Robustness of hinterland container transportation

Abstract

Containerisation has dramatically changed international transportation; it has affected the speed and costs of the transportation of goods. The largest share of costs of container transportation is related to inland transportation. The performance of the container transportation chain as a whole determines its competitive position. Disruptive events occur in the transportation chain, and if they are not mitigated effectively, the disruptions will be propagated through the chain. Robustness of the container transportation chain is key to acquiring and maintaining a good competitive position. This research investigates to what extent the hinterland network configuration, like merchant haulage and terminal haulage, influences the robustness of the hinterland container transportation chain. During this research a discrete event simulation model has been developed for the hinterland transport chain between Rotterdam and the Ruhr district. Three different disruption scenarios are studied during the simulation runs: delay of a vessel, low water levels in the Rhine River, and a combination of both. This research shows that changing hinterland network configuration of the transport chain from merchant haulage to terminal haulage is an effective way of increasing the transport chain’s robustness, thereby increasing the competitive position of the terminal. The model results can be used to support container terminal operators with the strategic decision of whether or not to invest in terminal haulage.