Port Of Gothenburg Research Articles

Geochemical tests to study the effects of cement ratio on potassium and TBT leaching and the pH of the marine sediments from the Kattegat Strait, Port of Gothenburg, Sweden

Geochemical tests to study the effects of cement ratio on potassium and TBT leaching and the pH of the marine sediments from the Kattegat Strait, Port of Gothenburg, Sweden

The Evolvement of a CCS-Hub at the port of Gothenburg, Sweden

The Evolvement of a CCS-Hub at the port of Gothenburg, Sweden

Evaluation of Different Binder Combinations of Cement, Slag and CKD for S/S Treatment of TBT Contaminated Sediments

Abstract The seabed in the ports needs to be regularly cleaned from the marine sediments for safe navigation. Sediments contaminated by tributyltin (TBT) are environmentally harmful and require treatment before recycling. Treatment methods include leaching, stabilisation and solidification to remove toxic chemicals from the sediments and improve their strength for reuse in the construction works. This study evaluated the effects of adding three different binder components (cement, cement kiln dust (CKD) and slag) to treat sediment samples collected in the port of Gothenburg. The goal of this study is to assess the leaching of TBT from the dredged marine sediments contaminated by TBT. The various methods employed for the treatment of sediments include the application of varied ratios of binders. The project has been performed by the Swedish Geotechnical Institute (SGI) on behalf of the Cementa (HeidelbergCement Group) and Cowi Consulting Group, within the framework of the Arendal project. An experiment has been designed to evaluate the effects of adding CKD while reducing cement and slag for sediment treatment. Methods that have been adopted include laboratory processing of samples for leaching using different binder combinations, followed by statistical data processing and graphical plotting. The results of the experiment on leaching of TBT for all samples are tested with a varied ratio of cement, slag, CKD and water. Specimens with added binders ‘cement/CKD’ have demonstrated higher leaching compared to the ratio ‘cement/slag/CKD’ and ‘cement/slag’. The ‘CKD/slag’ ratio has presented the best results followed by the ‘cement/slag/CKD’, and can be used as an effective method of s/s treatment of the sediments. The results have shown that the replacement of cement and slag by CKD is effective at TBT leaching for the treatment of toxic marine sediments contaminated by TBT.

Assessing the Impact of Disruptive Events on Port Performance and Choice: The Case of Gothenburg

This paper assesses the impact of a major disruptive event at the port of Gothenburg, Scandinavia’s largest container port. Automatic Identification System (AIS) data is analyzed, in combination with official port statistics on container handling in the four main container ports in Sweden, from 2014–2018. Particular attention is paid to the relationship between container volumes handled and calculated performance metrics at the specific times of the intense labour dispute at the port of Gothenburg during the periods Q2 (2016) and Q4 (2016)–Q2 (2017). The paper concludes that the decline in container volumes handled at Gothenburg over the period is specifically due to fewer ships calling at the port following each of the intense periods of the labour dispute. It is also concluded that the effect on competitor ports in the region were significant in terms of both increased volumes of gateway container traffic and the resulting short-term and medium term impacts on both port user profiles and port efficiency levels.

Where to open maritime containers: A decision model at the interface of maritime and urban logistics

After an era of developing large-scale hinterland access for maritime containers by use of rail and inland waterways, research interest and practice has witnessed a slight shift towards port-centric logistics. The big question is where to open import containers and close and seal the ones for export goods. Is it better done in the port vicinity or should the maritime containers also be used for transport to and from the hinterland? In other words, where is the stuffing and stripping operations best located? Focusing on the import of goods loaded in maritime containers, this article provides a model for assessing the options of locating Distribution Centres (DCs) in the vicinity of the port or in the hinterland, or using a combination of the two. The model is illustrated by a case study of import through the Port of Gothenburg, Sweden, comparing a port-centric DC with a location in Falkoping, 130 kms inland. Unless more than 85% of the shipments out of DCs are bound for Gothenburg and its vicinity, the assessment favours stripping the maritime containers in the DC in Falkoping.

