In developing a conceptual framework for a Container Port's performance certain data needs to be taken and assessed. They include information on various operational elements such as ship turnaround time; average vessel time in berth and waiting time, the number of TEUs per hour, berth throughput including ratio to length, occupancy rate, utilization rate, yard throughput, yard storage productivity, net gate throughput as well as gross gate throughput,106 truck turnaround time, gross labor productivity, and historical container volumes. These are measures to be addressed in a future comprehensive study on productivity.
Infrastructure/Superstructure
World container traffic is expected to grow by 4 or 5 percent annually between now and 2010. Total port container throughput is forecast to reach 270 million TEUs by 2005. This is a 55% increase of about 100 million TEUs. Private sector involvement in the operations and investments in container terminal infrastructure has been growing significantly over the last decade. Even when one accounts for productivity improvements, the need for additional facilities to come on stream worldwide by 2005 is expected to be between 200 and 300 new full-fledged container terminals.107
In the further development of a conceptual framework for a container terminal's performance, certain information is needed to support the operational data collected. These include: The number of berths (including length and draft), area of useable storage space in the yard, any “value added” distribution facilities (including size), number of gantry cranes and capacities (weight, reach, and clearance), container storage methods, container movement methods, type of gate operation (automation or not), and the use of information technologies (EDI, internet, etc.). In addition to this, plans for expansion (megaship) and changes needed, income/expenditure per container, operating surplus per container, rate of return on turnover, lease rate for the terminal, length of the contract and how often is negotiation included, whether the lease is based on “flat rate”,min max “or” shared revenue, who owns terminal equipment, buildings, land, and leasehold improvements, and is dredging needed at berths or channels leading to the terminal, and if so, who pays for the dredging. These are all items that should be addressed and evaluated in order to measure the performance and establish benchmarks for container terminal operations so that port authorities and terminal operators have a clear understanding of how well their terminals are doing over time.
