PRODUCTIVE TERMINAL OPERATIONS

INCREASING DEMAND FOR INTERNATIONAL INTERMODAL CONTAINER-HANDLING CAPABILITY IS RAPIDLY BEGINNING TO EXCEED THE CAPABILITY OF U.S. WEST COAST PORTS TO PROVIDE FACILITIES TO EFFICIENTLY ACCOMODATE IT. THIS TRAFFIC MUST MAKE THE TRANSITION FROM A MARINE MODE OF TRANSPORT, PRIMARILY TO RAIL TRANSPORT AND VICE VERSA. THE PROCESS AT PRESENT IS INEFFICIENT AND CONSEQUENTLY EXPENSIVE; THE END RESULT IS INFLATIONARY AND HAS A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE ABILITY OF THE UNITED STATESTO COMPETE IN INTERNATIONAL TRADE. IN ADDITION, TRAFFIC MOVING FROM MARINE TERMINALS TO A RAIL HEAD GENERALLY EXACERBATES EXISTING ROADWAY CONGESTION IN PORT AREAS AND IS THE SOURCE OF MUCH ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN. THE AIM OF THIS PROJECT IS TO DEVELOP A MODEL TERMINAL AND IDENTIFY THE HARDWARE SOFTWARE AND MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES REQUIRED TO OPERATE IT BASED ON THE CONCEPT OF AN INTEGRATED MARINE/RAIL INTERMODAL OPERATION. BOTH VESSELS AND TRAINS WOULD JOINTLY EMPLOY SIMULTANEOUS DISCHARGE AND LOADING OPERATIONS USING A COMMON SITE TO EFFECT THE TRANSITION OF CONTAINERS TO AND FROM EACH MODE OF TRANSPORT. THIS METHOD WILL PROVIDE A SIGNIFICANTLY MORE EFFICIENT AND PRODUCTIVE USE OF MARINE FACILITIES, ENABLING U.S. WEST COAST PORTS TO ACCOMMODATE TRAFFIC VOLUMES FOR THE FOR ESEEABLE FUTURE. AN ADDED BENEFIT IS THAT THIS TECHNIQUE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE HEAVY TRUCK TRAFFIC ON PUBLIC ROADWAYS IN THE PORT AREAS. THROUGH GENERALLY ACCEPTED COMPUTER SIMULATION TECHNIQUES, THIS METHOD WILL BE VALIDATED AND THE RESULTS VERIFIED.