Port-related conflict at port of Gothenburg \u2013 consequences from a fashion retailer\u2019s perspective

Previous research have distinguished the risks of supply chain disruptions and the negative effect of supply chain disruption on operational performance in terms of sales, costs and inventory. However, few researchers have studied supply chain risk management and strategies in relation to port conflicts. The 2016 port conflict at a major logistics port in Scandinavia, the Port of Gothenburg, posed an opportunity to study risk management and strategies in the context of major port disruptions, in this case, a labour conflict. The fashion retail industry was affected especially hard due to the short product life cycles and this paper, by means of case study method and analysis, investigates five cases in order to understand how they were affected and what mitigation strategies was used. Results illustrates that during the port conflict, the percentage of increase in logistics cost ranged between 15% and 70%, greatly affected by what mitigation strategy was used by the case company.

The role of dry ports in solving seaport disruptions: A Swedish case study

This paper analyzes the effects on Swedish hinterland logistics of a port labor disruption that occurred in the Port of Gothenburg's container terminal in 2016–2017. Because of this dispute, several companies initiated mitigation strategies by moving their cargo by truck or rail in the area, thus utilizing the inherent advantages of hinterland locations and dry ports. Researching hinterland logistics in Sweden, this article conducts a case study on a dry port and the warehouse industry. The results show that the traffic share of inland terminals was higher during and soon after the conflict. Thus, this study suggests that dry ports are significant as potential solutions for this kind of disruption.

Port-centric cities: The role of freight distribution in defining the port-city relationship

The goal of this paper is to explore the intersection between two streams of literature: port cities and port-centric logistics. While many ports have moved out of city locations, partly facilitated by intermodal corridors, some ports remain in city locations, many retaining a large share of distribution activity in or near the port. This paper will consider distribution challenges arising from the port-city dynamic in relation to the port-inland distribution axis, in particular the role of port and city planners and decision makers in managing this process. The case analysis is based on the Port of Gothenburg, the largest port in Scandinavia.Findings suggest that the majority of influencing factors are marginally in favour of siting distribution facilities inland rather than near the port, yet city planning and national sentiment continue to incentivise development near the port. There are two conclusions for the port-centric city. First, it needs to coordinate its logistics from a regional perspective, determine what activities belong near the port and not compete with inland locations for what is better located there. Second, port-centric logistics needs to be better aligned with an urban freight transport and city logistics perspective.

Greenhouse gas emissions from ships in ports – Case studies in four continents

Emissions of GHG from the transport sector and how to reduce them are major challenges for policy makers. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the level of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from ships while in port based on annual data from Port of Gothenburg, Port of Long Beach, Port of Osaka and Sydney Ports. Port call statistics including IMO number, ship name, berth number and time spent at berth for each ship call, were provided by each participating port. The IMO numbers were used to match each port call to ship specifications from the IHS database Sea-web. All data were analysed with a model developed by the IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute for the purpose of quantifying GHG emissions (as CO2-equivalent) from ships in the port area. Emissions from five operational modes are summed in order to account for ship operations in the different traffic areas. The model estimates total GHG emissions of 150,000, 240,000, 97,000, and 95,000 tonnes CO2 equivalents per year for Gothenburg, Long Beach, Osaka, and Sydney, respectively. Four important emission-reduction measures are discussed: reduced speed in fairway channels, on-shore power supply, reduced turnaround time at berth and alternative fuels. It is argued that the potential to reduce emissions in a port area depends on how often a ship revisits a port: there it in general is easier to implement measures for high-frequent liners. Ships that call 10 times or less contribute significantly to emissions in all ports.

Port privatisation in Sweden: Domestic realism in the face of global hype

The purpose of this paper is to analyse both the port privatisation process adopted in Sweden and the outcomes achieved as a result of that process. An overview of the Swedish economy is provided and the nature and importance of the Swedish port sector in supporting that economy is established. It is also shown that private sector involvement in the Swedish port industry is already quite substantial (particularly in bulk operations), but that the ownership and control of the more important multiuser ports, particularly in the container sector, is already largely devolved to regional municipalities. A focus on the port of Gothenburg is justified on the basis simply of the volumes handled and the importance of its contribution to the national economy compared to the other two ports (Stockholm and Gåvle) where privatisation has been implemented. Through a review of the available literature and a series of confidential interviews with important stakeholders, it is revealed that certain aspects of the port of Gothenburg's privatisation process were flawed. A number of adverse outcomes are analysed that, it is suggested by interviewees, may be directly attributable to the privatisation of the container terminal at the port of Gothenburg.

