Empty Container Management
Š Abdulla Wanis Tabet
For container carriers, empty container repositioning is a nonrevenue generating operation, and it is a costly part of meeting customer demand. Port regions benefit from a more efficient repositioning system for empty containers, which also contributes to reduced congestion
and emissions.
Š Abdulla Wanis Tabet
The major tasks within the scope of a container liner shipping company: container equipment follow-up (follow-up of any movement of each particular container at any terminal and depot worldwide
and keeping entries in the company IS up-to-date). container maintenance and repair. container leasing and return. purchase of new container equipment. empty container equipment repositioning. entering agreements with carriers, depots, and container repair shops. © Abdulla Wanis Tabet
Container movement flows (block diagram) Š Abdulla Wanis Tabet
Factors behind Empty Container Flows Imbalanced Flows Feeder Services Cargo / Equipment Specialization Cabotage Rules
© Abdulla Wanis Tabet
Overview of decisions for empty container repositioning
Š Abdulla Wanis Tabet
Decisions at a tactical level include: service selection: the selection of routes on which services will be offered and the frequency of these services; traffic distribution: specification of routes for the traffic of each origin– destination pair: services used, terminals passed through and operations performed at terminals; terminal policies: consolidation activities that have to be performed at each terminal; empty balancing strategies: how empty vehicles, trailers and containers have to be repositioned in order to satisfy future requests; vehicle and crew planning: especially for less-than-truckload transportation in Europe, when vehicles and drivers are regarded as a single resource and vehicle tours have to be determined taking legal and social requirements into account.
Proposed solutions
1- Proposed solution A new approach (street turn)
(solution)
Š Abdulla Wanis Tabet
(problem)
2-
Inland depot system
Š Abdulla Wanis Tabet
(solution)
(problem)
3- Proposed solution Folding containers
© Abdulla Wanis Tabet
Thank
you
© Abdulla Wanis Tabet