Dr. Bolumole is an assistant professor of supply chain management at the Michigan State University.We'll continue to be making changes in the Transportation Journal during 2012. We will be implementing Editorial Manager, our automated manuscript submission system. The new system should expedite the manuscript review process and will allow authors to track their manuscript submissions. The manuscript submission website is www.editorialmanager.com/TransJour. In addition to refereed articles, we also welcome book reviews or book review proposals. Our book review editor, Richard Young, is also seeking book reviewers for books he has in queue.We will also be introducing an annual best paper award for papers published in the Transportation Journal. More details will follow in subsequent issues.

Pursuing maritime education: an empirical study of students’ profiles, motivations and expectations

This study reveals the profiles, motivations, and expectations of students pursuing undergraduate maritime programmes. Although a number of tertiary institutions offer maritime programmes, the characteristics and structures of the demands for such programmes remain under-researched. This paper illustrates and discusses the results of a survey completed by students pursuing undergraduate programmes in maritime business and management at three universities in Asia and Europe, and compares them with the findings of a database examining similar issues towards postgraduate students within the same institutions. Research highlights include the tendency of undergraduate students to combine studies and work, considering real-world experiences as a vital contributor to career prospects. Shipping (notably tankers, dry bulks and containers) stands out as the ideal professional paths within the maritime industries. Another key finding is that the current marketing strategies of the institutions are rather irrelevant. This paper provides a solid foundation for understanding the profile students pursuing maritime programmes and contributes to the effective planning and management of maritime programmes, thus to the overall professional quality of the maritime industries.

The Maritime World in Historical Perspective

This article is a revised version of the University of Liverpool Peter Davies Annual Lecture, given by the author in 2010. It identifies the principal ways in which human beings have used, and continue to use, the oceans. Transport, trade, defence, leisure and marine resources all continue to feature. Two later- twentieth-century developments, globalization and containerization, are considered. Long international, maritime business has become truly global, with the replacement of national flags by ‘flags of convenience’ and a global market for maritime labour. These developments represent a break with the past. Containerisation is compared with the transition from sail to steam. There was a marked contrast in the pace of transition and technological complexity, although both required high levels of investment and new port infrastructure. An innovation aimed at reduction of cargo-handling costs and part of a multimodal logistics system, containerization substantially reduced the demand for waterfront labour so had a marked social impact. It is concluded that, despite these recent changes, the degree of novelty should not be overemphasised. There remains much that connects today’s maritime world with the past.

Passenger ports: services provision and their benefits

The paper discusses an under-researched segment of the port and maritime business: passenger ports and port services. A survey conducted in the 20 major European passenger ports leads to the identification and classification of the different services provided in passenger ports. Then the paper examines the public and private benefits produced by the provision of those services that are provided in all passenger ports. It does so via (a) literature review and brainstorming sessions with experts that result in a list of potential benefits produced and (b) application of a modified Analytical Hierarchical Approach (AHP) that acts as a useful methodological tool towards an understanding of the exact distribution of the private and public benefits. A dataset of replies to a questionnaire, which is developed along the lines of the AHP, provides empirical data as regards the produced public and private benefits in the case study of the Piraeus passenger port.

Maritime Education in a Transdisciplinary World: The Case of Hong Kong

Some universities have their maritime education situated in faculty of engineering while few are included in faculty of business. Emphasises are apparently different for those in faculty of engineering from those in faculty of business. The maritime business curriculum has to fulfill the requirements of accreditation of different international organizations e.g. STCW95 and AACSB. This paper is to study the curriculum developed in maritime education at the Department of Logistics and Maritime Studies of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and it is not easy to fulfill the requirements of different international organizations. The quality of maritime business curriculum offered by educational institutions is critical in ensuring the quality of future shipping executives for the shipping community in Hong Kong.

컨테이너 화물처리에 따른 부산지역 경제기여도 원단위 산정 연구 - 해상부분을 중심으로 -

본 연구는 미시적 관점에서 해상부분에 대한 부산항 컨테이너화물 처리에 따른 부산지역 경제기여도를 분석할 수 있는 업종별 원단위(TEU당 발생비용)를 산정하였다. 이를 위해 12개 업종의 매출액 및 거래실적 등을 파악하기 위하여 업체 인터넷 및 설문조사를 실시하였다. 컨테이너화물과 관련되는 해상부분 업종들에 대한 전체 TEU당 원단위는 238,230원/TEU으로 산정되었다. 본 연구결과를 통해 컨테이너 처리 관련 해상부분의 업종별 TEU당 원단위는 새로운 지표로서 부산항의 컨테이너 화물 처리에 따른 부산 지역경제 기여도 분석에 활용할 수 있다. This research estimates the contribution to the Busan regional economy made by Busan Port's container cargo handling from the microscopic point of view. The cost is calculated and shown in the currency unit of Korea, won, per TEU. A questionnaire was conducted to 12 different types of maritime business to obtain total sales and performances of the companies. The total sales of maritime business related to container goods per the whole TEU was computed at 238,230won/TEU. This can be adopted as a new index to analyse the Busan regional economy.

Book Review: Following the Nereids: Sea Routes and Maritime Business, 16th-20th Centuries

Book Review: Following the Nereids: Sea Routes and Maritime Business, 16th-20th Centuries

Women in North Africa secure more rights

Hayet Laouni is a member of Tunisia’s senate and an owner of her own maritime business. She credits her success to the liberal approach to women’s rights that the government has shown since independence, and to its investment in education. “I am very grateful to my country,” she says. “I was born and grew up in a part of the world where life is supposed to be hard for most people, but harder for women. In fact, I come from two parts of the world, Africa and the Arab Muslim world.”

Application of fuzzy extended AHP methodology on shipping registry selection: The case of Turkish maritime industry

Selection of the suitable shipping registry alternative for the existing fleet or new building ships is one of the critical decision milestones of the shipping business. The main aim of this paper is to structure a practical decision support mechanism on ensuring multiple criteria analysis of shipping registry selection. Fuzzy AHP methodology, based on Chang's extent analysis, is determined to be utilized in order to model the shipping registry selection. After structuring the fundamental hierarchy, the model is performed with a case application on Turkish maritime industry to be able to obtain illustrative results. The shipping registries of Turkiye, Panama, and Malta are determined to evaluate as the potential alternatives for Turkish ship owners. When the literature was examined for the applications of analytical methodologies on maritime business, it was seemed that they were so rare. Therefore, the originality of this study appears on modeling of the critical process under multidisciplinary philosophy in ship management.