Sea Traffic Management – Beneficial for all Maritime Stakeholders

Sea Traffic Management is the idea of sharing information and collaborating to optimise the maritime transport chain while increasing safety and sustainability. The digital information on-board and on shore is abundant; however, the interconnection today is point-to-point and proprietary and stops the industry becoming more efficient. We will discuss how Sea Traffic Management will help the industry achieve improved predictability by introducing standards for key information and supplying an infrastructure for information exchange. This enables all actors involved in the transport to plan better and utilise their resources more efficiently. Shorter routes, just-in-time arrivals, shorter port calls are factors that will strengthen the competitiveness of the maritime sector. Improved situational awareness on the bridge and knowledge of planned routes will help optimised planning as well as reducing the number of incidents and accidents. The standard route exchange format submitted by the EU-financed MONALISA 2.0 project partners in 2014 is included in the current edition of the IEC standard, which was launched in August 2015. Solutions using that standard will start realising the benefits already next year. We will describe an infrastructure, which could work in a centralised manner but also has the flexibility to be organised in a more federative manner, similar to how the maritime world works in many aspects. Some key components are: a unique identifier for each voyage; that the information publisher controls who can access the data; that updated information should be made available in real-time; and that subscription to updated data will be the main trigger for many systems and processes. We will also describe the outcomes of the test beds in the MONALISA 2.0 project – The Sound: how shore and vessel can interact better in order improve safety in dense traffic areas; Port of Gothenburg and Port of Valencia – how collaborative decision making can improve operations for all involved actors; European Maritime Simulator Network – how new solutions can be tested in complex traffic situations and areas with real people on a large number of bridges, without risk. How large of an impact will all this have on the maritime transport industry? Based on a study from Linköping University, we believe that the number €1 billion/year in Europe due to shorter routes is only the tip of the benefit iceberg. In the study ship operators and society split the benefit 50/50. Ship operators save on fuel and other cost, society saves on reduced emissions, and other actors associated to maritime operations benefit from a higher degree of infrastructural use. We will also present results from other business cases developed during 2015, in which the benefits of Sea Traffic Management are elaborated on main stakeholders.

Using a “virtual joint venture” to facilitate the adoption of intermodal transport

Purpose– This paper aims to examine a strategic alliance between a large shipper and a freight forwarder to provide an intermodal service to and from the port of Gothenburg. The supply chain literature discusses various models of supply chain collaboration and integration. When applied to logistics, each has been shown to exhibit different levels of success depending on particular factors.Design/methodology/approach– The methodology is a single in-depth case paper based on action research, interviews and document analysis.Findings– According to this innovative model, a new entity is not set up but an open-book basis is established, long-term contracts with other parties are signed, risks and profits are shared and the shipper makes several investments specific to the service. Thus, the benefits of a joint venture are obtained without needing to establish a new organisation, thereby sacrificing flexibility and independence.Research limitations/implications– A limitation of this study is that it is based on a single case of best practice; it may be difficult to replicate the high levels of trust in other situations. Nevertheless, the evident success of this “virtual joint venture” suggests that some elements are transferable to other cases, and the model may be refined through additional case analysis.Practical implications– Results indicate several advantages of this “virtual joint venture” model, including risk sharing, knowledge development, long-term service stability and diversification of activities, which all contribute to facilitating the shift of a large customer from road haulage to intermodal transport. Potential challenges mainly relate to contractual complexity.Originality/value– This paper identifies an innovative business model for logistics integration that can be used in future in other cases to make modal shift more attractive and successful, which is a key aim of government policy in many countries.

Seaport-inland port dyad dynamics: an investigation of service provisions and intermodal transportation linkages

This research investigates the operational and logistical dynamics of seaports and inland ports. Face-to-face semi-structure interviews were conducted on three seaport-inland port dyads that actively use intermodal transportation to move freight between the seaports and connected inland ports. The three dyads are the port of Virginia and Virginia Inland Port (VIP) in the USA, the Port of Sydney and Minto terminal in Australia, and the Port of Gothenburg and Hallsberg terminal in Sweden. Findings of this research provide essential understanding of the range of services provided at the three inland ports studied, offering a benchmark for ports around the world in devising their business portfolio.

Technology and Productivity in the Port of Gothenburg c. 1850–1965

This article discusses the timing and impact of technological change in Scandinavia’s largest port, Gothenburg. It argues that technological change was gradual for a long period of time and that the forklift and the pallet—introduced in 1947 and diffused in the mid-1950s—was responsible for setting off a series of changes. Productivity growth is a subject much neglected in precontainer port studies. The current analysis goes beyond earlier, simplistic notions of productivity and offers new ways of measuring port output. The productivity figures presented strongly indicate growth up to the Second World War—an empirical finding that contrasts with results from other ports. And the study goes on to suggest that growth accelerated in the postwar years. The pattern offers tentative support for the contention that the impact of the forklift was revolutionary.

The Development of Hinterland Transport by Rail - The Story of Scandinavia and the Port of Gothenburg

This article analyses the phenomenon of hinterland transport by rail and the remarkable journey that has taken place during the last ten years in Europe, especially in Scandinavia. Furthermore, it includes a brief examination of how current trends affect the role and development of rail for hinterland transport. In fact, particularly in Scandinavia, most of the potential market for hinterland transport of maritime containers is already realised. Nevertheless, stakeholders face new challenges as a result of the current financial crisis and global recession. As a result, transport systems, such as the Scandinavian rail shuttle system, now show modest growth figures in comparison to the 15 to 20 percent of annual growth over the last ten years. Ultimately, rail shuttle services and dry ports will still play an important future role in ensuring competitive and sustainable logistics systems assuming that these companies are able to cope with the imminent challenges.

The Development of Hinterland Transport by Rail – The Story of Scandinavia and the Port of Gothenburg

This article analyses the phenomenon of hinterland transport by rail and the remarkable journey that has taken place during the last ten years in Europe, especially in Scandinavia. Furthermore, it includes a brief examination of how current trends affect the role and development of rail for hinterland transport. In fact, particularly in Scandinavia, most of the potential market for hinterland transport of maritime containers is already realised. Nevertheless, stakeholders face new challenges as a result of the current financial crisis and global recession. As a result, transport systems, such as the Scandinavian rail shuttle system, now show modest growth figures in comparison to the 15 to 20 percent of annual growth over the last ten years. Ultimately, rail shuttle services and dry ports will still play an important future role in ensuring competitive and sustainable logistics systems assuming that these companies are able to cope with the imminent challenges.

Financial and environmental impacts of hypothetical Finnish dry port structure

One main theme of European Union’s in transport policy statements has been the increased role of railways in the reducing environmental impacts and costs of transport activity. One option to increase the modal share of rail transport is to utilize the dry port concept, particularly applicable to general cargo. At the Port of Gothenburg (Sweden) use of this concept in combination with rail transport has led to a reduction of CO 2 emissions, and lower transport energy costs. The main objective and motivation of this research work are to examine through analytical models, how this same dry port concept could be implemented in the Finnish transportation network, with estimates of the benefits being gained. The research method of this study is macro gravitational models of distribution. Main input data for the models are distances and population in the area. The approach aims to research, how relative transport costs behave by increasing the number of dry port distribution locations. For the actual computation work the authors apply linear integer programming. Based on the results, the authors argue that relative transport costs can decrease considerably by increasing the number of dry ports, up to the level of six locations. This is considerably less than what is the current situation in Sweden. The found solution also differs from Sweden as the fragmented Finnish seaport system enables using numerous seaports instead of one, which further decreases inland transportation distances and volumes considerably. At the same time forthcoming sulphur emission reduction regulation (for sea transports) might impact the transportation network structure by decreasing sea transport and the number of seaports used. This might lead to a further increase in land-based hinterland transport.

The Gothenburg Traffic Control Area

The Swedish National Administration of Shipping and Navigation together with the Port of Gothenburg Authority decided in 1980 that in order to increase the safety level by providing shipping with improved navigational information, a new Vessel Traffic Centre should be introduced. The decision was based upon a number of considerations. The Port of Gothenburg handles 30000 vessels each year, the total volume of cargo being of the order of 22 million tonnes. Taken individually, fully loaded vessels entering the port can exceed 225000 tonnes deadweight with a length overall in excess of 325 metres. The crude oil discharged at Torshamnen, within the Gothenburg port area, supplies over 30 per cent of the oil requirements of the Swedish nation. In addition to the tanker trade, Gothenburg has a large ro-ro/container capacity and the ferries calling at the port carry three and a half million people per annum.